281,217 four week waits for a GP appointment in Black Country and West Birmingham last year The Black Country and West Birmingham saw a 31% rise in four week waits for GP appointments last year when compared to 2022, House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.  The NHS data measures […]

Years of chaos and neglect under this Conservative Government have left the NHS on its knees. The Liberal Democrats have put forward the boldest plan of any party to fix the NHS and care. We would make sure everyone can see a GP when they need one, invest in hospitals and ambulance services, and fix […]

Sandwell Liberal Democrats have selected former MP Parmjit Singh Gill to run as their Parliamentary candidate for West Bromwich in the General Election.  In 2004, Parmjit beat Labour in the historic Leicester South by-election, becoming the Lib Dems’ first Member of Parliament of colour. The by-election was considered a referendum on Labour’s illegal war in […]

Britain must lead the way by acting now to protect our natural environment, clean up our air and cut our carbon emissions. But the Conservatives are taking us backwards in the fight against climate change. Liberal Democrats have a plan for a green recovery, creating jobs and tackling the climate emergency. We will: Read our […]

Oliver is originally from Hampshire, where he and his brother were raised by his mum (a nurse) and dad (an engineer). Oliver was the first in his immediate family to go to university, obtaining a BA in history at Kent and then an MA at University College London.  After university he embarked upon a career as a […]

Our candidate for Smethwick, Oliver Patrick, on the housing crisis and Lib dem policies to address it.The Liberal Democrat’s policy on housing is centred on ensuring access to good quality housing for all, recognising its essential role in people’s wellbeing. Our policy highlights the current housing crisis, characterised by a shortage of affordable and social […]

First of all, thank you to everyone who voted in the local election, in May. We will continue to update you on our campaigns and efforts to hold Sandwell Council to account.  Here is a quick introduction to our three candidates in constituencies being run by Sandwell, Mark Rochell, Parmjit Singh Gill, and Oliver Patrick. We will […]

Sandwell already has the lowest level of Green Belt in the Black Country, yet developers still want to encroach into the remaining Green Belt and green spaces we have left. It also has the lowest level of tree cover, with Dudley, Walsall, and Wolverhampton all having a better Tree Equity Score than Sandwell. And only […]

The local Liberal Democrat team is alarmed by the rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia. This is a problem that effects most political parties and has been exasperated by the situation in Gaza, with the use of inflammatory language for Party political expedience. This was most evident in the recent SNP debate in Parliament on a […]

Sandwell desperately needs affordable housing, and in theory most new developments should include at least 10% of affordable housing. Indeed, some of the Sandwell’s Planning Officers would like to require more affordable housing as part of planning approval, but national legislation does not allow them to do so. What is worse, loopholes in housing legislation […]