Mid Sussex Liberal Democrats

Campaign Responses from Serena Tierney for specific issues

Serena Tierney "I stand for children"

Serena Tierney has signed up to the NSPCC's 'I stand for children' pledge. "As a candidate in Mid Sussex I'm supporting the NSPCC's new campaign to ensure protecting children is a political priority."

The NSPCC has called on parliamentary candidates to voice support for vital child protection reforms they want to see introduced after the general election.

Liberal Democrats are already committed to many of the requests made by the NSPCC. In a document produced in 2009 about Child Protection, we said that we would continue to fund Childline and we called for helpline services to be accessible and confidential so people know when and how to report suspected abuse.

We want to see the Home Office's definition of domestic violence in England amended so that it includes the impact of domestic violence on children. Indeed, Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Children, Schools and Families, Annette Brooke MP, recently tabled an Early Day Motion which explicitly outlines this issue and calls for the Government to address it.

Liberal Democrats have also set out plans for online bullying and abuse to be tackled by using quick-report buttons on social networking sites, enabling offensive postings to be speedily removed, or concerns about abuse to be addressed immediately.

We believe that the Children's Commission should be a truly independent position; if it is to receive taxpayer's funds then it must be given the power and authority to make positive changes for children and challenge the Government and media when children's causes are being ignored. It is important that the Commissioner works closely with a variety of children's charities, and is happy to stand up and be heard when they think things are going wrong.

Westminister 2010 Declaration

I have signed the candidates' pledge at Westminster 2010, which states that I will:

"respect, uphold and protect the right of Christians to hold and express Christian beliefs and act according to Christian conscience".

In addition, I have responded to the questionnaire on the Election Crossroads website and you can see more detail of my views there.

One of the phrases in the Westminster 2010 declaration speaks especially strongly to me about the reasons that I am in politics. It is the promise to support, protect and be an advocate for:

"all those who are sick, disabled, addicted, elderly, in single parent families, poor, exploited, trafficked, appropriately seeking asylum, threatened by environmental change, or exploited by unjust trade, aid or debt policies."

As some of you will know, I was the catalyst for the establishment of fair trade towns in both Burgess Hill and East Grinstead. I am still working on getting one established in Haywards Heath and would welcome the support of any members of your church who might come from there.

I work with various health organisations locally to campaign for services to support our community, especially in the areas that get less attention including mental health services and support and treatment for those with addiction problems.

For most of us, the most important and valuable thing in life is our family. At this election, the most immediate threat to the well-being of our families is the financial deficit and the possible consequences of measures that will be taken to reduce it.

I believe that my party's response to it, as set out by Vince Cable, is the one best designed to help us out of recession so that we can then start to repay that debt. We would do this by creating green growth and jobs that last by investing in infrastructure. We would also break up the banks and get them lending again to protect real businesses.

We will also rebalance our tax system by making the first £10,000 free of tax - a tax cut of £700 for most people but more importantly, taking 3.6 million low earners and pensioners out of tax altogether. We would pay for it by closing loopholes that unfairly benefit the wealthy and polluters.

There is currently much talk of a hung parliament. I would prefer to see a Liberal Democrat government but if the voters tell the politicians that they must work together for the good of the country, I believe that will also be a good result.

We are facing major problems - the budget deficit, care for an increasingly elderly population and climate change - that cannot be resolved over the course of one or two parliaments. They need a change from the old politics where each party reverses what the previous one did. We have to build a consensus on the broad underlying principles of how we address these issues over the next 30 years. That can only be done if politicians from all parties work together to create solutions.

Response to enquiry concerning level of state pension

I believe that the way older people are treated is the mark of a fair society. Those who have worked hard and contributed to society for decades deserve a fair deal. Liberal Democrats will increase the inadequate basic State pension and ensure fair treatment for everyone form government, public services and business alike.

We have made a firm commitment to immediately restore the link between the basic State pension and earnings. We will uprate the State pension annually by whichever is the higher of growth in earnings, growth in prices or 2.5%.

I recognise that this does not go as far as you would wish but the current financial situation means that we shall have to move more slowly than we would like. In the long term we aim to bring in a Citizens' pension, set at the level of Pension Credit, though this can only be done when resources allow.

In addition several of our other measures will benefit pensioners, including the increase in income tax threshold to £10,000 which will save most pensioners around £100 a year, and beginning a national programme to insulate many more homes which will be paid for by savings from lower energy bills.

BBC Radio 6 Consultation

BBC Radio 6

There is a full-scale consultation on the BBC Trust Strategy Review that closes on 25th May. I have submitted the comments below which relate only to 6 Music.

If you are concerned about the future of 6 Music and have not responded, then I urge you to do so and to encourage your contacts to do the same. Like me, they can limit their submissions to this issue if that is what they wish to do. I can see nothing that prevents anyone making a further submission if they have the time at a later stage.

I believe that the BBC is the world's leading broadcaster but that it could make improvements. I welcome your decision to explore ways that you might go about doing this.

I am concerned, however, that closing BBC Radio 6 Music is not the best route to take. Radio 6 Music is distinctive and valuable, and offers a place for exciting new acts to be heard. It provides its listeners with content that no independent commercial broadcaster offers, and has helped artists like Florence + The Machine reach greater audiences. At 3.4 pence per listener hour, 6 Music is also good value for money. Closing 6 Music would generate a very modest saving, and it is not clear that this would be worth losing such a distinctive station.

Whilst I recognise that the future of 6 Music is a decision for the BBC Trust to make after consultation with licence fee payers, whatever decision is made must be in line with the BBC's purpose: to make programmes that are distinctive, high quality, and of good value. I remain thoroughly unconvinced that shutting 6 Music would contribute to these goals.