Over 100 homes in Tower Hamlets have been sitting empty for two years or more, research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed. 

The figures, uncovered through Freedom of Information requests, show that there are over 210,000 homes across the country that have been empty for six months or more. Of these, 61,251 had been empty for two years or more, 23,596 for five years or more, and over 10,900 have stood empty for at least ten years.

The Liberal Democrats have criticised local Labour MP Jim Fitzpatrick for failing to stand up for jobs in Tower Hamlets by refusing to back a crucial amendment to defend Britain's place in the single market.

Thank you to all the local residents who have contacted us following our recent news story about Wapping’s slow broadband speed.  A large number of you are rightly angry about the poor service from broadband providers. What we need to do now is build a 'map' of broadband quality across Wapping. Please help us by filling in our survey.

As residents of Wapping, we were all shocked and saddened by the recent death of a pedestrian on The Highway. This is a terrible incident, and our thoughts are with his family and friends. Tower Hamlets Lib Dems have been fighting for more action on road safety, and it is sad that this has not happened in time to avoid this loss of life.

Amber Rudd has told police she does not want to see them “asking for more money” from the Government, despite a major increase in recorded crime and an unprecedented terror threat.

Despite setting up a Landlord Licensing Scheme, very little is being done to tackle rogue landlords in our borough. 

Local Liberal Democrats have successfully fought the Labour-run Council to provide parking days for local residents in Island Gardens.

Commenting on the Sunday Times story that a businessman with links to the Labour party attempted to solicit a bribe from a developer in exchange for planning consent, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Poplar and Limehouse, Elaine Bagshaw said:

"Once again our borough is mired in scandal. It seems that only 4 months after we finally got rid of Lutfur Rahman, someone with links to the Labour party decided to try and carry on his legacy. 

Leading figures in the pharmaceutical industry have warned that diverging from EU standards could create a "nightmare scenario" for the sector and that the fall in the pound since the Brexit vote has already made it no longer viable to produce certain medicines.

Teachers and police officers will be left £3,000 worse off by 2020 due to the Chancellor's refusal to lift the public sector pay freeze, Liberal Democrats have revealed.

Liberal Democrat research based on OBR figures shows that:

• A newly qualified teacher on £22,970 will be £3,032 worse off by 2020 as a result of the public sector pay freeze.
   
• A newly trained police officer on £22,962 will be £3,031 worse off by 2020 as a result of the public sector pay freeze.
   
• A prison officer starting on £23,572 will be £3,112 worse off by 2020 as a result of the public sector pay freeze.
   
• A private starting on £18,488 will be £2,440 worse off by 2020 as a result of the public sector pay freeze.