Loraine Birchall has been selected as the new Liberal Democrat candidate for Cumbria's Police and Crime Commissioner election on May 6th.
Loraine has replaced Mark Christie who has stepped down due to family health reasons.
Loraine has lived in Cumbria for over 40 years, and has a teenage son. She has an in-depth understanding of the local police, as her father, brother and former husband have all served as special constables for Cumbria Police. Prior to her current work as a web developer and management consultant, Loraine worked at BAE Systems in Barrow, and she also serves as a tenant board member for South Lakes Housing - the largest housing association in South Lakeland.
Local MP and co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Outdoor Learning, Tim Farron has welcomed this afternoon's news that the Government have finally published a roadmap for the return of outdoor education.
The Department for Education guidance for educational visits in England says:
Schools may reintroduce outdoor learning and single-day educational visits from Step 2 in the government's roadmap (no earlier than April 12)
Schools can reintroduce domestic residential trips from Step 3 in the government's roadmap (no earlier than May 17)
South Lakes MP Tim Farron has criticised Government plans to force local councils to scrap virtual calls and return to face-to-face meetings in person from May.
Last night the minister for Local Government, Luke Hall wrote to council leaders to inform them that emergency legislation allowing virtual council meetings will not be extended beyond May 7th.
This week in Parliament, South Lakes MP Tim Farron praised the hard work and dedication of Cumbria's teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking during an Education debate in Westminster Hall, Tim said: "Many people are reflecting-indeed, we all are-that 12 months has passed since the start of this pandemic. It is right to pay tribute to so many different people who have been public servants throughout that time, but it is also right to focus in particular today on the service provided by our teachers.
Tonight, South Lakes MP Tim Farron voted against Government plans to extend the Coronavirus Act until October.
Speaking during the debate on the Coronavirus Act in the House of Commons, Tim said: "My great concern is that the Government's default, knee-jerk attempt to seek these draconian powers for a lengthier period is beginning to fit into a pattern. We saw the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in this place just a week or so ago, under which the Government are seeking powers to incarcerate people for up to 10 years if they protest against the Government.
