Daisy Cooper MP: speeches 2026

Speeches

• 15 Sept 2026 · Points of Order · Hansard source

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  On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker, two small businesses in my constituency of St Albans—Smallford farm shop and Hatch—have just been hit with a revaluation from the Valuation Office Agency that doubles their business rates bills overnight. It has taken the VOA 18 months to send this bill. The delay is entirely its fault, but the VOA is backdating the liability by 18 months and demanding that those businesses pay that bill right now, even though a challenge and appeal could take a year. These businesses may not survive this shock. The VOA cannot be allowed to behave like this. Madam Deputy Speaker, can you please advise how I can raise this with the relevant Minister today, given that the House is about to rise for a month? By the time we return, it could be too late to prevent two local businesses from closing down.

• 14 Sept 2026 · Speciality Steel UK · Hansard source

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  First, may I pass on my condolences and those of my party to the Prime Minister on the sad passing of his father? I thank the Secretary of State for his statement. We Liberal Democrats recognise that national security, energy security and food security are all intertwined. Steel is critical to our renewables sector, our defence and our national infrastructure. In a previous debate on this company, we said on the record that nothing should be off the table, and we look forward to receiving further details from the Secretary of State as the process continues. I have a few questions for the Secretary of State. First, on jobs and the employees, can he offer any further information not just on training, as another hon. Member has raised, but on the timeline by which staff will have more information about what this decision means for them? The Secretary of State highlighted that this process may end up in public acquisition. Is he in a position to say how much that would likely cost the taxpayer? Can he give us a broad estimate or range for how much those costs might be? Related to that, I note that the Secretary of State said that it would be funded through existing budgets. Can he say where that money might come from and whether it might get rediverted from other sources of funding, such as for transport, energy projects or something else? I have two final questions. We know that the warning lights were flashing for a very long time—the Secretary of State mentioned that himself. Will there be any formal process to look at the lessons learned, both politically and administratively, to make sure that something like this never happens again? Finally, he will know that as well as using domestic steel suppliers for our British procurement, the way to really boost British industry is to have a stronger relationship with Europe, so that British steel can be used throughout supply chains and procurement right across Europe. Will the Government look at strengthening that relationship?

• 11 Sept 2026 · Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill · Hansard source

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  On that point, will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

• 11 Sept 2026 · Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill · Hansard source

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  Will the hon. Member give way?

• 11 Sept 2026 · Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill · Hansard source

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  On that point, will the hon. Lady please give way?

• 9 Sept 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Q12. Hertfordshire has one of the lowest numbers of mental health in-patient beds per head in England. When patients, including some young people, are in crisis, they can be sent hundreds of miles away, which undermines their recovery. The cost of private beds comes in at millions of pounds. Will the Prime Minister commit personally to looking at my three-year campaign to fund a mental health facility in Hertfordshire? It is shovel-ready, would improve health outcomes for patients, and would pay for itself within just a few years.

• 8 Sept 2026 · Business Rates: Hospitality Sector · Hansard source

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  As the Member of Parliament for the constituency with more pubs per square mile than anywhere else in Britain, I have been campaigning to reform the broken business rates system for longer than I have been an MP. My understanding is that the Government’s review will look at the fair maintainable trade criterion, which sees pubs singled out to be valued on the basis of what they could earn rather than what they actually earn; but, as pointed out by my hon. Friends the Members for Bath (Wera Hobhouse) and for Cheadle (Mr Morrison), the review falls far short of the Labour party manifesto, which pledged to overhaul the entire business rates system. May I ask Ministers whether that pledge still stands? If so, will they overhaul the business rates system before the next general election?

• 8 Sept 2026 · Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  I welcome the Chancellor to his place. After two anti-growth Budgets, I genuinely wish him well and urge him to deliver a growth Budget this autumn, so that we can avoid more punishing tax rises or painful spending cuts. Last week, the Prime Minister acknowledged that Brexit had ushered in a “decade of low growth” but did not outline what he thinks is needed to tackle it. On Monday, the Chancellor made what was briefed as a major economic speech on growth, the product of deep thinking, and yet there was barely a mention of the impact of Brexit. Recent studies suggest that deeper alignment with Europe could boost GDP by at least 2.5% to 3.6%, so should the Chancellor’s plan for growth not include the growth and defence partnership with the EU that we have called for?

• 14 Jul 2026 · Public Office (Accountability) Bill · Hansard source

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  As an Opposition MP myself, I must say that my party and I have been critical of the handover of power that has taken place in the Labour party, but this particular moment, on Third Reading, should belong to the families. [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!”] We can do our party political point-scoring whenever and wherever we like, but does the hon. Member not agree that this moment should belong to the families?

• 13 Jul 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  The Liberal Democrat administration on Hertfordshire county council has made huge strides forward in improving special educational needs and disabilities provision. We were delighted when the Government lifted the improvement notice, which had been imposed when the Conservatives were running the council. Just as families are starting to feel the benefit, we are really worried that local government reorganisation could disrupt the delivery of SEND and social care provision. What support will be given to ensure that those essential services for the most vulnerable people will not be disrupted by local government reorganisation?

• 8 Jul 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  It is clear that it is a two-horse race. [ Laughter. ] On a more serious and very sombre note, MI5 has defended in court an agent who they knew to be openly misogynistic and obsessed with violence. He used his position to coercively control his girlfriend, Beth, and attack her with a machete. To add insult to injury, MI5 gave false evidence to the court. Will the Deputy Prime Minister use this opportunity to offer Beth a full apology on behalf of the Government, and will he use his position to bring back next week a full Hillsborough Bill, which covers the security services, so that we can pass the law before the summer recess?

• 8 Jul 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  I associate myself and my party with the Deputy Prime Minister’s tribute to Sir George Howarth, and his remarks about the 7/7 bombings and all those who live with the consequences of that terrible day. I wish England good luck for Saturday evening. As the UK braces for its seventh Prime Minister in a decade, I also thank the Deputy Prime Minister for our exchanges and wish him well in whatever role he may have next. The hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage) used to say, “Leave means leave.” But it seems that his latest stunt is to leave this place just so that he can return as a fully-fledged Member after not just one referendum on his behaviour, but possibly two. Will the Deputy Prime Minister join the Liberal Democrats in urging the Chancellor to delay the hon. Member’s resignation until the investigation is complete, so that the good people of Clacton have all the facts before they cast their votes? Failing that, will he support our “Clacton clause”, so that, even once the hon. Member ceases to be an MP, the investigations can continue?

• 2 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Member for Makerfield (Andy Burnham)—the Prime Minister in waiting—has said that his approach to devolution would be one of urgency, yet we understand that there may be conversations about delaying announcements on local government reorganisation and devolution of powers, so that the new Prime Minister has the glamour of announcing them. Will the Leader of the House put those rumours to bed, and confirm that announcements on the creation of unitary authorities in Hertfordshire and elsewhere will be made in this House, before the summer recess? That way, Members can ask the Government questions, and local authorities can have certainty about going ahead with local government reorganisation without further disruption to vital services, such as special educational needs and disabilities provision and social care.

• 1 Jul 2026 · Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill · Hansard source

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  We Liberal Democrats support all three measures in the Bill. We recognise that the electricity generator levy is intended to encourage legacy renewable generators to move away from volatile wholesale electricity prices and on to contracts for difference. As the only party to put in its manifesto a commitment to decoupling gas and electricity, the Liberal Democrats support the Government’s objective. If it succeeds, consumers will benefit from greater protection against future gas price shocks and the volatility that we have seen in recent years. However, if the measure does not achieve that behavioural change, and instead primarily generates additional revenue, I believe that Parliament and the public deserve clarity on how that money will be used. As the Bill progresses through the House, I hope Ministers will say how they intend to report to Parliament the amount of money the levy raises, and how they intend to spend it. We have consistently argued for an emergency transport package to help Britain keep moving, emergency home insulation schemes, and low-interest loans to support households to adopt energy security measures—something I proposed last autumn that the Government are now consulting on. There are many ways in which the Government could be helping households and businesses with the rising cost of living. The change to income tax mileage allowance payments is another measure that Liberal Democrats are pleased to support. However, Ministers will be aware that there are many carers who drive their own cars, often hundreds of miles a week, who do not benefit from mileage allowances. Again, I hope that as the Bill progresses through the House, Ministers will say what measures will be taken to ensure that all of our valued and professional care workers can benefit. The 12-month vehicle excise duty holiday for HGVs is a sensible measure and one that we welcome, but we must also recognise the unprecedented pressures facing the haulage sector. As international instability continues, and global energy markets remain uncertain, we urge Ministers to remain vigilant and responsive to the impact that those pressures are having on households and businesses, as well as industry and haulage.

• 1 Jul 2026 · Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill · Hansard source

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  We Liberal Democrats support the Bill and the three measures in it. We tabled our three new clauses in Committee, and I was grateful that the Minister gave assurances from the Dispatch Box that he would look at every single opportunity to ensure that care workers are aware of the ways in which they can benefit from these measures. We are happy to see the Bill fast-tracked, but I believe the Minister said that he would look for opportunities to come back and report to this House—if not at the Budget, perhaps before—on how that is going. I am glad that is on the record. I hope that care agencies see that on the record and act on it to inform their staff, but I was pleased to hear the Minister say that. I will try to hold his feet to the fire so that we do everything we can to ensure that care workers are aware that they will benefit from this measure.

• 1 Jul 2026 · Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill · Hansard source

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  I rise to speak to new clauses 1 to 3. New clause 1 would require the Chancellor to publish a report on the use of additional receipts arising from the increase in the electricity generator levy from 45% to 55%. New clause 2 would require the Chancellor to review the adequacy of the approved mileage allowance payment rate set under clause 2 in respect of care workers using a personal vehicle in connection with their employment. New clause 3 would require the Chancellor to publish an assessment of the combined impact on haulage costs and consumer prices of the temporary vehicle excise duty rates for goods vehicles. As I indicated on Second Reading, we support what the Government are trying to do with these measures. However, it is really important for trust in politics that when Ministers stand at the Dispatch Box and say that the intention is to use the levy to supporting households and businesses with the cost of living, there is a report to demonstrate to the public that the money does, in fact, go towards measures that do just that, rather than the money disappearing into Treasury coffers. I urge the Exchequer Secretary to accept new clause 1, which would provide transparency to Parliament and the public. Let me turn to new clause 2. Some Members will know that I have spoken repeatedly in this House about the extraordinary work carried out by our care workers. The salary of our care workers, and the status they are given, is nowhere near big enough to recognise the extraordinary work that they do. I have spent several hours with Abbots Care in my constituency, watching how their care workers work. They have an enormous emotional investment in every single client; they observe their habits and personality, and they know when something is slightly out of whack or not quite right. A care worker’s routine can suddenly change if there an emergency with another client. There may be something wrong with the client’s medication and they have to make phone calls that they had not expected to make. They are experts on their client and on people, but they are not experts on tax. I was very heartened that the Exchequer Secretary said on Second Reading that employees who do not receive the mileage allowance can claim back an equivalent amount. I was also heartened to hear him say that he would look into ways to make it easier for care workers. Could he outline what those measures might look like? We owe care workers so much thanks for the work that they do. It is diligent, hard work to make sure that our loved ones are cared for and can live with dignity. We should make the system as simple as possible for them. It might be a case of care organisations and providers sending letters to care workers to tell them what they are entitled to, or it might be a case of requiring HMRC to proactively write to them, but we must bend over backwards to make sure that care workers can benefit from this particular measure. As I said on Second Reading, we welcome the measure, but we urge Ministers to think very carefully and to go as far as they can to make sure that every care worker who is entitled to this benefit understands that it is there for them. It must be made as simple as possible for care workers, and we must make it clear that it will not end up in a drawn-out dispute with HMRC; I urge the Exchequer Secretary to think about a dedicated hotline for care workers, in case we need one down the line. Finally, new clause 3 requires a report on this particular measure. Our three new clauses are all transparency measures, and I hope that the Government will look favourably on them.

• 23 Jun 2026 · Business Rates · Hansard source

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  It was recently reported that the newly elected hon. Member for Makerfield had pledged that he would cut business rates for pubs, clubs and music venues by 20% if he became Prime Minister. Given that the hon. Member is facing the near certainty of becoming Prime Minister, I ask those on the Front Bench whether the Treasury has started modelling the numbers to deliver on that pledge, and if not, when that work will begin.

• 23 Jun 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  Today is exactly 10 years since the country voted to leave the EU, and thanks to the Conservatives, the post-Brexit red tape has created 2 billion pieces of extra paperwork for British businesses—enough to stretch around the world 20 times. The hit to growth is the equivalent of the Treasury losing out on £90 billion every single year. Surely by now the Labour Government and the Labour party must recognise that if they want to go for growth and raise revenue, they should drop their red lines on Europe.

• 22 Jun 2026 · East Midlands Railway Collision · Hansard source

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  I extend my thanks to the emergency services, railway staff, the NHS and community volunteers, who showed enormous bravery and humanity. My thoughts are with the family of Shaun Burton and all those who are injured. My constituents are shocked and shaken that such a tragic accident could happen so close to home. The Secretary of State will be aware that the Thameslink line south of Bedford is likely to breach capacity within five years. On a separate occasion, I will press her on the question of investment in capacity. My constituents are very concerned that our lines are getting busier and busier. What assurances can she provide that, as our train lines get busier, safety will always remain paramount?

• 17 Jun 2026 · Cost of Living · Hansard source

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  A few months ago I met farmers in Merthyr Cynog, in Brecon and Radnorshire, who warned me about the growing pressures that they were facing. Since then, Trump’s reckless war with Iran has sent fertiliser prices soaring by up to 45% and red diesel prices by up to 30%. Does the Secretary of State accept that unless urgent action is taken, higher costs for Welsh farmers will ultimately mean higher food prices for families across Wales and the UK?

• 17 Jun 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  May I associate myself and my party with the Deputy Prime Minister’s tribute to Jo Cox? We extend our condolences to her friends and family, and to those of Roy Hattersley as well. I also join the Deputy Prime Minister in remembering the horrific tragedy of Grenfell, and that the families still await justice. I congratulate all those named in the King’s birthday honours list, congratulate Scotland and wish good luck to England this evening. The right hon. Member for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough (John Healey) is respected across the House. When he says that he was forced to make decisions that could make the country less safe, we should all take heed. It is now becoming clear that the Treasury’s refusal to consider new ways of funding defence is undermining our national security, so will the Deputy Prime Minister join with us to make the case in Government for new defence bonds, which could raise £20 billion over two years to defend our country?

• 17 Jun 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  We are pleased to hear that the Government are looking at that, but they need to act far quicker. It is now more than five years since the Prime Minister originally set out his famous red lines on Europe when he was in opposition: no customs union and no single market. But since then, the world has changed. Putin has launched a war on our continent, an unreliable Donald Trump has returned to the White House and, here at home, the cost of living has got worse and worse, so does the Deputy Prime Minister agree that the Government should rip up those red lines now—or is that just another job to be left to the next Prime Minister?

• 21 May 2026 · Costs for Motorists · Hansard source

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  Like so many Labour Government announcements, the announcement to extend fuel duty relief later this year is too little, too late. When we look around the world, we see other countries acting now. Other countries are cutting fuel duty now. Other countries are cutting public transport costs now. That is why we Liberal Democrats continue to call on the Government to cut fuel duty and public transport costs now. What message does the Minister think it sends to people that the Government will take action later in the year when people are feeling the pain in their pockets right now? On farmers, the Government will be aware that the cost of fertiliser is going through the roof; world prices are up 44%. The Minister says that there will be a further cut in duty on red diesel, but what assessment have the Government made of the cumulative impact of the war in Iran on farmers? It is clear to me that the cut in red diesel duty will not touch the sides when the cost of fertiliser is rocketing through the roof.

• 21 May 2026 · Middle East: Economic Response · Hansard source

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  I feel as though we are slightly through the looking glass. For six months, we Liberal Democrats have been calling for an emergency temporary VAT cut for hospitality, leisure and attractions, and our pledge was fully funded. For weeks, we have been calling for an emergency transport package, fully funded using the additional revenue from higher VAT rates and the EPL. All that time, we were told repeatedly that it was impossible to do those things and there was no additional money. Somehow, with the prospect of a by-election in Makerfield and the Prime Minister’s political life being on the line, the money has been found. Let me ask the Chancellor two questions. First, I genuinely welcome the Government’s focus on the cost of food, which is of huge concern to the constituents of Members of all political parties. However, is there any risk that short-term gain might result in long-term pain? In looking at the tariffs, has the Chancellor had any conversations with the food manufacturing industry about whether it can remain competitive? Does removing the tariffs inadvertently risk undermining our food manufacturing sector? If there is a risk, will she look at our plans for a good food Bill and for promoting nature-friendly farming? I ask that question in the spirit of constructive opposition. Secondly, the Chancellor and her Ministers will know that we are due to have a very hot summer. That means huge demand for outdoor attractions, because children will want to be outside in the hot weather. Indoor attractions, such as soft play centres, will not benefit so much, because there will not be much demand for them in the summer months, but there will be in the winter months. Will the Chancellor look carefully at the differences within the sector? Children are priced out of play when they need to go indoors in the winter months, but not so much in the summer months.

• 18 May 2026 · Backing Business to Create Economic Growth · Hansard source

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  For too many people, the promise that hard work would help them get on in life is broken. The promise that each generation would do better than the last is broken. The expectation that big corporations would be made to play by the rules and pay fair taxes like the rest of us is broken. It is hardly surprising that so many people feel that the whole system is broken and that nothing works, and that they are now demanding action to fix it. The King’s Speech was another chance for this Government to be bold, for them to tell us what they stand for and why, but sadly they failed. On Europe, Ministers once again talk about pursuing a closer partnership through gradual regulatory alignment, but if the Government are serious about repairing the damage caused by Brexit, they must go further and faster. Brexit has left us poorer and more isolated, in what is now a more dangerous and volatile world. At home we must build real sovereignty in energy and food independence, but our economic and national security will only come from a much deeper relationship with our closest neighbours in Europe. The tax revenue lost every year due to Brexit is estimated to have reached £90 billion—that is equivalent to three mini-Budgets in a year. We Liberal Democrats have a road map to rebuild our relationship with the EU and to reach full membership again, starting now with a customs union to cut red tape, support exporters, strengthen supply chains and grow our economy. Going for growth with Europe would end the cost of living crisis. At a time when businesses are crying out for certainty, when our economy desperately needs a shot in the arm and when families and businesses are paralysed with a never-ending cost of living crisis, the Government’s approach is timid when what is needed is bold action. Small businesses are the backbone of our local economies in my St Albans constituency and across the country, but they were offered little more than a Bill aimed at tackling late payments. The Bill is welcome but it barely scratches the surface of the challenges facing businesses every single day. Businesses are asking: where is the action on soaring energy costs, where is the relief from the Government’s damaging jobs tax and where is the meaningful reform of business rates? New Liberal Democrat analysis reveals that 40,000 businesses are still waiting on decisions after appealing their business rates revaluations from 2023, with average waits now hitting nearly a year. When those cases are finally heard, more than half are overturned. Business owners just want to get on with running their businesses, but instead they are stuck in a slow, broken, expensive, impenetrable business rates system. The Conservatives promised reform in 2015 and Labour promised it at the last election, but after a decade of inaction, businesses are still paying the price. In my constituency of St Albans, 11 pubs now have rateable values of more than £100,000 because of the revaluation, even though they cannot all be considered to be large business premises. One of those, the Beech House, on our main high street, St Peters Street, saw its rateable value soar from £97,000 to £125,000, and just last week took the decision to shut up shop for the final time. Hotels have been particularly hard hit as well. Staff at the Samuel Ryder hotel in St Albans told me in January that its bill will increase by 157% this year. Play centres have been penalised too. DJ’s Play Jungle, a soft play centre, has been frozen out of the 15% U-turn discount offered to pubs and music venues. The rates bills of many play centres will quadruple over the next few years, and what will be the result? Children will be priced out of indoor play. The Government are introducing a competition reform Bill, a regulating for growth Bill and an enhancing financial services Bill. Taken together, those Bills aim to improve regulation. As Liberals, we recognise that regulation has an important role to play. We believe that good regulation can be a win-win-win: protecting consumers, promoting innovation and competition, and delivering economic growth. However, regulation works only when it is effective, proportionate and responsive. Too often compliance costs are high, regulation is focused on process not outcome, and our regulators are far too slow, lagging far behind the industries they are supposed to oversee. That is especially true in financial services and fintech, where companies can spend months waiting for approvals and authorisations while investment dries up and opportunities disappear. For start-ups operating on tight funding runways, those delays can be devastating. If the Government are serious about growth, they must ensure that our regulatory system is agile, modern and capable of keeping pace with innovation, and that it delivers competition and growth without abandoning consumers. At a time when financial co-operation with Europe is more important than ever, it is deeply disappointing that stronger UK-EU financial services co-operation appears to have been overlooked in the Government’s so-called reset agenda. We Liberal Democrats welcome the principle behind the electricity generator levy Bill. It is right that the excess profits of electricity generators are fairly taxed, and it is right to break the outdated link between electricity prices and wholesale gas prices. We Liberal Democrats were the only party at the last election to commit to that decoupling, but the Government must go further. The revenues raised should tackle the cost of living crisis head-on, with an emergency home insulation programme for low-income households, an energy security bank, action on heating oil and fuel costs, and stronger protections for small businesses struggling with energy bills. Finally, let me turn to the overnight visitor levy Bill. In principle, Liberal Democrats support devolving more economic powers to local areas. Different communities face different challenges, and local leaders are often best placed to decide whether a visitor levy is appropriate for their area, but there is real concern that the Government will use this levy not as an additional source of local investment to boost tourism, but as a mechanism to quietly offset future cuts to local government funding. We have seen that approach before: the Government have already relied on council tax rises to compensate for reductions in central support to local authorities. Will Ministers make it absolutely clear today and put it on the record that any revenue raised through a visitor levy will genuinely be additional funding for local communities, tourism infrastructure and public services, not a way for central Government sneakily to offset future cuts to local government funding? If the Government hand new powers to mayors in this area, they must go hand in glove with extra, proper support for the tourism and hospitality sector by exempting hospitality from the jobs tax, considering lower rates for part-time staff, introducing a temporary cut to VAT for the sector and launching a serious strategy to promote Britain’s tourism industry overseas. The Labour leadership hopefuls say that they want a battle of ideas, not personalities—well, we Liberal Democrats are fizzing with ideas. We have the ideas to fix our broken social care system, which has been ignored by this Government for 18 months. We have the road map to fix our broken relationship with Europe. We have the plan to fix our broken voting system—something that Labour hopefuls said that they would fix and now say that they will not. We have the ideas to save our high streets, fix the broken business rates system and the broken energy market, tackle the cost of living, and unleash everything that this great country has to offer. I genuinely hope that the Labour leadership contenders are listening, because for our country’s sake, I flippin’ well hope they can match our level of ambition.