The Liberal Democrats will today (Thursday 14 November) unveil the party's Plan for Equalities and Human Rights. The plan is at the heart of the party's vision to build a brighter future for everyone. The ambitious policies being revealed at a press conference today by Luciana Berger and Chuka Umunna include:tackling the rise in hate crimes by making them all aggravated offencesproviding funding for protective security measures to places of worship, schools and community centres that are vulnerable to hate crime and terror attackscomplete the introduction of equal marriagereduce the overrepresentation of people from BAME backgrounds throughout the criminal justice ...

Posted by Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democrats on Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats have announced that they will implement reform of the Gender Recognition Act as a priority, after the Conservative Government failed to bring forward measures despite promises to do so. Under the plans, to be included in the Liberal Democrat manifesto, the Act will be amended to make the gender recognition process simpler and fairer, by:Removing the requirement for medical reports.Scrapping the fee.Recognising non-binary gender identities.The Conservative Government promised in 2017 to reform the Gender Recognition Act and held a public consultation on the proposals in 2018. The consultation closed more than a year ago - on 22nd ...

Posted by Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democrats on Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats

What greatly excites me about these events is not only the immediate benefits for getting more Liberal Democrat MPs by Christmas, but also...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

Still not sure how this could be, but I found both an abandoned kitten and, independently, an abandoned puppy on Halloween. They are now bonded, and abandoned no more. pic.twitter.com/FoX8VfYBBf— Shannon Minter (@shannonminter5) November 4, 2019In these dark days of Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn and The Hundred, we need some solace. I have found mine by following Shannon Miner on Twitter and through him the adventures of Albert the puppy, Squeaky the kitten and Onyx. Sweet dreams (and teeth). #Albert #Squeaky #Onyx pic.twitter.com/8daoV157d4— Shannon Minter (@shannonminter5) November 12, 2019

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

Textual critics - perhaps those from the Department of Long Books at the University of Rutland at Belvoir - who pore over these diaries will discover that this entry is headed 'Friday' in the current issue of Liberator, but Thursday here. My thinking was that having two consecutive entries headed 'Thursday' would emphasise that time had passed between them, but the production staff at Liberator HQ found it too confusing. And who is to say they were wrong? Besides, there is a deeper mystery here. The issue of Liberator containing this diary arrived on my doormat less than a week ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England

Responding to the news* that Nigel Farage is considering voting Tory at the general election, Liberal Democrat candidate for Totnes and ex-Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston said:"Boris Johnson has drifted so far to the extremes that even Nigel Farage is now considering voting for him. "The Conservative Party is now indistinguishable from the Brexit Party. "Both want to pursue a damaging Brexit, cosy up to Trump and plunge the country back into the past. "As Farage has admitted, the only way to stop this Brexit nightmare becoming a reality is to vote Liberal Democrat, so we can beat Boris Johnson and ...

Posted by Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democrats on Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats

When the sun's out and I'm in high spirits, though, I have the two happiest, best-behaved Labradors on the planet. Continue reading →

Posted by Simon Perks on Simon Perks

DON'T MISS OUT ON YOUR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS Deadline to register to vote in the general election: 11:59pm on 26 November. To be able to vote, you have to be on the electoral register and to do that, you have to fill in a simple online form. Completing other official paperwork, such as getting a passport, paying Council Tax or getting a driving license doesn't result in you being automatically added to the register. It is a separate process. You only need to register once; you don't need to register separately for every election. However, you do need to register again ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

The Liverpool Echo has the article on its website – see link below:- Whilst the report is about internal Labour Party difficulties the mere mention of McCluskey makes Remainers most unhappy. What on earth has a trade union leader been doing not fighting Brexit when it will in all probability lead to job losses and it threatens employment rights? It just makes no sense at all to me as a life long trade unionist. And people like McCluskey must surely be at the heart of Labour being unable/unwilling to join the Remain Alliance? Here we have 3 political parties ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus
Wed 13th
15:02

Time Up Labour

Labour's 32 hour week proposal is amongst their most dangerous policies. Currently full-time employees work on average 37.3 hours a week. This proposal would reduce productivity by over 16%. The economists can grind that number to determine the reduction in GDP and profitability but I think we can guarantee that it won't be a positive outcome. The proposal will also create significant gaps in essential services – healthcare, policing, fire fighting. It is hard enough right now to access healthcare due to staff and skills shortages, let alone if their hours are cut. The Labour suggestion is that this change ...

Posted by Steve Rose on An Independent Liberal
YouGov

Standing for public office on behalf of the Liberal Democrats is a team game, not a solo enterprise. There's a lot that rests behind that simple point. One is about candidate support: they may be the front person, but the rest of us are the team who should be supporting and helping them. Another is about campaign choices: what one candidate chooses to do or say has an impact on others, standing elsewhere. That's why I'm in the millimetre-perfect camp of bar charting: it's right in principle, but also right as a team player because what you put out in ...

Posted by Mark Pack on Mark Pack

Obviously issues around refugees and asylum seekers are not top of the agenda in this election, but the issues often get raised at hustings, particularly those in places of worship, and those asking are the sort of people who vote, and tell others. Lib Dems for Seekers of Sanctuary have done a "mini manifesto" based on Lib Dem policies on these issues that is handy to have for quick reference. It is on our website here Also we have detailed briefings on issues in more detail. For instance on detention, right to work, decision making, Family Reunion, and LGBT+ issues ...

Posted by Suzanne Fletcher on Liberal Democrat Voice

The Lib Dem General Election Campaign for Thornbury and Yate was officially launched yesterday evening - though of course we've been working hard on it already! Our candidate Claire Young (centre) said "We're ready to stop Brexit and focus on issues that matter to local people, securing a brighter future for our community" Claire is shown flanked by fellow candidates Louise Harris (Filton and Bradley Stoke) and Dine Romero (Kingswood)

Posted by Paul Hulbert on Focus on Sodbury, Yate and Dodington
Wed 13th
11:00

My tweets

Tue, 12:56: RT @rodgerkibble: Had to show my passport to conduct a PhD viva yesterday. Never realised there was a flood of illegal immigrants smuggling... Tue, 13:05: Moldova's fledgling government brought down by no confidence vote https://t.co/1nYjIuoQwT Bah. Hope they can put it together again. Tue, 16:05: Academics protest as Cambridge fellow told to leave Britain https://t.co/WAIpZClkfh #Britainofthewelcomes Tue, 17:11: Both sides of Brexit debate 'would sacrifice N Ireland' for preferred outcome https://t.co/XhHJ1S9FiO Unionism's success. Tue, 18:52: Normal People, by Sally Rooney https://t.co/93cwaPijTx Tue, 20:48: RT @flightradar24: Interesting fact - Norwegian is the only airline in the world with scheduled ...

Labour have been all over the place on Brexit. From calling for the immediate implementation of Brexit, to opposing calls for a confirmatory referendum, to negotiating a new deal that makes the UK a rule taker rather than rule maker, to calling for a referendum on their own deal with no clear view of whether or not they would be campaigning to leave or stay, Labour's attempt to be all things to

Posted by Jonathan Wallace on Jonathan Wallace

Last night, Liberal Democrat PPC for Canterbury Tim Walker announced he was stepping aside in favour of Rosie Duffield, the sitting Labour MP. There is no doubt that Rosie Duffield is a good person who supports remaining in the EU. She holds values that are compatible with ours and, should she ever choose to join the Liberal Democrats, she would be warmly welcomed. However, she represents a party that is not committed to Remain. To stand aside for her would send the wrong message to the millions of people who are relying on Jo Swinson and the Liberal Democrats to ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice
Wed 13th
10:48

Tory Brexit Failures

I'm sick of Tory politicians blaming others for their abject failure to deliver Brexit. It is true that most Labour and Tory MPs signed up to Article 50 and stood on manifestos committing them to respect the results of the 2016 Referendum. However, bearing in mind that Brexit is not a binary issue, Labour did not commit to supporting a Tory interpretation of Leave into which they had zero input. Had Theresa May been a collaborative leader, keen to find a consensus, we would now be in Transition, outside the EU, and negotiating trade deals everywhere. But she chose to ...

Posted by Steve Rose on An Independent Liberal

The Lib Dem PPC for Canterbury, Tim Walker, stepped down as the candidate last night. Many Remainers were overjoyed that Walker had decided to stand aside to help Rosie Duffield, a Labour Remainer, keep the seat. Then, LD HQ announced it was putting in a new candidate. Cue outrage from Remainers across social media. This is unfair on the Lib Dems. They are expected to maintain some ridiculous standard and stand aside for Labour MPs and PPCs to help make the next parliament more Remainery, when Labour aren't held to a standard anywhere close to this. Labour aren't standing aside ...

Posted by Nick on nicktyrone.com

I was at John Wright's adoption meeting in Southport last night where the Lib Dem flag was being flown high by around 200 people attending the event. John Wright – Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Southport Of course Southport is one of the 60 constituencies across England and Wales where PC, the Greens and Lib Dems have stood down for each other so there is only one Remain candidate on the December 12th ballot paper. In Southport the Greens have stood down and it was really great that Laurence Rankin, who would have been their candidate, both attended and spoke ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus

High on the list of public priorities in the General Election is a sustainably improving economy. Even avid supporters of Brexit balance their new-found acceptance of economic damage from leaving the EU, with tall tales of an eventual post-Brexit boom for 'Global Britain'. Brexiter MPs have at different times blamed economic contraction and lower growth on 'Remainers' blocking Brexit and causing uncertainty, an idea which hasn't gained much traction. Slower UK growth has also been falsely blamed on weaker global and European economic growth. The latter claim is at least is an acknowledgement by Brexiter MPs that the UK economy ...

Posted by Paul Reynolds on Liberal Democrat Voice
eUKhost

Responding to data from the Trussell Trust which shows April to September 2019 to be the busiest half-year period for food banks in their network since the charity opened, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary for the Department for Work and Pensions, Tim Farron said:"The UK remains one of the world's richest countries, yet for six months of this year 823,145 emergency food parcels were given to people in crisis. "With financial vulnerability the leading cause of food insecurity, the Conservative's brutal cuts to Universal Credit since 2015 and their senseless two-child limit, the lives of millions have worsened under the Conservatives. ...

Posted by Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democrats on Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats

Labour may well be struggling to deal with the anti-Semitism within their ranks but the Tories have an equally toxic problem with Islamophobia. The Guardian reports that a dossier obtained by them reveals that twenty-five sitting and former Conservative councillors have been exposed for posting Islamophobic and racist material on social media. They add that the disclosure that 15 current and 10 former Tory councillors have posted, shared or endorsed Islamophobic or other racist content on Facebook or Twitter will increase pressure on Boris Johnson after he backtracked on a pledge to hold an independent inquiry into the issue: Inflammatory ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black

Food bank rise the result of brutal Tory cuts to universal credit Lib Dems: We must end Tory erosion of local government Lib Dems to invest £500 million in youth services to help tackle knife crime Food bank rise the result of brutal Tory cuts to universal credit Responding to data from the Trussell Trust which shows April to September 2019 to be the busiest half-year period for food banks in their network since the charity opened, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary for the Department for Work and Pensions, Tim Farron said: The UK remains one of the world's richest countries, ...

Posted by Mark Valladares on Liberal Democrat Voice
Wed 13th
07:00

Living Wage Week 2019

This week is Living Wage Week 2019. The real Living Wage is now £9.30 per hour, and is based on cost of living. Living Wage Scotland awards the Living Wage employer mark to Scottish employers - a symbol of responsible business practice. Why the real Living Wage is needed : + 470,000 people in Scotland don't earn the real Living Wage. + 182,000 children in Scotland live in poverty despite having one person in their household in work. In-work poverty remains a real problem. You can read more about progress with the Living Wage in Dundee here.

Responding to the the news that shamed Brecon former MP Chris Davies has been selected as the Welsh Conservative candidate for Ynys Môn, Deputy Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Christine Humphreys said: "Over 10,000 people signed the recall petition and decisively rejected Chris Davies at the ballot box in August because they had enough of an MP who put their constituency on the map for all the wrong reasons. "By selecting Chris Davies to contest Ynys Môn, the Conservatives have demonstrated their utter contempt for the voters of Ynys Môn. This shows they can offer nothing more than an ...

Posted by Aberavon and Neath Liberal Democrats on Aberavon & Neath Liberal Democrats