Congleton Liberal Democrats

We must rebuild as a fairer, greener and more caring country in the aftermath of Covid.

Boris Johnson has utterly failed to deliver an ambitious programme

So it is crushingly disappointing that the Government's plans will fail on every account - still failing small businesses and the self-employed, still not rising properly to the climate challenge and still ignoring millions of people caring for loved ones at home.

The Tories headline policy of creating "freeports" to benefit apparently from "Brexit freedoms" looks as if it will be a damp squid as the Financial Times reports. The government has failed to include clauses in its new trade agreements to allow the freeports to benefit from these agreements. Apparently the agreements with 23 different countries, including Singapore, Norway and Switzerland, include clauses that specifically prohibit manufacturers from benefitting from the deals if they are located in a Freeport. Any exports from these freeports will be subjected to tariffs.

Liberal Democrat have had some great early wins:

• We made gains from Labour in Sunderland;
• We became the largest party on Stockport council;
• We held Orkney, re-electing Liam McArthur MSP;
• We made gains in Cambridgeshire, taking away the Conservative's majority.

Find out how to help the Lib Dems in the Chesham and Amersham by-election

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In the Lords we get to grips with the detail of the legislation and improve it; we take part in debates on a whole range of issues; and we question and hold to account government ministers.

For up-to-date information about the work of the Lib Dem group in the Lords, follow us on Twitter: @LibDemLords

We have decided that Autumn Conference will take place from 17th to 20th September. It will be held online. That was a very difficult decision to take and we had a very lengthy discussion about it.

We recognise that a lot of people would like to meet again in person - believe me, so we would we - but the question is whether, at this time, we can absolutely guarantee that conference could go ahead in the format that we know and love. Having consulted a range of others, FCC considered, with some reluctance, that it was not possible at this time to give such a guarantee. Although things are now a lot better in terms of the pandemic, we do not know if there are any final bumps in the road still to come. Medical experts say they expect a third wave in the Autumn but the extent is not yet clear. Of course, things seemed better in the early Autumn of 2020 but then took a marked turn for the worst a few months later. We do not, at this stage, know what social distancing requirements there will be or how many people will be able to attend the venue. We therefore cannot make meaningful plans and set any meaningful budget for the event. The risk of going ahead in person but having to cancel or heavily restrict the event such that it is not inclusive, is just too great. In the same way, we take any risk to the personal safety of party members very seriously. That is why we cancelled Spring 2020. We would not want to expose anyone to any unnecessary risk of catching this dreadful virus in a close setting.

Today Liberal Democrats are launching our new campaign to protect British farmers and maintain our food standards.

The Tories failing to commit to maintaining our high animal welfare and environmental standards"

I am deeply concerned that family farming businesses are at risk as the Tories continue to botch our transition away from the EU agricultural system.

Yesterday the Fire Safety Bill passed through Parliament without vital protection for leaseholders and tenants against exorbitant bills for fire remediation works.

The government's failure to address the fire safety scandal properly is now a scandal in itself.

The devastating consequences of this Bill passing cannot be overstated.

In the Lords we get to grips with the detail of the legislation and improve it; we take part in debates on a whole range of issues; and we question and hold to account government ministers.

For up-to-date information about the work of the Lib Dem group in the Lords, follow us on Twitter: @LibDemLords

Air pollution is an invisible enemy threatening the community spaces we love and the people we care most about.

Our Community Clean Air Fund would let councils and communities invest in the transport systems and options they need.

It kills thousands of people every year and affects the quality of life for all of us.

The Conservatives are cutting our commitment to overseas aid at the time it is needed most.

We're in the middle of a global pandemic - global problems need global solutions. Instead, the Conservatives are shirking their moral and legal responsibilities.

Cutting funding to research and development will directly impact our ability to help vital Covid response work worldwide, such as genome sequencing to detect new variants.