LDDA - The Liberal Democrat Disability Association

On Thursday 13th August, Mike Dixon and Mark Pack sat down with Mimi Turner and 150 activists for a quick run-through of the party's response to the Thornhill review, party objectives and strategy.

If you missed it, you can catch up on the webinar here.

This week the country has seen harrowing images from the English Channel. Desperate people in tiny plastic dinghies, some desperately emptying water from their sinking boat, forced into a perilous journey as they flee their homes to escape war and persecution.

It's a disgrace that the Government has chosen refugees as their next distraction from their mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, an impending economic crisis, and failure to protect jobs.

Due to the coronavirus crisis, young people have not only had to adapt to a new system of at-home learning, but many have also missed out on sitting crucial exams that would decide their university fate.

Now, many of these students across England have been left rightly worried about their futures over the government's decision to use a botched grading system in their A-level results.

Back in July, Boris Johnson finally agreed to our demands to hold an independent inquiry into the Government's response to coronavirus.

The Prime Minister accepted his Government will "learn the lessons of this pandemic" and confirmed there will be in independent inquiry.

BREAKING: Boris Johnson agrees to the Liberal Democrats' calls for an independent inquiry into government handling of COVID-19.

Watch @EdwardJDavey's question here 👇 #PMQs pic.twitter.com/TS52ea1WAi

- Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) July 15, 2020

the combination of a higher poverty rate than the rest of England, Brexit, COVID-19 and an ineffectual Mayor have presented Londoners with huge challenges

Nearly nine million people, 300 languages, the second largest financial centre in the world, a power house of culture, media and business and the driver of the UK economy: London is a fantastic place to live and work. But the combination of a higher poverty rate than the rest of England, Brexit, COVID-19 and an ineffectual Mayor have presented Londoners with huge challenges.

Following the elections in July we're pleased to announce that a new Executive has taken office. A big thank you to everybody who took part in these elections.

We are pleased to announce that your new Exec is:

• Chair: Gareth Lewis Shelton
• Vice Chair: Stephen Lambert
• Secretary: Andy Hinton
• Treasurer: Vacant
• Membership Secretary: Jasmine Joséphine Sakura-Rose
• Ordinary Members:
  • Charley Hasted
  • Em Dean
  • Fraser Graham
  • George Rice
  • Jennie Rigg
  • Lucy Tonge
  • Natasha Chapman

On the 1st of August, we notified both Leadership Campaigns of a proposal from the Radical Association to conduct an event.

An agreed Chair wasn't then identified before Saturday 8th. At this stage, we were advised that the Layla Moran campaign could no longer attend the event.

The Returning Officer's team believes both campaigns acted reasonably and in good faith, indeed they have been notably helpful and flexible with the shifting arrangements throughout this campaign.

The past few months have been incredibly difficult for pupils and teachers. We must ensure no child's opportunities are diminished due to this terrible pandemic - that means getting children back to school safely.

A comprehensive test, trace and isolate system is critical to reopening classrooms as safely as possible.

Ministers need to work with local authorities to improve the NHS Test and Trace service, which is still failing to reach enough close contacts. https://t.co/GsFQkDDYov

- Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) August 10, 2020

The world has watched in horror as the persecution of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang has been revealed. From the initial reports of mass surveillance, to evidence of up to 3 million people forced into so called re-education camps, the situation is bleak and all too familiar.

We remain clear that the UK has a duty to act.