A disabled former Liberal Democrat MP has refused to criticise the Tory work and pensions secretary for covering up a report that linked the "fitness for work" test with a disabled man's suicide.

Stephen Lloyd, who narrowly lost his Eastbourne seat at last year's general election, was a supporter of many of Iain Duncan Smith's welfare reforms during his five years as a coalition MP.

On Wednesday in the House of Commons the Liberal Democrats demanded an urgent update on the military situation in Syria and the ability for MPs to hold the government to account.

As part of the debate last year on military action in Syria, we said that we wanted to see regular updates to the House of Commons. The Prime Minister agreed to give quarterly statements. Three months on, it is time for David Cameron to stick to his promise.

Hooray for Sir Simon Stevens, Head of NHS England, for putting into practice what I was proposing at last year's Party Conference! In my keynote speech I maintained that the NHS cannot tackle the country's current and future health problems by itself and we need a "whole government" approach.

The Department of Health must be supported by policies from the Department of Communities and Local Government, the Department of Education, the Department of Transport, The Department of Culture, Media and Sport and, of course, local authorities, since it will not be able to tackle the increasing demand for healthcare by itself. Prevention of avoidable illnesses should be the responsibility of every Government department.

It's time for proper training for GPs and teachers, a new funding model and nationwide awareness of the issue

Eight years ago, when I became leader of the Liberal Democrats, I used one of my first opportunities at Prime Minister's Questions to ask Gordon Brown about mental health services. The House of Commons chamber, usually a hostile wall of sound, became quiet. Afterwards, a number of MPs told me I was "brave" to raise the issue.

Unlike last week, there was a full set of Lib Dem candidates. There was a gain from Labour in a Town Council by-election in Hessle.There was also a successful Lib Dem hold and and two near misses. Signs of the party edging back to being in contention across a much larger part of the country.

In just 8 days' time, Liberal Democrats will be gathering in York for Spring Conference.

The agenda is available here.

What do you think of the motions on offer? Could any of them be improved?

If you want to submit an amendment, you need to persuade 10 members or your local party or SAO to back it and get it in by 1pm on Tuesday 8th March.

I'm generally supportive of the diversity motion introducing all women shortlists (AWS) at the next federal conference in York, (this argument is particularly persuasive), but will AWS permanently solve the problem of our party being too male and pale? If the proposals are passed and are successful, we might look in the Westminster bubble like we have addressed the gender disparity, however, as a party that relies on its local activists and councillors we ought to embed this cultural change more broadly. As Mark Pack has pointed out, we don't have enough women councillors, council candidates and local party officers (all about a third of total). And, as noted in one of the reports to conference, the percentage of female approved candidates is 27%.

Catherine Bearder has posted a new video following her trip to Ashdown Forest. She visits Uckfield Community Technology College in Sussex to meet with the students and talk about the opportunities the EU brings.

Everyone knows there is going to be the all important EU referendum on 23 June. It's the biggest political event of our lifetimes and we need to stay in for peace, prosperity and people.

But do you know what will happen on 20 June? England will beat Slovakia to secure their place in the Quarter-Finals of Euro 2016.

Following a reception in the House of Commons Tuesday 1 March 2016 evening, hosted by Sarah Campion MP, to speak to members of the Board of Trustees for Broken Rainbow, LGBT+ Lib Dems can report the good news that funding of the UK's only national LGBT domestic abuse charity Broken Rainbow will be extended until 2016/2017. This follows a question asked by our Equalities spokesperson, Baroness Hussein-Ece in the House of Lords.