The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.
The United Kingdom has a proud tradition of fairness. Many of the most fundamental components of our modern society were created by Liberals, such as the introduction of state pensions, unemployment benefits, health insurance and free secondary education. It is now hard to imagine what this country would be like without those things, but when Liberals introduced them they were regarded as radical ideas that threatened the status quo. More recently Liberal Democrats have continued to challenge both Labour and the Conservatives on crucial matters such as the invasion of Iraq and for Hard Brexit.
But today's Liberal Democrats are much more than just a collection of anti-Brexit campaigners. We want to help make this country into a stronger, fairer society. The Liberal Democrats, through the work of MPs such as Lynn Featherstone, Danny Alexander, Stephen Webb and David Laws were able to introduce Same-sex Marriages, greatly raised Income Tax thresolds (freeing many of our least well-paid workers from paying Income Tax), pension reforms and free, nutritious school meals for all infant school pupils and a Pupil Premium to provide targeted help to ensure children from poorer families aren't held back.
The Liberal Democrats are unafraid to champion less fashionable causes. We speak up for those who who struggle to have their voice heard. Norman Lamb has campaigned for many years for mental health funding to be increased. Sadly the Conservative government too often selects mental health facilities as the first to be cut back, as happened to Spencer Ward in Buxton's Cavendish Hospital. Only the Liberal Democrats are honest enough to admit that providing the NHS we need will mean that we have to pay a bit
more in tax to fund it.
If you want to help make Britain a fairer, more tolerant and more successful society, please join us. We are fighting to keep Britain in the EU which helps ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for us and our children. We are fighting to ensure proper, sustainable funding for the NHS. We are fighting homelessness and believe nobody should have to sleep rough.
-
Article: Oct 23, 2019By Fiona Harvey Environment correspondent in The GuardianProposals could make companies liable for harm caused by overseas suppliers
Businesses would be given a legal "duty of care" on environmental and social issues that could be used to prevent them selling goods from deforested areas and to force companies to investigate their overseas supply chains, under plans set out by the Liberal Democrat party.
-
Article: Oct 22, 2019.
-
Article: Oct 21, 2019By The Voice in Liberal Democrat VoiceHere are the Lib Dem contributions from our MPs in "Super Saturday" debates.
First up was Jo, basically telling the Prime Minister that he was too feart to put his deal to the people:
The Prime Minister's deal removes protections on workers' rights. It puts a border down the Irish sea and, according to the Government's own analysis, will damage our economy on a scale greater than the financial crash. Today, hundreds of thousands of people will be outside demanding a final say in a people's vote. Is not it the truth that the reason why the Prime Minister refuses their calls is that he knows that, if given the option, the people will reject his bad deal and choose to remain in the European Union?
-
Article: Oct 20, 2019By Mark PackLiberal Democrats love delivering leaflets. (And it's a good thing we do, as the evidence shows that they work.) If you've shared that love, chances are you've delivered ones that use one of our favourite strap lines: 'A record of action… a promise of more'.
That's what I'm offering in this election for Party President: a record of listening, a record of taking action, and a plan to work with you to achieve even more in the future.
-
Article: Oct 15, 2019By Sal BrintonMike joins us from his current position as Chief Executive of Addaction, a mental health, drug, alcohol and young persons charity, and was previously Assistant Chief Executive at Citizens Advice and through both of which he has extensive experience of managing member-style organisations.
I am delighted Mike will be taking on this crucial role at such an exciting time for the Liberal Democrats. Mike's experience in senior management and at leading organisations will be hugely valuable to the continuing growth of the party off the back of successive election campaigns which have put the Liberal Democrats back in a strong position in UK politics.