Category Archives: News

Caron Lindsay

Lib Dems in Birthday Honours list

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 13th June 2026 - 9:16 am

I’ve had a look at the King’s Birthday Honours list this morning, searching under “political service” and “local government”.

I’ve only found two Lib Dems so far. That doesn’t mean that I’ve found everyone, so please, hive mind, let me kmow who I’ve missed. Lib Dems may be honoured for things that aren’t politics. And indeed, this was barely published when I discovered a third, honoured for non Lib Dem reasons. And the Noble Lord Packula found another I didn’t know about.

So the two I have found  and the one our Charley Hasted told me about are:

Ruth Williams MBE

Ruth, from Orkney, received her award for political and voluntary service.

She’s had the job for many years of being election agent to our illustrious parliamentarians in Orkney.

Alistair Carmichael told me:

Ruth Williams has made a phenomenal contribution to Orkney life and Liberal politics for decades.

She is well known in the Scottish Liberal Democrats for having been the party’s most successful election agent. She first campaigned for Jo Grimond in several campaigns and then served as agent for Jim Wallace, Liam McArthur and myself.

Beyond that she is a stalwart of village life in Finstown and wider Orkney where her contribution to local organisations are too numerous to list.

Quite apart from that she is one of the kindest and most generous people you could ask to meet. As well as being my agent, she is godmother to my younger son.

If more communities had a Ruth our country would be a much better place!

Cllr Clare Apel OBE

Clare, a Lib Dem Councillor in Chichester and Chair of the District Council, received her award for  “For services to the Voluntary Sector, to Local Government and to Holocaust Education.”

Two years ago she was shortlisted for the Local Government Unit’s lifetime legend award as Sussex World reported:

[Clare} said that, for all the hard work and all the challenges of local government, its real joy is working alongside people who want to make a difference. “You meet some amazing people doing incredible stuff quietly and you can really, in the area you cover, help people. I’d like to think, if you spoke to my constituents, they’d say ‘whenever there’s a problem, she’ll come out and see us.’ I don’t believe in doing things over email.

“I just feel very strongly that a lot of people get a tough bite of life, and if you can help them a bit, you should.”

Terry Stacy MBE

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Joe Nutt

ALDC’s By Election Report 11.06.26

By Joe Nutt | Fri 12th June 2026 - 5:16 pm

4 parallel white vertical lines on orange background ALDC logoThree principal authority by-elections took place this week in Cheshire West and Chester, Dacroum and Slough. 

Cheshire West and Chester Council – Christleton and Huntington

Our first by-election was triggered by the sad passing of the sitting Conservative councillor. At the last election in 2023, Christleton and Huntington was closely contested, with all nine candidates in the two-member ward finishing within 12.5% of each other and extensive split voting across the ward. The two Conservatives edged out the third-placed Green …

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Lin Macmillan

An eye for an eye is not the way forward

By Lin Macmillan | Fri 12th June 2026 - 11:55 am

It is not enough to condemn the rioting and violence that has taken place in the wake of Henry Nowak’s death, and the horrific knife attack in Belfast.  We need to understand why it is happening and look at ways to deal with the root cause.

There does seem to have been a rise in the number of violent crimes committed by those that have come to the UK as immigrants or asylum seekers.  Certainly if one believes the red-tops, this is the case.  However it would need someone with more time and expertise than I have to do an analysis of some of the more horrific crimes that have taken place in the last few months and years to establish whether or not this is truly the case.  My perception is that there are an equal number of dreadful acts carried out by those who appear to be ethnically British – they just don’t get the same amount of prominence in the media.

Whether or not there has been a rise in violent crimes committed by those who have come to seek sanctuary in the UK, the perception is that this is what is happening.  Those people who have not had the benefit of much education, and who are struggling with rising prices long waiting times for NHS treatment etc., feel aggrieved that people who have been welcomed here are not playing by the rules.  They realise that immigrants are getting healthcare, housing, and welfare payments that UK taxpayers are funding. They also believe, often incorrectly, that immigrants are somehow “jumping the queues” and preventing British people from having access to the above benefits.

What few of the rioters and protesters know, is that the circumstances that have caused many immigrants and asylum seekers to flee their homelands are ghastly beyond belief.  Some years ago I spent a little time in Malta working with those who had fled a variety of African countries, and crossed the Mediterranean in the hope of a better life.  On my first day in Malta, whilst being briefed in the offices of the organisation providing assistance to the refugees, a man suddenly ran in, shrieking and crying.  He collapsed sobbing on the floor, and when the staff finally managed to calm him down, they ascertained that someone had taken his bed.  To many, this would seem to be a very extreme reaction, but when you have lost everything, it isn’t.

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Callum Robertson

Regional Mayors are here: we have a duty to fight these elections properly

By Callum Robertson | Wed 10th June 2026 - 10:25 am

Many Liberal Democrats feel an instinctive unease when confronted with the idea of directly-elected regional mayors. This hesitation is understandable. These roles concentrate a significant degree of executive authority in a single individual, while the combined authorities designed to support and scrutinise them often lack the strength and visibility of more established democratic institutions. Concerns about accountability, checks and balances, and the potential for over-centralisation at a regional level are therefore entirely legitimate.

However, focusing solely on these risks carries the separate risk of overlooking the substantial benefits that regional mayors can bring. While the model is not without its flaws, directly-elected mayors have repeatedly demonstrated their capacity to act as visible, accountable leaders who can champion their regions, drive economic development, and unlock improvements in public services. At their best, they provide a clear point of leadership that can cut through bureaucratic inertia, coordinate policy across transport, housing, skills, and infrastructure, and advocate effectively for investment and attention from central government.

Viewed through this more optimistic lens, it is to my mind clear that the Liberal Democrats should reconsider their cautious stance.

Rather than resisting the model that is being implemented outright, we should engage with it pragmatically and strategically. That means identifying opportunities to win mayoral contests such as Cumbria, Hull, Cambridgeshire, Surrey, Hampshire and more. Then using those platforms to demonstrate how liberal values such as community empowerment, transparency, sustainability, and inclusive growth can be delivered at scale. Success at a regional level can, in turn, strengthen our influence nationally.

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The Voice

Alex Cole-Hamilton announces new spokesperson team

By The Voice | Wed 10th June 2026 - 7:55 am

Alex Cole-Hamilton has announced the Scottish Liberal Democrats new spokesperson team, declaring that they are “ready to roll up their sleeves and get things done”.

And the party’s social media gurus clearly had the World Cup in mind when they did their comms on this:

The spokesperson line-up will be as follows:

• Andrew Baxter – Rural Affairs

• Yi-pei Chou Turvey – Justice

• Sanne Dijkstra-Downie – Climate, Environment & Energy

• Duncan Dunlop – Education, Children & Young People

• David Green – Public Service Reform, Europe, External Affairs & Culture

• Adam Harley – Health & Care

• Morven-May MacCallum – Housing, Social Security & Local Government

• Liam McArthur – Economy, Finance & Tourism

• Willie Rennie – Chief Whip & Transport

Alongside his duties as leader, Alex will take on the equalities brief.

Alex said:

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The Voice

WATCH: Daisy Cooper’s plan to cut energy bills

By The Voice | Tue 9th June 2026 - 10:55 am

Yesterday, Daisy Cooper announced measures to cut energy bills. Under Lib Dem plans everyone would get £100 off their bills with more targetted support for, for example, households with disabled people or children or low incomes. Watch her speech here.

She said:

Energy is not a luxury. It’s a basic human need. It’s essential. Every single household in Britain should be able to afford their basic everyday energy needs regardless of what happens in global energy markets, and regardless of who happens to be sitting in Number 10.

For too long, governments have responded to every energy crisis with short-term schemes and sticking plasters, while big corporations have made a fast buck.

That is why we are going after the big energy network operators who are gaming the system, to fund our new Essential Energy Guarantee. It is an absolute scandal that a weak regulator has allowed these monopolies to make billions in windfall profits at the expense of bill payers.

Labour’s leadership contenders have a choice: turn a blind eye to the windfall profits of energy network operators and big banks, or step in to guarantee basic dignity for families. Commit to introducing our Essential Energy Guarantee within your first 100 days.

Our Energy Spokesperson, Pippa Heylings MP, added:

This opportunity is an open goal for giving families the energy bills relief they have been hoping to see for far too long. The unfair profits accumulated by energy network companies must be reigned in and used for the public good.

This is the newest part of a package of common sense policies put forward by the Liberal Democrats: solar on every new home, a new home insulation upgrade programme, breaking the link between electricity and gas prices, and removing the renewables obligation levy.

Time after time we have put no-brainer recommendations to this government but the pace has remained painfully slow. This time they must not sit on the idea, and instead save families struggling with the cost of living now.

 

The small print

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Jack Meredith

When the caring stops

By Jack Meredith | Tue 9th June 2026 - 8:58 am

It’s Carers Week 2026! 

Once a year, between 8 – 14 June, carer charities and groups come together to raise awareness of the work carers do, what impact caring has on carers and those around them, and what we can do on a societal level to better support them.

The theme this year is “Building Carer-Friendly Communities“, highlighting how communities can better support carers, empowering them and easing the strain of their responsibilities.

I’d like to contribute to this week by talking about my mum’s experience as a carer, and what I believe can be done to better support her and others like her. I have spoken more in-depth on this topic over at Nation Cymru, which you can read here.

My mum has been a carer for both my grandparents for just over a decade, having been made redundant from the Land Registry in 2009, and taking on caring duties for my nan since then, and soon after, for my bampa (grandfather) too. She would be the first to tell you that, while rewarding, it is by no means easy or, as some well-meaning friends have described it, a “career break”.

Caring for loved ones, especially when you live in the same household as them, is your career, one that doesn’t allow you to clock-off at the end of the day, and only comes to an end when the unthinkable happens, and a loved one passes away; a reality my mum had to face earlier this year when my lovely nan passed. An aspect that often gets overlooked is what happens after a carer’s responsiblities come to an end. They’re left with no job, no support, and no structure. This is an area that I believe both the state, local authorities, and communities need to play a much larger role.

Just to note at this point: these are all pipe-dream goals I have to better support carers, rather than completely fleshed out ideas. How they would actually be funded or established, I don’t know; this is just what I would like to see.

The state

The state needs to play its part in providing grief counselling and general mental health support for carers, and this could be explored by joining up the mental health and social care services. Rather than having a carer engage with one system, go through the whole process, only to then have to engage with a completely new system and explain everything they’ve been through, the two should be joined up, with a clear avenue for carers to meet and talk with counsellors who are already up to date on everything the carer has gone through. 

This would ease the burden on the carer of having to relive every little thing in trying to get yet another person to understand. If the carer and the counsellor don’t gel, then they can go to a new counsellor, who would also be informed on what the carer has gone through.

Local authorities

I need to state, at this point, that I’m focusing solely on local authorities in Wales, rather than across the entirety of Great Britain.

Some local authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic provided carers with a one-off £500 grant to support them through that period, as part of a £29 million investment in supporting unpaid carers. While a great initiative, it needs to be brought back in some form, on a regular basis, to better support unpaid carers. Between the cost of living increases due to global conflicts, the previously mentioned pandemic, and Brexit, the current allowance of £86 a week is nowhere near enough to help carers even survive, let alone live a full life outside of their responsibilities.

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Caron Lindsay

David Green pledges to fight for Caithness maternity care

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 7th June 2026 - 3:30 pm

David Green has delivered  his first speech at Holyrood.

All our seven newbies have now done so. Every single one of them made me cry, David more than any of them.

Not just because he is the best of people and I’ve known him for pretty much half his life (which is a tiny proportion of mine), but because he represents where I spent my teenage years and, much further south, where my husband’s family comes from. His constituency is massive, stretching from John O’Groats in the north, almost to Skye in the west.

I’ve driven the long, long road from Wick to Inverness many, many times. It’s a good bit shorter, with the Dornoch Bridge, than it used to be, but it is still a very, very long way. Even in the Summer when it’s pretty much light till well gone 11pm, it’s long. In the Winter when it’s dark at the back of 3 and the wind and the ice and the snow are doing their thing, it’s terrifying. Also, there’s a lot of rural Caithness and northern Sutherland that is very much further away than that.

I say this because a succession of SNP health ministers have done nothing to reverse the downgrading of maternity services which means that mums have to traverse that road to give birth. Now when I was in labour, I had to drive 15 or so miles on a relatively straightforward road to have my baby. And that was not a fun experience, I can assure you. So David’s commitment to fight for a full maternity unit in Caithness means something to me.

Watch his speech here.

The text is below:

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Caron Lindsay

Andrew Baxter: I want to be a voice for the Highlands

By Caron Lindsay | Sat 6th June 2026 - 3:07 pm

New Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP Andrew Baxter made his first speech in Holyrood this week. He looked very happy about it, as well he should given that he represents what I think are some of the most beautiful places in the world, especially my happy place, Rosemarkie Beach.

He paid tribute to the “resilient” communities of his constituency and set out his desire to be a voice for the Highlands on issues like building public services that are accessible, reliable and closer to home.

I was in tears when he talked about the lady whose husband had been put in a care home 2 hours away – the unnecessary reality of life in the Highlands.

I am also ashamed to say that I didn’t know about Nessie’s sister Morag, who apparently lives in Loch Morar, though Loch Ness is plenty big enough for two monsters, to be honest.

Watch here:

The text is below:

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Joe Nutt

ALDC by-election report, 4th June

By Joe Nutt | Fri 5th June 2026 - 5:14 pm

One principal authority by-election took place this week in Westmorland & Furness – a Conservatives defence in Hawcoat and Newbarns.

Westmorland & Furness Council, Hawcoat & Newbarns

This week’s by-election was triggered by the resignation of the former Conservative councillor. In 2022, at the inaugural election of the new Westmorland and Furness Council, the Liberal Democrats took control of the unitary thanks to sweeping gains wins several wards in Tim Farron’s constituency. However, this ward is in the industrial seaport town of Barrow-in-Furness – an electorally challenging area for us. At the last election, all three of our candidates finished last behind the Conservatives, Labour and Independents.

This is crucial context for understanding our last placed finish in the by-election last night. Reform easily beat the Conservatives, who dropped over 20 points into third place. It should be noted that the winning Reform candidate, Hazel Edwards, was formerly a Conservative councillor and mayor.

Turnout was very low, falling by around 14 points to 27%.

A big thank you to Stephen Pickthall for making sure a Liberal Democrat was on the ballot!

Reform: 1139, 48.4% (NEW)
Labour: 576, 24.5% (-9.8%)
Conservative: 447, 19.0% (-21.5%)
Green: 121, 5.1% (NEW)
Liberal Democrats: 69, 2.9% (-2.7%)

Reform GAIN from Conservative

Turnout: 27%

Thank you to all of our candidates, agents, and campaign teams. A full summary of these results, and all other principal council by-elections, can be found on the ALDC by-elections page here.

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Iain Donaldson

A Federal Britain: 2. Devolving power and redesigning the Constitution

By Iain Donaldson | Fri 5th June 2026 - 8:57 am

Fair votes are essential, but they are only the first pillar of constitutional renewal. The second pillar is federalism: the redistribution of power away from Westminster and towards the nations and regions where people actually experience the consequences of government decisions.

The United Kingdom is one of the most centralised democracies in the developed world. Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and London possess varying degrees of devolution, yet most of England remains governed through Westminster departments, Whitehall ministries, arm’s-length agencies, and overlapping administrative bodies. Decisions affecting transport, housing, infrastructure, skills, economic development, and public services are often taken hundreds of miles away from the communities they affect.

The result is confusion, duplication, and weak accountability. When services fail, it is frequently unclear whether responsibility lies with ministers, local authorities, regulators, agencies, or quasi-independent bodies. Democracy becomes less meaningful when citizens cannot identify who is responsible.

Federalism addresses this by clearly defining where power sits.

Westminster would become a genuine federal parliament responsible for defence, foreign affairs, national security, macroeconomic stability, currency, and constitutional matters. Rather than simultaneously acting as both a UK parliament and, in practice, England’s legislature, it would focus on genuinely federal responsibilities.

Below it would sit state-level governments: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, London, and a series of English regional states.

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Mark Valladares

4 June 2026 – today’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Thu 4th June 2026 - 11:55 pm

Cole-Hamilton presses Swinney to clean up Scottish politics

At First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today called for an inquiry into the actions of former SNP Chief Executive Peter Murrell and urged John Swinney to adopt key measures to clean up Scottish politics.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:

The most regrettable aspect of this whole sorry saga around the SNP’s finances is the erosion of public trust and faith in politics it creates. There are still big unanswered questions around all of this. This is why we need a parliamentary inquiry but the government are blocking it.

Just like they’ve blocked other

…

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Caron Lindsay

Morven-May MacCallum MSP: No-one in Scotland should have to fight harder to be believed than to get well

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 4th June 2026 - 8:51 am

When she was 14, new Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP for the Highlands and Islands Morven May-MacCallum contracted Lyme Disease after being bitten by a tick.

Yesterday made her first speech in the Scottish Parliament in which she spoke of her experience and committed to campaign on behalf of people living with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, POTS, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and other chronic illnesses.

It’s an incredible speech which will resonate with anyone who suffers from these and other conditions and who has had to fight to be believed.

Watch here:

The text is below.

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Mark Valladares

3 June 2026 – today’s press release

By Mark Valladares | Wed 3rd June 2026 - 10:45 pm

Carmichael demands meeting with Coastguard boss after cuts to volunteer remuneration

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has today written to the Chief Executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Virginia McVea, to demand a meeting over cuts to Coastguard volunteer remuneration.

Currently Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs), which make up the bulk of the Coastguard Rescue Service, are given hourly remuneration for attending incidents and training exercises – approximately £11 per hour. The MCA plans to change these rules following a Court of Appeal judgement earlier this year, which classed responders as “workers” while they were carrying out their duties.

Mr Carmichael said:

The

…

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Caron Lindsay

Adam Harley’s first speech

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 3rd June 2026 - 5:30 pm

New Strathkelvin and Bearsden MSP Adam Harley made his first speech in Holyrood yesterday, highlighting the importance of providing young people with opportunities, protecting important community facilities and restoring trust in politics.

Adam originally worked in theatre and the arts before moving over to the charity sector, fighting for the rights of people with cystic fibrosis to access life-saving medicines.

He has also volunteered for organisations educating children from disadvantaged backgrounds and has worked with community groups supporting young people in danger of becoming involved in the criminal justice system, helping them turn their lives around.

The text is below

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Jack Meredith

Britain has privatised care into the family

By Jack Meredith | Wed 3rd June 2026 - 12:15 pm

At the heart of Britain’s care settlement lies a contradiction: unpaid carers are thanked for their work, while the growing responsibilities and stresses they face are ignored, with little to no reprieve.

Unpaid carers across the UK provide care worth approximately £184 billion a year, with more and more responsibilities absorbed by households, which increased by 29.3% between 2011 and 2022. Those same care responsibilities usually fall on one family member, with women aged 55-59 years old and living in the highest levels of poverty being most likely to provide unpaid care in Wales alone.

Public Health Wales …

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Mark Valladares

2 June 2026 – today’s press releases (part 2)

By Mark Valladares | Tue 2nd June 2026 - 11:00 pm
  • Cole-Hamilton calls for SNP inquiry and Sturgeon to assist cops
  • Transport Sec pushed on A9 dualling committee

Cole-Hamilton calls for SNP inquiry and Sturgeon to assist cops

Responding to Peter Murrell’s hearing today and confirmation that the majority of items bought with stolen funds have not been located, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

While there is a comical note to Peter Murrell purchasing shampoo and conditioner for his ill-gotten campervan, it is extremely serious that the SNP Chief Executive was routinely producing fraudulent invoices, especially when the party had received considerable sums of public money over the years.

This is just one reason

…

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Mark Valladares

2 June 2026 – today’s press releases (part 1)

By Mark Valladares | Tue 2nd June 2026 - 10:30 pm
  • Rennie puts questions to minister over Lower Melville Wood fire
  • Cole-Hamilton slams SNP for more miserable health figures
  • Youth unemployment in Wales soars nine times faster than Scotland as Welsh Lib Dems warn of “Lost Generation”

Rennie puts questions to minister over Lower Melville Wood fire

North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie has today written to the new community safety minister, Kirsten Oswald MSP, to raise more than a dozen questions about the Lower Melville Wood fire and how the incident was handled. He has also called for a public meeting to discuss the future of the site.

Following the major fire which broke out at the Lower Melville Wood waste processing and transfer facility three weeks ago, Willie Rennie has written to the Scottish Government’s new community safety minister to raise a number of questions which have been raised with him by people in the area around the fire who have been worst affected, and which he wants to be addressed by an investigation into the fire.

These questions include:

  • What was the initial cause of the fire?
  • Why was the fire able to spread across the compartments to the neighbouring waste when those compartments were designed to stop spread?
  • Did other fires on the site in recent months trigger an upgrade to fire prevention measures?
  • Why was there so much waste stored on the site?
  • Why was the fire judged to be level one?
  • Why was it not felt necessary to have local, mobile air quality monitors?

He has also questioned the communications to local people throughout the incident, which he described as ‘poor’.

Willie Rennie said:

The fire was a major incident and I am grateful to the emergency services and other staff who have been involved in dealing with it. It has been difficult, methodical work to contain the fire and dowse a large volume of smouldering material. While I have tried to get answers for local people, I believed that the focus should be on dealing with the incident.

However, now that the emergency services have returned the site to Cireco, I want to turn to an investigation into this incident. This needs to be carried out thoroughly and robustly but also as quickly as possible. Local people also believe that it should be carried out independently.

Throughout the fire many of the people living closest to it – the people who were hit hardest by smoke, exacerbated medical conditions, and road closures – felt that they were left in the dark, without clear communications from the authorities dealing with this incident. They are looking for explanations and assurances, and they deserve to get them.

That is why I have written to the Scottish Government to set out what I believe needs to be included in the investigation. I have also made clear that there needs to be a public meeting to address these issue directly with the local communities.

Cole-Hamilton slams SNP for more miserable health figures

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has criticised the SNP for presiding over thousands of people waiting hours at A&E, huge numbers of patients marooned in hospital, long waits for mental health care and worrying vacancies amid nursing and midwifery staff.

New figures published today reveal:

On A&E waiting times, Alex said:

The fact that there were virtually no 12 hour waits when the SNP first took power shows just how much they have failed.

To cut these horrific waits, we need to fix the broken care system. The gaps in community care are a bottleneck that’s causing 2,000 people a night to be marooned in hospital when they don’t need or want to be there.

You simply cannot fix the NHS without fixing social care.

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Liam Yip

ALDC by-election report, 28th May

By Liam Yip | Fri 29th May 2026 - 4:55 pm

One principal authority by-election took place this week in Swansea. The Conservatives were attempting to defend this council seat.

Swansea Council, Fairwood

This week’s by-election was triggered by the death of long-serving Conservative councillor Paxton Hood-Williams, who represented this council ward for over 20 years. At the most recent council elections in 2022, the Conservatives topped the poll, albeit with a much smaller majority than in 2017, whilst we finished in last place.

Turnout fell by nearly 10% in this by-election compared to 2022. We were able to leapfrog into first place, whilst the defending Conservatives plummeted down to fifth place.

Congratulations are due to Cllr Beth Rowe and the Swansea Liberal Democrats for this excellent result, substantially increasing our vote share here.

Liberal Democrats (Beth Rowe): 240 (29.3%, +19.9)
Labour: 185 (22.6%, –9.3)
Reform UK: 139 (17.0%, new)
Independent: 94 (11.5%, new)
Conservative: 84 (10.3%, –30.3)
Independent: 77 (9.4%, new)

Liberal Democrats GAIN from Conservative

Turnout: 37.7%

Thank you to all of our candidates, agents, and campaign teams. A full summary of these results, and all other principal council by-elections, can be found on the ALDC by-elections page here.

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The Voice

Sanne Dijkstra-Downie’s maiden speech in the Scottish Parliamnt

By The Voice | Fri 29th May 2026 - 12:11 pm

Sanne spoke yesterday in the debate on Scotland’s energy.

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The Voice

New policy working groups – are you interested?

By The Voice | Thu 28th May 2026 - 10:25 am

Three new policy working groups have been set up by the Federal Policy Committee, and they are seeking members. The working groups will take evidence and prepare policy proposals to submit to Autumn Conference 2027. The deadline for applications to join one of the groups is 8th June.

Click here for more information about how policy is developed in the Liberal Democrats.

The new groups are:

Victims of Crime

Victims of crime have been let down for too long. Many wait hours for a police response; many never see their crime investigated or the perpetrator charged; many wait years for the trial, prolonging the trauma.

A new working group will develop policies that cut across traditional policy silos to look at policing, the justice system and other public services from a victims’ perspective.

Apply here

Rural Issues

Rural communities face distinctive challenges and are being let down on everything from transport to health services to crime. They have been failed by a Conservative Government that took rural communities for granted and a Labour Government that clearly doesn’t understand them.

A new working group will develop distinctive Liberal Democrat policies that would protect rural communities’ public services and ensure they have access to decent public transport, affordable housing, adequate broadband connectivity, or protection from crime.

Apply here

Empowering Local Communities

For a hundred years, Liberals and Liberal Democrats have been fighting for fair votes, to give everyone equal power in our democracy and hold all Members of Parliament properly to account. We want to shift more power out of the centre in Whitehall, so local decisions are made by and for the people and communities they affect.

A new policy working group will develop our vision of a society where residents and community groups have far more control over the decisions that affect their communities. This will be a cross-cutting, thematic working, embracing voluntary community activity as well as elected local government.

Apply here

 

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The Voice

Tanvir Ahmad selected to fight Arbroath and Broughty Ferry by-election

By The Voice | Mon 25th May 2026 - 3:35 pm

Scottish Liberal Democrats have announced that Tanvir Ahmad has been selected as candidate for the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry by-election which was caused by the election of Stephen Gethins to Holyrood earlier this month.

Tanvir brings over 20 years of experience leading major projects in the technology and telecoms sectors. He has a proven record of building partnerships with global organisations, bringing new innovations to market, and creating opportunities for growth both at home and abroad. Alongside his professional career, he is a Royal Navy Reservist, a grassroots community campaigner who has managed a youth centre for minority communities, and holds both Honours and Masters degrees in International Relations.

At the 2026 Holyrood election, he almost doubled the Scottish Liberal Democrat vote share in the constituency of Dundee City East, campaigning on issues including tackling vandalism and anti-social behaviour, improving housing and supporting households affected by the RAAC scandal.

Tanvir  said:

I am delighted to have been selected to contest the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry by-election.

Too many families in our area are living in poverty, and child hunger is a daily reality. Young people have seen services cut and opportunities dry up, while households are struggling with rising bills and insecure jobs. That has to change.

People have been let down by the SNP, the Conservatives and the Labour party.

Last week, Labour voted against Liberal Democrat proposals for a customs union with the European Union and relaxed sanctions on Russia. That’s not good enough.

Scottish Liberal Democrats believe in fairness for everyone, no matter who you are or where you come from.

I want to fight child poverty and give families the support they deserve. I want to create opportunities for young people through apprenticeships, skills, and safe spaces. And I want to back local businesses to grow, creating secure, well-paid jobs.

People across the constituency feel like things aren’t working. People deserve a change with fairness at its heart and that is what I will be campaigning to deliver.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

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The Voice

Jake Austin is our candidate in Makerfield

By The Voice | Mon 25th May 2026 - 2:30 pm

Portrait of Jake AustinJake Austin has been selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Makerfield in the upcoming by-election, pledging to champion local issues that matter most to residents. Jake is passionate about revitalising our high streets, ⁠improving public transport across the North West, and providing affordable homes for the next generation.

Jake was born and raised in Hindley, and has lived in Greater Manchester his whole life. Hei is a Liberal Democrat Councillor and works in fundraising.

In 2024, Jake was the Liberal Democrat candidate in the Greater Manchester Mayoralty election, increasing the Liberal Democrat vote share against Andy Burnham from the 2021 election.

Jake said:

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The Voice

Camden legend Flick Rea has died

By The Voice | Mon 25th May 2026 - 12:45 pm

We are very sad to say that Camden Liberal Democrat legend Flick Rea has died just 4 days after her 88th birthday. She was incredibly loved by many in the party and will be very much missed.

Flick was a Camden Councillor for the Fortune Green Ward from 1986 to 2021 and had two spells as Group Leader. She had started out as an actress, training alongside Glenda Jackson.

In 2022, she was appointed an Honorary Alderman of the London Borough of Camden. You can watch her acceptance speech here.

 

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Caron Lindsay

Mel Sullivan selected for Aberdeen South by-election

By Caron Lindsay | Mon 25th May 2026 - 11:55 am

Portrait of Mel Sullivan

I am absolutely thrilled to say that my friend Mel Sullivan has been selected to fight the Aberdeen South by-election for the Scottish Liberal Democrats. The by-election has been caused by the resignation of the former SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn’s election to the Scottish Parliament earlier this month.

Mel is a Councillor in Aberdeenshire and is so good at framing her arguments in a way that brings people together. She makes you think about things differently. She does so much for her local community above and beyond being a councillor. She puts her caring into action every day.

She graduated from the University of Aberdeen with a degree in Economic Science.

Alongside being an Aberdeenshire councillor, she volunteers with Home-Start Aberdeen, supporting families with young children and has contributed to a wide-range of community organisations.

She sits on the Council’s Infrastructure Services committee and on the Licensing Board. She is also Scottish Liberal Democrat Women’s representative on the party’s policy committee.

Mel said:

I am delighted to have been selected to contest the Aberdeen South by-election.

At the recent election Scottish Liberal Democrats increased our vote share across the North East and elected a new regional MSP who will give people strong and liberal representation across the region.

People have been let down by the SNP, the Conservatives and the Labour party.

Just this week, Labour voted against Liberal Democrat proposals for a customs union with the European Union and relaxed sanctions on Russia while blocking new drilling in the North Sea.

People across the constituency feel like things aren’t working. Even as the North East produces much of Scotland’s energy, our household bills are soaring, while under the SNP waits to see a GP are far too long. People deserve a change with fairness at its heart and that is what I will be campaigning to deliver.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

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The Voice

Lords Parliamentary Party reshuffle – who’s who in the new Parliamentary session

By The Voice | Fri 22nd May 2026 - 9:32 am

Readers may have noticed over the past few days a few personal announcements as to what certain Peers will be doing now, so we thought that we’d better provide readers with a complete list. And, with thanks to Humphrey Amos from the Lords’ Whips Office, we can announce that our Lords Spokespeople are as follows:

Leader – Jeremy Purvis

Deputy Leaders – Kath Pinnock and Mike Storey

Chief Whip – Dave Goddard

Attorney General – Martin Thomas

Business and Industry – Chris Fox

Cabinet Office – Mark Pack

Culture, Media and Sport – Jane Bonham-Carter, Dominic Addington (Sport) and Liz Barker (Voluntary and Charity Sector)

Defence – Julie Smith

Education – Shaffaq Mohammed and Sue Garden (Higher and Further Education)

Energy and Net Zero – John Russell

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Olly Grender

Equalities – Meral Hussein-Ece and Paul Scriven (LGBT issues)

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Christian de Vartavan

Time for the UK to engage with Europe on AI sovereignty

By Christian de Vartavan | Wed 20th May 2026 - 10:25 am

On Monday evening, a major evidence session of the House of Lords APPG on Artificial Intelligence — of which I am an associate — took place, where it became clear that the question of British and European AI sovereignty is no longer an abstract policy debate but is rapidly becoming a central political priority.

The session, organised by the Big Innovation Centre under Professor Birgitte Andersen and chaired by Lord Tim Clement-Jones, brought together policymakers, academics and industry leaders to confront a stark reality: the UK is too dependent on foreign — particularly American — AI infrastructure, platforms and large language models. This dependence carries significant implications for economic resilience, strategic autonomy and long-term technological capability.

A significant contribution came from Josephine Kant of the newly established UK Government AI Sovereign Fund, an initiative designed to strengthen Britain’s strategic autonomy in AI. Its creation signals a broader shift in thinking — away from the assumption that global markets alone will deliver resilient technological ecosystems, and towards a recognition that public policy must play a more active role in shaping critical infrastructure.

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Elizabeth Jewkes

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Elizabeth Shields’ Ryedale by-election win

By Elizabeth Jewkes | Wed 20th May 2026 - 8:55 am

Josh Babarinde presents award to former MP Elizabeth Shields
Photo credit Yorkshire Liberal Democrats

Women became eligible to stand for election to Parliament in 1918 and the first woman Liberal MP was elected in 1921. Yet until 1986, only four women ever sat as Liberal MPs, half of whom were elected at by-elections.  Between 1951 and 1986 there were no Liberal women MPs at all. Then came the Ryedale by-election and Elizabeth Shields. Elizabeth joined the Party in 1964 after being canvassed by what she describes as ‘an enthusiastic young man’ who talked about the Party’s values and beliefs until she realised they chimed with her own. So she paid 2 shillings and 6d (half a crown) or 12 and 1/2p in decimal coinage and became a member of the party.

Elizabeth became a local councillor and a parliamentary candidate. She stood for Howden in 1979 and then Ryedale in 1983 losing the latter by 16,000 votes. Three years later, the Conservative sitting MP died and Elizabeth was again our candidate. She not only gained the seat with 50.03% of the vote, overturning the huge majority, she won with a respectable margin of 4,940 votes. A swing of 19%. Importantly, she ended the long wait for a woman to be elected as a Liberal MP.  Sadly, the Conservative regained the seat at the 1987 General Election but in the forty years since, the Party has never been without a woman MP. Elizabeth wrote about her experience of being an M.P. in her book ‘A year to remember’. 

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The Voice

Is this the first public call for Ed to go?

By The Voice | Mon 18th May 2026 - 9:55 am

It is being reported that the our Council Leader in Colchester, David King, has called for a change of leadership. Talking to the BBC’s Simon Dedman, he said;

We need to let the party take the time to look to the future, and that’s my appeal to Sir Ed. It’s politely saying, time’s up.

Whether or not this is simply a reaction to disappointing results in Colchester – the Party lost Shrub End and Stanway wards to Reform – or indicative of a wider movement remains to be seen.

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Caron Lindsay

Jim Wallace’s memorial service – 5th June 2026

By Caron Lindsay | Sun 17th May 2026 - 3:30 pm

Portrait of Jim WallaceWe are all still mourning the loss of Jim Wallace earlier this year.

Alex Cole-Hamilton dedicated his acceptance speech when he won his Edinburgh North Western constituency with a vastly increased majority to Jim, recalling his last conversation with Jim a few days before he died.

We all wish he could have been around to celebrate our election success when we more than doubled our 4 MSPs elected in 2021.

We will have the chance to remember Jim at his memorial service which will take place on Friday 5th June 2026 at Dunblane Cathedral at 11.30 am.

The event will be livestreamed on the Dunblane Cathedral YouTube channel and will be available to watch on catch up.

Travel to Dunblane is quite straighforward:

Rail: Regular trains from Glasgow Queen St ( sometimes involving a change at
Stirling) and from Edinburgh Waverley to Dunblane.

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