Category Archives: News

The Voice

Internal Elections update – Federal Appeals Panel, statements from official party organisations and presidential candidates

By The Voice | Mon 10th November 2025 - 7:20 pm

This afternoon, the party’s highest dispute resolution panel met to discuss the ruling issued by the Returning Officer on 27th October, prior to the ballots opening in the federal party elections.

Lucas North had appealed to the Federal Appeals Panel and after the hearing this joint statement was issued:

We were pleased to attend the FAP hearing today on the rules around the internal elections.

The FAP made clear that the rules as written in the constitution need to be reviewed by members as they can no longer be implemented as originally intended following the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland and therefore there is a lack of clarity.

The FAP has ruled that parts of quotas should be disapplied on a case by case basis, as the election count proceeds, in order to avoid discrimination. This requires a different approach to that originally set out by the RO; it means that quotas will apply as written in the constitution until they lead to a breach of the Equality Act 2010 in any individual circumstance.

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Lord William Wallace

Why does the UK handle budgets like this?

By Lord William Wallace | Sun 9th November 2025 - 8:45 am

Another budget, and another set of parliamentary debates – and newspaper comments – that will generate much heat but very little light about the choices Britain faces in raising state revenue and funding public services.  Since Margaret Thatcher used revenues from North Sea oil and receipts from privatization to fund current spending through asset sales rather than higher taxes, Britain has been stuck with a false self-image that we can be a country of both lower taxes than our continental counterparts and comparably generous public services.  Brexit of course, with its consequences in in depressing economic growth, has made the choices more difficult.  But we still have politicians calling for tax cuts without suggesting what impact on public spending they will have.  How do they get away with it?

I’ve just been reading a paper a novice Liberal Democrat MP wrote 25 years ago on how badly the British Parliament handles budgetary scrutiny and debates on spending and taxation.  He notes that the British Parliament has one of the weakest systems for parliamentary influence over government expenditure in the world.  He condemns the way in which taxation and spending are discussed separately rather than as unavoidably linked, with changes in the tax structure sprung from the Chancellor’s budget statement rather than carefully examined for their impact on the economy – which has led to the UK now having one of the most complex and untidy systems of taxation in the developed world.  He decries the false divide between ‘policy’ and ‘finance’ – the first the province of ministers, the second the responsibility of permanent secretaries who answer to the Public Accounts Committee for how funds have been spent. ‘It matters how a country takes its decisions on the budget. It may be less exciting, but process matters’, Ed Davey argued.  He therefore made a series of proposals to strengthen the role of MPs in discussing financial choices and in later scrutinising how well funds have been spent.

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Liam Yip

ALDC By-Election Report 6th November

By Liam Yip | Fri 7th November 2025 - 6:45 pm

This week, there were ten by-elections, of which two were on Tuesday. Three by-elections did not have a Liberal Democrat candidate.

Congratulations to Councillor Jan Goffey and the local Liberal Democrat team for gaining a seat in Devon, despite beginning from a standing start. We were able to secure a decisive victory, whilst both the Conservatives and an independent were vying for second place.

West Devon BC, Okehampton South
Liberal Democrats (Jan Goffey): 356 (57.1%, new)
Conservative: 152 (24.4%, -5.9)
Independent: 116 (18.6%, – 17.0)

Liberal Democrat GAIN from Green Party

Turnout: 22%

Congratulations are also due to Councillor Martin Redman and the local team, who were able to gain a seat off the Conservatives in Surrey. Meanwhile, Reform UK were able to secure a convincing second place, well ahead of the Conservatives who finished third.

Tandridge DC, Westway
Liberal Democrats (Martin Redman): 539 (42.3%, -0.6)
Reform UK: 420 (33.0%, new)
Conservative: 202 (15.9%, -13.3)
Labour: 112 (8.8%, -19.1)

Liberal Democrat GAIN from Conservative

Turnout: 25%

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Caron Lindsay

Lib Dem Donna Harris leads Lambeth Council in rejecting committee seat for sex-charge councillor

By Caron Lindsay | Wed 5th November 2025 - 3:34 pm

Headshot of Cllr Donna HarrisWhen a review of Lambeth Council’s committee structure proposed putting a councillor who had been arrested  on charges of sexual assault, exposure and controlling and coercive behaviour on a committee that investigates wrongdoing, Lib Dem leader of the opposition Cllr Donna Harris was having none of it.

Donna, who is the chair of  Lib Dem Women, the official body in the Lib Dems representing women, led the efforts to get this stopped. For a week she tried, unsuccessfully, to block the move behind the scenes.

However, when the appointments came to Council recently, she spoke against them and they were ultimately rejected unanimously.

Donna said that the appointmentsent the wrong message to every woman who expects our public institutions to be safe and fair:

I stand here today not only as a councillor, but also as the national party’s Chair of Liberal Democrat Women.
And I must say — clearly and firmly — that what I’m about to raise cannot be ignored.

This must be addressed on behalf of women everywhere who expect their councils to act with integrity, accountability, and respect.

The proposal to offer the independent member a seat on the Investigating Committee is deeply concerning.
It sends entirely the wrong message — to residents, to council staff, and to every woman who expects our public institutions to be safe and fair.

The independent member has been charged by police and faces a pending court case.
I fully recognise, as we all must, that he is innocent until proven guilty.
But while those proceedings are ongoing, it is wholly inappropriate for him to be given a committee seat —
especially one responsible for investigating the conduct of others.

Over the past week I’ve tried everything to prevent this, putting forward constructive alternatives.

The administration may say the current position is lawful — but laws can and should change.

Let’s be clear: this is not about prejudice.

It’s about safeguarding — about protecting the reputation of this council, maintaining public confidence, and ensuring everyone who works in or visits the Town Hall feels safe and respected.

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Tom Arms

Tom Arms World Review

By Tom Arms | Sun 2nd November 2025 - 8:30 am

Trump’s Asia trip was a tour of important political contrasts.

In Malaysia, Japan and South Korea he was treated with obsequious knee-bending accommodations. As his helicopter Marine One flew past the landmark Tokyo Tower was lit up with red, white and blue, AND, the final touch, topped with Trumpian gold.

But it was the South Koreans who won the toadying prize. President Trump was greeted with a 21-gun salute, a band that played “Hail to the Chief” followed by his campaign rally theme song, “YMCA”.

But it didn’t stop there. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung presented Trump with his country’s highest medal and a replica of an ancient Korean royal crown. Then, at the state dinner, the South Koreans served a “Peacemaker’s Dessert” which consisted of brownies topped with edible gold.

Finally, the South Koreans agreed to invest $20 billion a year for the next ten years in the American companies that Trump chose. The kowtowing worked. Trump reduced US tariffs on South Korean products from 25 percent to 15 percent

Then, Trump met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. There were no bands, no red carpets, and no Trumpian gold. The venue was a non-descript military building on the edge of Busan International Airport. Both men looked tense when they shook hands for the cameras.

It was clear that the two men were meeting as equals and Trump was ill at east. At meeting’s end, Trump—in typical hyperbolic overstatement—called the get-together with XI “amazing” and gave it a score of “12 out of ten.”

It was not amazing. Both sides met because they had looked into the abyss created by Trump’s tariffs and Chinese refusal to concede a Trump victory in a trade war with the US.

China is the only country with the economic strength and political will to challenge Trump’s tariffs. It did so by cutting off American access to essential Chinese rare earth minerals. The meeting in South Korea eased American tariffs and allowed renewed access to the minerals. But it did little to reduce tensions between the two countries.

There was no sign of the obsequiousness that Trump enjoyed everywhere else in Asia. There was no talk about Chinese support for Russia in Ukraine; or a renewal of meetings of military leaders or cooperation on climate change or talks on the development of artificial intelligence. The world needs improved relations between Beijing and Washington and there was no sign of it in Busan. This meeting dealt with only one aspect of bilateral relations between the two super powers– trade. At best it was a start and should receive a score of five out of ten.

Qatar is a top contender for the next Nobel Peace Prize. Forget Donald Trump. He is good at making a lot of noise about peace deals. Qatar just goes about quietly doing the job of international conciliator.

In fact, the country’s 2003 constitution says that its foreign policy is “based on the principles of strengthening international peace and security by means of encouraging the peaceful resolution of international disputes.”

It is this constitutional determination that has turned Qatar into the Switzerland of the Middle East. During the war in Afghanistan, it became the safe haven headquarters of the Taliban leadership. As a result, it was also where negotiations were held to end the war.

But that is not all, in September Qatari diplomats helped negotiate the release of Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian researcher held captive for two years by Iraqi militia. They also brokered talks between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which culminated in a peace deal in June.

Qatari’s peace-making efforts are not confined to the Middle East and Africa. They are also mediating between the Colombian government and the drug gang Clan del Golfo. So, Trump, look out, Qatar is coming up fast on the inside track.

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The Voice

Joint statement from Josh Babarinde and Prue Bray on diversity quotas

By The Voice | Thu 30th October 2025 - 2:17 pm

Presidential candidates Prue Bray and Josh Babarinde have issued a joint statement on the changes to diversity quotas which we are reproducing in full below.

Both of us are deeply concerned by the impact of the changes to diversity quotas for the Liberal Democrats internal Federal Elections that was made on 27th October, the day before voting opened.

We have spoken with countless members who are similarly outraged at the unacceptable consequences of this decision on the dignity of trans and non-binary members of the Liberal Democrats.

Together, as Presidential candidates, we have been urgently working with party colleagues to help find a way forward – within the law and within the constitution – while recognising that options are limited and the road ahead is long.

To move forward, it is essential firstly that the legal basis on which the decision was made was clear and that the art of the legally and constitutionally possible and impossible is also clarified.

Having made this representation on behalf of members, we are able to report that the party has agreed to our request to facilitate a meeting between the King’s Counsel who issued the legal advice in question, and 1 representative of each of the AOs represented on the Federal People and Development Committee (Lib Dem Women, LGBT+ Liberal Democrats, the Lib Dem Campaign for Race Equality, the Lib Dem Disability Association, the Young Liberals).

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Rebecca Jones

Have we forgotten what we stand for?

By Rebecca Jones | Tue 28th October 2025 - 4:00 pm

I joined the Liberal Democrats six years ago. I was 16, I’d just finished my GCSEs and I wanted to make a difference. I believe in Liberalism, and the party’s preamble spoke to me. After all, who wouldn’t want a free, fair and open society? Well, as it would seem, quite a lot of people.

But nevertheless, I campaigned in elections during 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 3 times in 2024 and again in 2025 and I’ll continue in 2026 for my local election campaign. We lost most of those elections. All 5 of the ones I stood in we lost, which wasn’t too surprising. Throughout all of this I kept going not because I thought it was the best way to spend my Saturdays. Nor for my step counter. Nor because I wanted fame and fortune.

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Liam Yip

ALDC’s by-election report: 23 October 2025

By Liam Yip | Fri 24th October 2025 - 6:16 pm

4 parallel white vertical lines on orange background ALDC logoThis week saw seven local by-elections across the country, with there being a Liberal Democrat candidate in all but one.

In Birmingham, we were able to successfully gain a seat off Labour, with a convincing victory amidst a substantial challenge from a local independent. Congratulations to Councillor Philip Mills and the local team!

Birmingham MBC, Moseley
Liberal Democrats (Philip Mills): 1,634 (34.7%, -11.9)
Labour: 1,149 (24.4%, -14.1)
Independent (Williams): 923 (19.6%, new)
Green Party: 474 (10.1%, +1.5)
Reform UK: 345 (7.3%, new)
Conservative: 101 (2.4%, -4.1)
BC Inds (Mazhar): 80 (1.7%, new)

Liberal Democrats GAIN from Labour

Turnout: 29.9%

In Devon, congratulations are also due to Councillor Nigel Kenneally and the local team, who were able to win a seat in a ward that we had not previously stood in.

Torridge District Council, Milton and Tamarside
Liberal Democrats (Nigel Kenneally): 428 (37.5%, new)
Reform UK: 355 (31.1%, new)
Conservative: 191 (16.7%, new)
Independent: 101 (8.8%, new)
Green Party: 67 (5.9%, -23.9)

Liberal Democrats GAIN from Independent

Turnout: 32.99%

In Minehead, the Conservatives fell to third place in a seat they were defending since we were able to gain this seat off them. Congratulations to Councillor Cara Strom and the local team!

Somerset Council, Dunster
Liberal Democrats (Cara Strom): 1,142 (49.6%, +8.5)
Reform UK: 666 (28.9%, new)
Conservative: 449 (19.5%, -22.9)
Labour: 44 (1.9%, -4.2)

Liberal Democrats GAIN from Conservative

Turnout: 32.2%

In Glastonbury, we were able to successfully defend our seat with a decisive victory. Congratulations to Councillor Ewan Cameron and the local team.

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Catherine Bearder

I know our party: it needs Prue for President

By Catherine Bearder | Fri 24th October 2025 - 11:55 am

Catherine Bearder

Editor’s Note: In November party members will be voting to elect our next Party President. At Lib Dem Voice we welcome posts from each of the candidates – one to launch their candidature plus a maximum of one per week during the actual campaign.

I’ve been around this great party for a few years now, and I’ve done a lot of jobs. Constituency organiser, agent, fundraiser, organiser of regional conferences and part of the team for the federal conferences as well as being a candidate – for far too many times to recall. Alongside other activists I’ve helped out at parliamentary by- elections and seen us at our best. I was elected as a Liberal Democrat on Parish, District and County councils and finally elected three times to the European Parliament,where I famously served on my own for one term, and latterly led a group of 16 fresh and keen MEPs. After the European Parliament, I chaired my region of South Central for 3 years. It’s been quite a journey, but none of it would have been possible without the commitment and support of legions of hard- working and committed members who believe in a Liberal Democrat future for this country, and were willing to give up their time and energy to deliver it. I know where our strength comes from: it’s our members.

Of course, organising our party machine takes leadership and skills and a lot of behind the scenes organisation with a lot of meetings, lots and lots of meetings! (I’ve been to quite a few of those too…) At these, I’ve always been aware that the voice often missing is that of the members. It’s often said, and felt, that the party is too London-centric, but that’s not true, though it does have a tendency to be power-centric. This is why I think we members need to be very sure about what we want our new President to be.

For me, the party President should be the voice of the membership, able to speak truth to power, to be available for the local parties, not only to attend their events but to feed back their concerns to those inevitable committee meetings. But the President also leads the internal processes and line-manages the CEO, so that we remain true to our principles of fairness, equality and democracy. I want to see our new President do that, and do it well.

MPs must answer to the leader in the House of Commons, as do the Peers to their leader in their House. The nations speak for their particular regions and interests, feeding through their regional issues, but too often those who do the work in the local parties don’t have a champion at the top table. The President, elected with a mandate from the members, is able to be that person to challenge and champion the party, to defend our constitution in the face of the demands of publicity and controversy.

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Simon McGrath

What would Nelson say?

By Simon McGrath | Tue 21st October 2025 - 11:17 am

Embed from Getty Images
Today is Trafalgar Day – the 220th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar
 

When I attend meetings in the Council Chamber in Merton, it’s impossible to ignore the Borough’s most famous inhabitant: a huge picture of Admiral Lord Nelson looks down on the assembled Councillors.

Today is the 220th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, which cemented Britain’s naval supremacy. I wonder what Nelson would make of the Royal Navy today, which  cannot properly defend us. The core problem traces back to Tony Blair’s expeditionary foreign policy and its emphasis on distant wars. To support this, his government commissioned two large aircraft carriers designed for offshore bombardment and troop support.

In principle, that’s fine. Unfortunately, the focus on these two large ships means the Royal Navy cannot reliably carry out its most basic task: keeping our sea lanes open to receive vital supplies. 95% of our trade is carried by sea, including 66% of our gas supply. The risk isn’t just cargo ships being sunk; we also rely on pipelines from Norway, cross-channel power cables, and the huge web of critical undersea communications cables.

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Mark Valladares

18-19 October 2025 – the weekend’s (non-Conference) press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sun 19th October 2025 - 10:30 pm
  • Lib Dems: Badenoch must reverse Lowe appointment to avoid “lurch to the extremes”
  • Lib Dems: Govt must “break the link” with gas prices to reduce bills

Lib Dems: Badenoch must reverse Lowe appointment to avoid “lurch to the extremes”

Responding to the news that Rupert Lowe will joining the Public Accounts Committee in place of a Conservative, Max Wilkinson, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Home Affairs, commented:

Huge numbers of decent British people – including many Conservative voters – will be rightly appalled to hear that Kemi Badenoch has decided to support somebody with Rupert Lowe’s views.

This decision proves yet again just how far the

…

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Mark Valladares

18 October 2025 – the Scottish Conference press releases

By Mark Valladares | Sat 18th October 2025 - 10:00 pm
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats set out radical plans to end ferries fiasco for good
  • Lib Dems call for a fair deal for rural Scotland
  • Scottish Lib Dems back proposals to support night-time economy
  • Lib Dem conference backs new plans for dementia support
  • Scottish Lib Dem conference backs measures to tackle violence against women and girls

Scottish Liberal Democrats set out radical plans to end ferries fiasco for good

Scottish Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow has today backed plans put forward by West of Scotland MSP Jamie Greene to end the SNP”s ferries fiasco for good.

It follows a consultation run by Mr Greene which heard from local people, workers, ferry experts and businesses who have been messed around.

The party”s new plan calls for a series of measures including:

  • A new Ferries Bill within the first year of the new Parliament which guarantees that island communities are served by a reliable network, which listens to the needs of island communities and empowers them in decision-making.
  • New requirements to replace ageing vessels and produce a rolling 30-year strategy for ferries and port infrastructure, so no community is ever left without a viable lifeline service.
  • Restructuring the current tripartite governance arrangements of Scotland”s maritime assets, making them independent of government and putting community voices at their heart.
  • Expanding the compensation scheme for those affected by the SNP’s ferries fiasco, removing the current arbitrary limits that are unfair to so many businesses in island and coastal communities.

Jamie Greene said:

Islanders and coastal communities have paid the price for the failure of the Scottish Government to provide the ferries they need, manage maintenance, and procure new vessels on time or on budget.

They deserve better than SNP ministers who’ve shown that they don’t understand local needs and can”t be trusted with lifeline links.

We need to get Scotland moving again. By backing this motion, conference has sent a clear message that we have a realistic plan to get things done.

We will end the ferries fiasco for good through a new Ferries Bill that puts fairness for these communities at its heart. They deserve a new strategy that guarantees vessels are replaced in time and a real say on how their ferries are run, on top of proper compensation for the disruption they”ve suffered.

We are poised to beat the SNP in seats where their ferries fiasco has hit hard, but wherever you are a vote for the Liberal Democrats on the peach ballot next year can fix the ferries for good and get Scotland moving again.

Lib Dems call for a fair deal for rural Scotland

The Scottish Liberal Democrat autumn conference has today backed proposals from Highland Liberal Democrats which would ensure that all legislation works for rural communities.

The motion also calls for a review of the shape and size of rural local authorities and funding formulas – subject to their request – to ensure local services are properly resourced and meet the needs of local communities.

It was put forward by the party’s candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross candidate David Green and candidate for Ross, Skye and Lochaber Andrew Baxter, and backed overwhelmingly by conference.

Caithness, Sutherland and Ross candidate David Green said:

Scotland’s rural communities are vital to our economy, our environment, and our culture – but are too often left behind by the SNP’s centralised, urban-focused policy. People in the Highlands are tired and frustrated with always feeling they are at the back of the queue.

Many rural communities have a wealth of opportunities but also face significant challenges, including depopulation and the loss of young people; a chronic shortage of affordable housing and childcare; and poor transport connectivity.

Liberal Democrats successfully championed legislation to ensure that the needs of island communities are considered in every piece of legislation. That same consideration should apply to Scotland’s rural communities.

Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch candidate Andrew Baxter said:

Highland council covers an area almost the size of Belgium. People living in Skye, Wick and Aviemore don’t necessarily have exactly the same interests. Meanwhile it is distant SNP ministers in Edinburgh who are making decisions about what local services should look like. That’s not good enough.

The motion also calls for the Scottish Government to enable a review of the shape and size of rural local authorities – subject to their request – and funding formulas to ensure local services are properly resourced and meet the needs of local communities. If communities want to see local authorities broken up then they should be able to decide that for themselves.

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The Voice

Tributes to Ming: Clive Jones

By The Voice | Sat 18th October 2025 - 5:20 pm

This week, tributes to Ming Campbell were made in Parliament. We always knew how well respected he was across the political spectrum and it was quite emotional to see his wisdom and kindness universally recognised.

Clive Jones’ contribution tells of Ming’s solidarity with someone whose journey to the Commons was similarly long:

Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. I am sure that Ming would have been delighted with the tributes paid to him today by the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Ed Davey) and many others. Just as importantly, I think Elspeth would have been equally delighted. She would have been raising a glass of champagne in celebration.

Ming is remembered as a brilliant and successful athlete and an accomplished, distinguished advocate. He was a real fixture in this House, utterly authoritative on foreign policy and defence matters for more than two decades. Less well remembered is the fact that it took him three elections and a decade to be elected to represent Fife, a seat he then held for 28 years. He was, therefore, sympathetic and hugely supportive of my similarly numerous efforts to win in Wokingham.

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The Voice

Cole-Hamilton plots election breakthrough on the peach regional ballot

By The Voice | Sat 18th October 2025 - 11:00 am

Today, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton will use his speech to his party’s autumn conference in Glasgow to say that his party is on the brink of an electoral breakthrough and urge voters to back Scottish Liberal Democrats on the peach regional ballot at next year’s election in every corner of Scotland.

Mr Cole-Hamilton is expected to say:

The opportunity is such that we could be standing on the threshold of a historic breakthrough for our party across Scotland.

But that breakthrough is not inevitable, we are going to have to work for every single vote.

Our message is unapologetically positive, it speaks

…

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Mark Valladares

17 October 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Fri 17th October 2025 - 10:30 pm
  • Number of serious childbirth injuries spikes by over a fifth
  • Lib Dems winners of by-elections Super Thursday, sweeping the board in once true blue Surrey as Conservative council tries to delay elections again
  • Farron: No Govt change on family farm tax is a “kick in the teeth” to farmers
  • Chamberlain to set out plans to tackle violence against women and girls

Number of serious childbirth injuries spikes by over a fifth

The number of third and fourth degree perineal tears following child birth has spiked dramatically since 2021 with the injuries now affecting almost 3% of all births.

The data found that, as of 2024, almost 29 in every 1,000 births now results in a serious perineal tear, up from 23.5 in 2021, the first full year of comparable data. That is a rise of more than a fifth. The number has risen every year between the comparable years since that data began to be recorded. Throughout 2024 there were 7,995 third or fourth degree tears reported.

The research also revealed that the number of readmissions following childbirth has risen on last year, with more than 5% of all childbirths resulting in one with more than 14,000 reported in 2024.

It comes as previous Liberal Democrat research has also found that the number of maternal deaths has also risen from 209 in 2015-17 to 254 in 2021-23. The NHS has faced a £27 billion bill for maternity failings over recent years, far more than the health service’s £18 billion budget for newborns over that period.

In April the government announced cuts to the national Service Development Funding (SDF) for maternity services from £95m in 2024-25 to just £2m in 2025-26. The fund had been introduced following the Ockenden Review into maternity services at Shrewsbury and Telford to improve the quality of maternity care.

The Liberal Democrats said the figures were “heartbreaking” as more mothers had to endure these traumatic births. The party has called on the Government to immediately implement all of the actions from the Ockenden report into maternity care and to reverse the cuts to the SDF.

Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said:

Behind these figures are heartbreaking stories of women suffering unimaginable trauma at a moment that should be full of joy.

The Conservatives neglect of maternity services was unforgivable, putting mothers and babies under threat, but Labour risks kicking action on this problem into the long grass. We of course need to understand why these awful injuries are on the rise but the Government’s inquiry cannot be used as a shield against taking meaningful action now.

It is unacceptable that, while so many women die or are injured by poor maternity care, the Government raided the key ring-fenced fund for improving maternity services. Their promises to improve safety will ring hollow until they change course.

If the Government is serious about ending the disaster unfolding on our maternity wards, they must reverse these cuts at once, support our hard-working NHS teams, and implement every measure in the Ockenden Review without delay.

Lib Dems winners of by-elections Super Thursday, sweeping the board in once true blue Surrey as Conservative council tries to delay elections again

  • Party wins 7 out of 10 council by-elections this week, including all 6 out of 6 in Surrey.
  • Wins include Caterham in East Surrey constituency, held by Claire Coutinho, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, as Ed Davey says “what remains of the Blue Wall is crumbling away.”
  • ⁠Lib Dems also gain from Labour in Preston, beating Reform to the win.
  • ⁠Conservatives in Surrey looking to delay elections again in bid to remain in power for another year.

The Liberal Democrats have won the most by-elections on what has been dubbed ‘Super Thursday’, winning 7 out of the 10 council seats up. The wins came in Surrey but also in Preston, Lancashire, where the party gained from Labour, beating Reform to the win.

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Liam Yip

ALDC By-election report 16.10.25

By Liam Yip | Fri 17th October 2025 - 4:34 pm

4 parallel white vertical lines on orange background ALDC logoThis week saw ten local by-elections across the country, with there being a Liberal Democrat candidate in all of these.

We start in Preston, where a close-fought contest emerged between us and Reform UK. We were able to gain this seat from Labour, whose vote share collapsed by over half. Congratulations to Councillor Ronan Hodgson and the local Liberal Democrat team for winning this seat off Labour!

Preston City Council, Ashton

Liberal Democrats (Ronan Hodgson): 659 (35.5%, +14.0)
Reform UK: 548 (29.5%, New)
Labour: 429 (23.1%, -35.7)
Independent …

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The Voice

Tributes to Ming: Tim Farron

By The Voice | Fri 17th October 2025 - 2:55 pm

This week, tributes to Ming Campbell were made in Parliament. We always knew how well respected he was across the political spectrum and it was quite emotional to see his wisdom and kindness universally recognised.

I wish to add my words of tribute to my friend, Ming Campbell. He had an impact on me long before I met him. The first general election I was active in was 1987. No offence to any other Liberal MP at the time—none of them are present here—but I was very impressed with Ming Campbell. He struck me as not being like other Liberal MPs: he looked like he could actually run the country. He had gravitas. I am pretty sure that is what I said to my mother in the early hours of, I think, 12 June 1987, when he gained North East Fife from the Toggle showing location ofColumn 213Conservatives: “You look the real deal. You look incredibly competent.” And of course, in the years that followed, he demonstrated that.

We have talked about the Iraq war. What Ming Campbell did—yes, applying his legal expertise and insight into international law as well as the law of this land—was to make the connection, in what is often thought of as the esoteric business of human rights, that human rights are about human duties. They are about making sure that nobody is above the law—no Prime Minister and no President. He made that clear and made it crossover into public consciousness in a way that was really very remarkable.

I then realised I had a connection with Ming. When I met my wife, Rosie, in the ’90s, it turned out that her now, sadly, late father, Mark Cantley, opened the bowling with Ming at Glasgow Hillhead. They had not spoken to each other for 30-odd years until Ming came to do a talk at the university at Ambleside shortly after I had been selected, and the two of them continued a friendship until Mark’s passing just two years ago.

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The Voice

Tributes to Ming: Calum Miller

By The Voice | Fri 17th October 2025 - 10:25 am

This week, tributes to Ming Campbell were made in Parliament. We always knew how well respected he was across the political spectrum and it was quite emotional to see his wisdom and kindness universally recognised.

Here is Calum Miller’s contribution:

Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. It is an honour to follow the tributes of so many across the House. Ming Campbell was an inspiration to me and to many others who admired his integrity, courtesy and tenacity. I am lucky to have known Ming all my life, and I know how much his death will be felt by his family and the many friends who loved him. I share their grief.

Ming’s athletic achievement showed a man determined to work hard and make sacrifices to push himself to the limits. His international success has already been mentioned, but I remember him—in his mid-40s at that point—saying with some feeling that the annual school sports day had become a major focus, since he was the one the other dads wanted to beat in the fathers’ race. Behind that gracious façade was a true competitor.

Ming was of that remarkable generation of Glasgow University debaters from all parties who strove for a better society. Across a lifetime in politics, he maintained close friendships with those of other parties, yet he was clear on his politics. Ming’s tenacity was shown in his dedication to Scottish liberalism, working hard to win the North East Fife seat at his fifth general election.

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Mark Valladares

16 October 2025 – today’s Scottish press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 16th October 2025 - 11:37 pm
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats to debate plans to end ferries fiasco for good
  • Scotland has Britain’s highest rate of violent injuries to school staff

Scottish Liberal Democrats to debate plans to end ferries fiasco for good

On Saturday 18th October, Scottish Liberal Democrat conference will debate plans being put forward by West of Scotland MSP Jamie Greene to end the SNP”s ferries fiasco for good.

It follows a consultation run by Mr Greene which heard from island communities directly, respondents included ferry experts and businesses who have been badly affected by endless ferry disruption.

The motion calls for a series of measures including:

  • A new Ferries Bill

…

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Mark Valladares

16 October 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Thu 16th October 2025 - 10:52 pm
  • Lib Dems say China witness statements raise “more questions” than they answer and call for statutory inquiry
  • Hospices: Govt must reverse NI hike to deliver real change
  • GDP growth: Govt must kickstart growth and “quit slowcoach approach”
  • Lib Dems: Summon US ambassador over secretive meetings with Farage on rolling back women’s rights in UK
  • If China is a “daily threat” then “insane” not to cancel super-embassy, say Lib Dems
  • Chinese embassy plan must be “put out of its misery”

Lib Dems say China witness statements raise “more questions” than they answer and call for statutory inquiry

Responding to the Government publishing evidence regarding the collapsed China spy case, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Calum Miller MP, said:

These witness statements are only part of the puzzle and raise yet more unanswered questions.

Did emphasising the government’s desire for a positive relationship with China effectively cause this trial to collapse? What evidence was the CPS requesting which the government failed to provide?

And who was aware of these statements and the evidence being asked for both among ministers and in Number 10?

We clearly need a statutory public inquiry to get to the bottom of this whole fiasco.

Hospices: Govt must reverse NI hike to deliver real change

Commenting on the Government’s announcement on hospice funding, Liberal Democrat Care and Carers spokesperson Alison Bennett MP said:

While this announcement goes some way to help children’s hospices, it entirely ignores the profound issues in funding adult hospices. The Government must go much further to deliver the real change hospices are crying out for.

For starters, to have any chance of tackling this ticking time bomb, the Government must reverse their cruel National Insurance hike that cost hospices £34 million last year, and make sure funding keeps pace with local need.

For too long, the vital role played by hospices in our health and care system has been overlooked. The Liberal Democrats are campaigning to save the nation’s hospices. Everybody should have access to the very best palliative care, and to dignity at the end of life. This will never happen while government ministers are burying their heads in the sand.

GDP growth: Govt must kickstart growth and “quit slowcoach approach”

Responding to the news that GDP only grew by 0.1% in August, Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson, said:

Today’s figures show the economy climbing slower than a sloth under a government simply not doing enough to kickstart growth.

The Chancellor must quit her slowcoach approach to the economy and finally drop her damaging national insurance hike, which has stifled business and hit high streets up and down the country.

The Government must take today’s news as a wakeup call and put an ambitious growth plan front and centre of their Budget later this Autumn – starting with a bespoke new UK-EU customs union which would unleash the potential of British exporters to trade more easily with our European neighbours.

Lib Dems: Summon US ambassador over secretive meetings with Farage on rolling back women’s rights in UK

The Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to summon the US Ambassador to explain why the US embassy in London held secretive talks with Nigel Farage on rolling back women’s rights and online safety laws in the UK.

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The Voice

Tributes to Ming: Ed Davey

By The Voice | Thu 16th October 2025 - 1:55 pm

This week, tributes to Ming Campbell were made in Parliament. We always knew how well respected he was across the political spectrum and it was quite emotional to see his wisdom and kindness universally recognised.

Ed Davey said:

I want to let the House into a secret about Ming Campbell: he was obsessed with sport—as one might expect from someone who was the captain of the Scottish men’s team at the Commonwealth games. I remember him talking about how he had been captivated by the 1948 London Olympics at the age of seven, listening to it on the radio with his mother, and how he had decided back then that he wanted to run at a future Olympic games. It is a dream of so many young boys and girls, but Ming—thanks to his determination, drive and work ethic—actually made it happen: he represented our country at the Tokyo games in 1964.

For a man once known as “the Flying Scotsman”, who set a new British 100-metre record at 10.2 seconds and who was probably the fastest person ever elected to this House, Ming was never one to brag about his sporting accomplishments. In fact, he was such a gentleman and so averse to boastfulness that it could be hard to get him to talk about them at all. I remember when Wayne Rooney broke a metatarsal in his foot ahead of the 2006 World cup. Ming had told us a story about how he had suffered an injury before the 1964 Olympic games and how hard he had worked to overcome it. We were all begging him to go on the radio, tell that story and encourage Wayne Rooney—a rare chance for the Liberal Democrat leader to break into the biggest sport story of the day—but Ming would not do it. I have to admit that Toggle showing location ofColumn 208it was frustrating at the time, but it was also a mark of why he was so respected and admired. That level of modesty is rare in anyone, especially in a politician, but those of us who knew Ming knew that it was simply the kind of man that he was.

It says a lot about Ming’s many and varied accomplishments that his extraordinary sporting achievements—being Britain’s fastest man and representing his country at the Olympics—will not be what he is most remembered for. Nor will he be most remembered for his law career, though he excelled at that too. He was even offered the chance to become a judge on Scotland’s High Court in 1996, but he turned it down because by then, as he put it, politics had got into his blood. And so, what Ming will be most remembered for is his enormous contribution to British politics—a parliamentary career spanning five decades, including 28 years representing North East Fife.

I got to know Ming early during his first Parliament, when I was the party’s economics adviser based in our Whips Office. Even then, he already had so much gravitas. He was so charming, so thoughtful and so respected. Ming was among those few MPs who were genuinely grandees from the first day they were elected, but his calmness, reasonableness and intense decency masked a radical politician: a man who never forgot his roots after growing up in a Glasgow tenement, and who was driven by a deep commitment to social justice. He said it was his role and the role of the Liberal Democrats to “rattle the cage” of British politics, and he did—especially, as you said, Mr Speaker, when it came to foreign affairs and defence, on which he led for our party for over 18 years, including, of course, in the lead-up to and after the Iraq war.

I remember how difficult a decision it was for us to oppose that war. It felt like we were not just going against the Government, but taking on the full might of the British state and the United States too. The way Ming tackled it, with his typically steady, forensic and lawyerly approach, gave us both the confidence and resolve to speak up strongly for what we believed. He made our position firmly rooted in respect for international law. At a time when the world was in turmoil following the horrific terrorist attacks of 11 September, Ming provided principled leadership with his trademark combination of morality, courage and wisdom, and he continued to do so, whether as leader of our party, as a respected member of the Intelligence and Security Committee and of the Foreign Affairs Committee, or in the other place.

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The Voice

Tributes to Ming: Wendy Chamberlain

By The Voice | Thu 16th October 2025 - 10:25 am

This week, tributes to Ming Campbell were made in Parliament. We always knew how well respected he was across the political spectrum and it was quite emotional to see his wisdom and kindness universally recognised.

Here is Wendy Chamberlain’s tribute:

I stand here as a friend of Ming’s, but also as the current representative of his seat. I know how much he felt the privilege of being elected to this House for 28 years as the representative for North East Fife. I also know the very high regard in which he was held in the constituency. All I have had—both myself and the MSP for the constituency, Willie Rennie, who was previously a Member of this place—are very kind thoughts from constituents and stories about Ming that we have taken to our hearts.

He first stood for Parliament in Greenock in 1974. Greenock is my hometown. I was quite reassured, when I was first engaging with Ming, that we at least had something in common. What the Prime Minister said was right: he had the opportunity to switch to other parties, but he chose not to. Although he first stood in 1974, it took until 1987 before he was elected in North East Fife. That shows the spirit and determination he had as an individual, but also the work he did to build the constituency and build the local party.

I have had lots of thoughts from the local party, too. One of them I thought would be worth sharing with the House. Shortly after his election, which was a close contest against the sitting Conservative MP, they decided to take a celebratory boat trip out to the Isle of May to see the puffins. Unfortunately, the boat broke down on the way. Ming and Elspeth kept everybody calm. It was interesting that even people who did not vote for him came out and rescued the boat. That was the respect with which he was regarded.

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Mark Valladares

15 October 2025 – today’s press releases

By Mark Valladares | Wed 15th October 2025 - 10:45 pm
  • Budget rumours: Reeves must rule out “cloak and dagger” efforts to drag people into paying more tax
  • China case: Lib Dems call for release of all legal advice — including evidence needed for spy case to proceed
  • Angus MacDonald MP calls for common sense on rural helipads
  • Murray presses PM over small business national insurance in East Dunbartonshire

Budget rumours: Reeves must rule out “cloak and dagger” efforts to drag people into paying more tax

Responding to Rachel Reeves admitting there may be more tax rises in this autumn’s Budget, Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson, said:

Millions of people up and down the country are worried they could face more damaging tax hikes, after the Conservative party saddled them with a stealth tax and this Government hit them with an unfair jobs tax.

Prolonging this uncertainty for weeks will leave people deeply worried about what this could mean for their payslips and bills.

Rachel Reeves must rule out a cloak-and-dagger effort to raise revenue by extending the Conservatives’ stealth tax and dragging even more working people into higher tax rates. What we need is a proper growth plan and for the big banks, social media giants and gambling companies to pay their fair share of tax.

China case: Lib Dems call for release of all legal advice — including evidence needed for spy case to proceed

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of his plan to publish the witness statements by the deputy national security adviser on the China case, the Liberal Democrats are now calling on the Government to put the full legal advice they received on the public record.

The party is calling for the Government to publish advice including on what evidence would be needed for the spy case to proceed.

Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader, said:

The public have had enough of the constant blame game between the Conservatives and Labour on the collapse of the China spy case.

The Government must bolster their publication of witness statements and put all the legal advice they’ve received on this case on the public record – including advice on what evidence would be needed for this trial to go ahead.

Number 10 must also urgently launch an independent inquiry so we can finally get to the bottom of what actually happened in this labyrinthine case.

Angus MacDonald MP calls for common sense on rural helipads

Angus MacDonald, MP for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire, has called on the UK Government to cut through “bewildering” red tape that has stopped search and rescue helicopters from landing on community helipads in rural areas.

While leading a Westminster Hall debate on Access to Community Helipads in Rural Areas, Mr MacDonald raised the case of the Portree and Braes Community Trust helipad, which serves the north end of Skye, including the local hospital. Despite being purpose-built and refurbished to high safety standards, search and rescue helicopters operated by Bristow are not currently able to land there.

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The Voice

Tributes to Ming: Christine Jardine

By The Voice | Wed 15th October 2025 - 8:30 pm

This week, tributes to Ming Campbell were made in Parliament. We always knew how well respected he was across the political spectrum and it was quite emotional to see his wisdom and kindness universally recognised.

Here is Christine Jardine’s tribute:

I would also like to pay tribute to Ming Campbell, whom I met personally in later years, but whose political influence has hung over my entire adult life.

As an 18-year-old student at the University of Glasgow, I heard about these three great figures of British politics who had studied together and been great friends: Donald Dewar, who became the first First Minister of Scotland; John Smith, whose legacy as leader of the Labour party is well respected; and, of course, Ming Campbell. I found that his persona, his influence, his attitude to politics and his integrity influenced me. It was one of the things that pulled me towards the Liberal party, as it then was.

The first time I came across Ming personally was years later, about a year after he had stepped down as leader. When I made my maiden speech to the Scottish conference, I discovered that I was speaking on a motion proposed by Ming Campbell, which was, of course—this will come as no surprise to many—about RAF Leuchars, its future and what we needed to do to defend it. That was a thread that ran through.

In 2017, when I was standing in Edinburgh West, Ming came to launch my campaign—in fact, he helped me up on to a chair so that everybody could see me. He was there to be supportive. I learned a lot about his kindness and thoughtfulness a few weeks later, when my husband died and Ming took the time to take me aside and make sure I was okay and that I had the support I needed to get through the campaign.

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The Voice

House of Commons pays tribute to Ming

By The Voice | Wed 15th October 2025 - 7:08 pm

Yesterday the House of Commons paid tribute to our former leader Ming Campbell. It was very clear how highly he was regarded by people from across the political spectrum. We’ll highlight the cross-party contributions here and publish the Lib Dem contributions in full over the next few day.

The Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, kicked off the proceedings:

Ming was universally liked and respected across the House, regardless of people’s party allegiance. Unflappable, kind, principled, incredibly active and held in great esteem by all parties, Ming achieved success as an Olympian, as a lawyer and as a formidable politician in both Houses of Parliament, as well as leadership of the Liberal Democrats. He was one of Westminster’s most authoritative voices on foreign affairs, particularly in articulating his party’s opposition to the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

On a personal level, Ming was a loyal friend to me and to my family. He served with my father on the Trade and Industry Committee, where they conducted many inquiries, most notably into the Iraq supergun affair. The two often vented their frustration about the thwarting of their efforts to get Ministers, officials or even fellow Members to appear before their Committee, but despite that, they pursued the inquiry fearlessly in order to get to the truth. Some things have never changed.

I know that Ming was hit especially hard by the death of his wife Elspeth; they were, of course, married for more than 50 years. Courage, wisdom and integrity were Ming’s hallmarks. We have lost a dear colleague and, for many of us, a wonderful friend. Our thoughts are with Ming’s family, his friends, and his allies across the political parties.

The Prime Minister continued:

Ming Campbell was authoritative on the subjects that he was passionate about, so it was no wonder that he had the respect and admiration of colleagues across the House, who recognised his wisdom and unfailing kindness over 28 years of service as a Member of this Parliament. Today we remember his commitment to Scotland and in particular of course to Fife—championing its industries from fishing to, in his case, flying—as well as becoming chancellor of the University of St Andrews, where he spoke of his joy at meeting students and young people full of hope for the future—a future he had done so much to shape. It was a full life, well lived alongside Elspeth, his beloved wife of more than 50 years. We are all enriched by his sense of duty and commitment to this country. He stands in the finest traditions of this House, so it is a privilege, on behalf of the Labour Benches, to pay tribute to the “Flying Scotsman”. May he rest in peace.

John McDonnell remembered his contributions on the Iraq War:

I want to thank Ming for the legal advice that he provided and the way that he addressed that debate, because he did so without seeking any party advantage. He simply set out the legal principles on which he was making his decision, and he did so with compassion and with the recognition of the moral duty that we all had. Many of us agreed with him and voted with him, and many did not, but everybody respected his judgment as a result. I believe he was a model MP, always speaking and voting on the basis of his conscience and the interests of his constituency and the country overall.

ALex Shelbrooke served with Ming on the NATO Parliamentary Alliance and told how well regarded he was and had a funny story:

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Kamran Hussain

Kamran Hussain writes: Representing people from all walks of life, not just “Middle England”

By Kamran Hussain | Tue 14th October 2025 - 1:21 pm

Editor’s Note: In November party members will be voting to elect our next Party President and Vice-President. At Lib Dem Voice we welcome posts from each of the candidates – one to launch their candidature plus a maximum of one per week during the actual campaign.

I grew up in a community with people who do the early starts and the late finishes: the shift workers, the carers, the shop staff who smile even when the till doesn’t balance at home. For far too long, they’ve been told to “tighten belts” whilst the government loosened its grip on the basics that make a decent life possible for every person.

​I’m not interested in Westminster theatre. I’m interested in what lands on individual kitchen tables.​ I want to be Vice President of a party that stands up and represents people from all walks of life in every village, town and city, not just “Middle England.”

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Tom Arms

Observations of an ex pat: Nobel Peace Prize

By Tom Arms | Sat 11th October 2025 - 8:30 am

MAGA is not happy. Their leader. Their idol. Donald J.Trump is not this year’s recipient of what the Oxford Dictionary of Contemporary History calls “the most prestigious prize in the world”—the Nobel Peace Prize.

Of course, he never was going to be the name on the lips of announcing committee chairperson Jorgen Frydnes. At least not this week. Nominations for this year’s prize closed in January even before Trump was inaugurated.

But a little thing like a 124 year-old procedural rule was unlikely to stop a man who is running roughshod over a tried and tested 242-year-old constitution.

There is, of course, always next year. The president has, after all, negotiated six (or is it ten or 11) peace deals. And, even his harshest critics are saying that he deserves the $1.15 million prize money and gold medallion if the Gaza concord holds.

But reading between the lines of this year’s award the five-person Nobel Committee thinks otherwise.

They have given the prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for standing up for democratic values which are being trampled by dictator Nicolas Maduro.

“Democracy,” said chairperson Frydnes, “is a pre-condition for lasting peace. However, we live in a world where democracy is in retreat. More and more authoritarian regimes are challenging the norms and turning to violence.

“Rule of law is abused by those in power. Free media is silenced. Critics are imprisoned and societies are pushed towards authoritarian rule and militarisation.”

He went on to say that Ms Machado represents “precisely what lies at the heart of democracy: our shared willingness to defend the principles of popular rule, even though we disagree. At a time when democracy is under threat, it is more important than ever to defend this common ground.”

The chairperson did not mention Trump by name. He didn’t have to. In fact, the overt criticism was directed at Maduro, but the slightly veiled reproach was clearly intended for the American president.

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Mark Valladares

10 October 2025 – today’s press releases (part 2)

By Mark Valladares | Fri 10th October 2025 - 11:15 pm
  • Scottish Lib Dems respond to Regan quitting Alba
  • Liberal Democrats respond to Plaid Cymru childcare announcement
  • Jamie Greene selected as Scottish Lib Dem candidate for Inverclyde
  • Rennie responds to EIS strike ballot
  • Cole-Hamilton responds to BMA strike ballot

Scottish Lib Dems respond to Regan quitting Alba

Responding to Ash Regan quitting Alba, Scottish Liberal Democrat Lothians list candidate Jane Alliston Pickard said:

Quitting two different political parties after failing to get elected leader is quite the political feat.

It looks like Ash’s dream of a giant independence readiness thermometer has been thwarted for good. That’s bad news for parliamentary sketch writers but good news for the Scottish public.

With Alba’s last parliamentarian now abandoning ship, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before their whole party winds up.

Liberal Democrats respond to Plaid Cymru childcare announcement

Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds said:

Families across Wales deserve more than Plaid are offering today.

For the last 18 months, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have been calling for an ambitious plan to deliver 30 hours of free childcare for every child from 9 months to 4 years old, a far more generous and life-changing offer than Plaid have set out.

Plaid Cymru’s proposal shows once again that they lack the ambition and vision needed to deliver meaningful change for Wales’s children and parents.

Jamie Greene selected as Scottish Lib Dem candidate for Inverclyde

Scottish Liberal Democrats have today announced that Jamie Greene MSP has been selected as the party’s candidate for the Inverclyde constituency at next year’s Scottish Parliament election.

Brought up in the Gibshill estate of Greenock and schooled in Port Glasgow, Mr Greene was first elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2016. He has since served as the Member for the West Scotland region, getting re-elected in 2021.

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Mark Valladares

10 October 2025 – today’s press releases (part 1)

By Mark Valladares | Fri 10th October 2025 - 10:30 pm
  • Ed Davey vows to defend Bank of England against Farage’s threats to its independence after meeting with Andrew Bailey
  • Mandatory Digital ID for 13 year olds: “sinister, unnecessary, and a clear step towards state overreach.”
  • McArthur sets out amendments to assisted dying bill
  • Wishart submits 3,500-word ferry consultation response

Ed Davey vows to defend Bank of England against Farage’s threats to its independence after meeting with Andrew Bailey

This morning Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey and Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper met with Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey to reaffirm support for the bank’s independence. Commenting after his meeting, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said:

A fortnight ago, Nigel Farage stood on the steps of the Bank of England and showed just what a danger to our economic interests he is.

Once again putting his obsession with mimicking Donald Trump ahead of what is in the best interests of the British people, Farage attacked the independence of our central bank. Trump’s threats to sack governors of the Fed if they don’t do what he wants are causing economic panic in the United States. That is the last thing we need here at home – we cannot let Trump’s America become Farage’s Britain.

Liberal Democrats will stand firmly behind Bank of England independence, just as we have stood against recent attacks on the independence of our judiciary. Those who seek to plunge our country into chaos are no patriots – they are putting their own narrow political interests first. Instead of undermining Britain’s economic foundations, we need a real plan for growth that includes rebuilding trade with our European neighbours.

Mandatory Digital ID for 13 year olds: “sinister, unnecessary, and a clear step towards state overreach.”

Responding to reports that the Government is considering rolling out mandatory digital ID for those aged 13 and up, Victoria Collins, Liberal Democrat Science, Innovation & Technology spokesperson said:

This is proof that the Liberal Democrats were absolutely right to warn about mission creep.

The Government is already plotting to drag teenagers into a mandatory digital ID scheme before it’s even off the ground. It’s frankly sinister, unnecessary, and a clear step towards state overreach.

McArthur sets out amendments to assisted dying bill

Liam McArthur MSP has today lodged a number of amendments to his Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill ahead of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee beginning their Stage 2 scrutiny of the Bill on 4th November.

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Liam Yip

ALDC’s by-election report 09.10.25

By Liam Yip | Fri 10th October 2025 - 3:55 pm

This week, there was seven by-elections, of which one was on Wednesday.

Congratulations to Councillor Alex Drage and the local Liberal Democrat team for holding our seat in Hart, despite a strong showing from Reform UK. We were able to secure a majority of the vote, demonstrating that we are the only party who can compete against Reform UK.

Hart DC, Yateley West
Liberal Democrats (Alex Drage): 1,101 (54.7%, -20.4)
Reform UK: 562 (27.9%, new)
Conservative: 348 (17.3%, -7.5)

Liberal Democrats HOLD

Turnout: 30%

Congratulations are also due to Councillor Kevin Smith and the local Liberal Democrat team, who managed to successfully gain a seat in central Devon. We were able to secure a decisive victory, leaving Reform UK in a distant second place.

Teignbridge DC, Kenn Valley
Liberal Democrats (Kevin Smith): 1,116 (50.4%, +11.0)
Reform UK: 512 (23.1%, new)
Conservative: 212 (9.6%, -19.0)
Independent (Lake): 181 (8.2%, new)
Green Party: 122 (5.5%, -13.9)
Labour: 59 (2.7%, -9.9)
Independent (Swain): 12 (0.5%, new)

Liberal Democrat GAIN from Conservative

Turnout: 31%

Well done to Councillor Stuart Bridge and the local Liberal Democrat team, as they were able to defend our seat in Bath, leaving the Greens behind in second place.

Bath and North East Somerset UA, Widcombe and Lyncombe
Liberal Democrats (Stuart Bridge): 769 (44.4%, -11.8)
Green Party: 267 (15.4%, +0.6)
Labour: 212 (12.2%, +4.7)
Reform UK: 206 (11.9%, new)
Conservative: 149 (8.6%, -12.8)
Independent (Nolan): 83 (4.7%, new)
Independent (Blackburn): 45 (2.5%, new)

Liberal Democrats HOLD

Turnout: 35%

In Corby, Reform UK were able to secure a close-fought victory against Labour. Thank you to Alex Lock and the local team for flying the Liberal Democrat flag.

North Northamptonshire UA, Lloyds and Corby Village
Reform UK: 754 (38.5%, +1.4)
Labour: 635 (32.4%, -12.7)
Green Party: 371 (18.9%, +9.4)
Liberal Democrats (Alex Lock): 113 (5.8%, +1.5)
Conservative: 86 (4.4%, -1.6)

Reform UK HOLD

Turnout: 22.8%


In Ormskirk, the localists Our West Lancashire (OWL) were able to secure a convincing victory, with Labour, the Conservatives and Reform UK all vying for second place. Thank you to Peter Chandler and the local team for flying the Liberal Democrat flag.

West Lancashire BC, Aughton and Holborn
OWL: 704 (35.5%, +10.4)
Reform UK: 478 (24.1%, +18.6)
Labour: 385 (19.4%, -21.3)
Conservative: 295 (14.9%, -8.7)
Green Party: 78 (3.9%, -1.1)
Liberal Democrats (Peter Chandler): 42 (2.1%, new)

OWL GAIN from Labour

Turnout: 30%

In Worcestershire, Reform UK were able to secure a solid win, with the Greens far behind in second place. Thank you to Matt Jones and the local team for flying the Liberal Democrat flag.

Wychavon DC, Bretforton and Offenham
Reform UK: 357 (43.5%, new)
Green Party: 213 (25.9%, new)
Conservative: 165 (20.1%, -35.4)
Labour: 33 (4.0%, -25.9)
Liberal Democrats (Matt Jones): 31 (3.8%, -10.7)
Independent: 12 (1.5%, new)
Independent: 10 (1.2%, new)

Reform UK GAIN from Conservative

Turnout: 36%


In Teesside, Reform UK achieved their record vote share in any election, leaving everyone else far behind. Thank you to Stuart Saunders and the local team for flying the Liberal Democrat flag.

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