Thank you and good luck

Due to an impressive collective effort, our candidate tally for this May’s elections is our best showing since May 2009. That is, the proportion of seats we are contesting this time, compared with the proportion Labour and the Conservatives are contesting, is the best since before the 2010 Coalition government.

We still have more progress to go to get to matching their numbers of candidates, but this year is another important step forward. It shows a continuing spread of our grassroots campaign efforts beyond simply our held and target Westminster constituencies.

Thank you to everyone who has played a part in that, especially those standing for the first time this May and the many agents who have taken on agenting for extra candidates.

A particular shout out to the team in County Durham, where we are standing at least one candidate in every ward across the whole council for the first time ever, ensuring that there is a Lib Dem alternative to Labour, Reform and the Conservatives in every single community.

If we can also go on to make net seat gains in the local elections that will make it seven rounds of net gains in a row – again an important spreading of our grassroots strength, and the longest run of such gains since the 1980s. Even more importantly, it will mean more Liberal Democrats in office, able to implement more of our policies in order to make people’s lives better.

In a neat demonstration of both these points – the importance of putting up candidates and of winning more political power to improve people’s lives – we already have the first Liberal Democrat council gain in. It is Melksham Town Council, guaranteed to have a new Lib Dem majority after not enough other candidates got nominated.

Lib Dems secure limits on emergency new government powers

While supporting the government’s emergency legislation to safeguard the Scunthorpe steel works, the Lib Dems successfully pressed in Parliament for important safeguards on the use of the emergency powers the law grants the government.

In the Commons, Daisy Cooper secured a promise from the relevant minister that, “the powers that he is giving himself will be repealed as soon as possible, within six months at the latest, and if they are still required after that, whether he will come back to this House to ask for another vote”.

Following up on that in the Lords, Chris Fox got an assurance from the relevant government minister that the powers granted in the bill would be debated in six months in a substantive motion that will be voted on – further locking the government into allowing Parliament to have a say in their continuation or cessation.

Supreme Court judgement

Christine Jardine, the party’s equalities spokesperson, has put it well regarding the court judgement over the definition of woman under equalities law: “Too many people I know are now afraid of what the Supreme Court judgement will mean for them. We need clarity and we need it quickly and we need to know that their rights will be protected, with a compassionate solution.”

She has written to the Government asking them to make clear how trans and non-binary rights will be protected, and you can read her letter here.

Congratulations also to…

Thank you also for the fabulous efforts put in by the local parties who were the top recruiters in the last month:

• England: Waverley
• Scotland: Ayrshire and Arran
• Wales: Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan

A reminder if you are recruiting members locally: if you use libdems.org.uk/join-local then your local party will get extra payment to recognise the local recruitment. (If someone joins via another route, you can also get the membership team to tag them as a local recruit by emailing [email protected]).

Could it be you?

An advert is out for volunteer members of our Federal Appeals Panel (FAP), the party’s highest appeals body. This role is ideal for those wishing to contribute to the Party in a capacity separate from front-line politics. Details are on the party website and the closing date for applications is 15 May.

Other party matters

Chris White is standing down as a councillor in this round of local elections, and so his place as a councillor representative on the Federal Board will, after a recount of the votes, be taken by Simon McGrath. Chris has an amazing record of contributing to his community and to our local government community over many decades. Thank you for all you have done Chris.

The Conference Report from the Spring Conference in Harrogate is now out, including written answers to all the questions submitted, including those to the Federal Board.

Do you have questions on any of this report, or other Lib Dem matters? Then please drop me a line on [email protected]. Do also get in touch if you would like to invite me to do a Zoom call with your local party or party body.

* Mark Pack is Party President and is the editor of Liberal Democrat Newswire.