The power to strip someone of their citizenship is one of the most serious the Home Secretary possesses.

It should only be taken when absolutely necessary. And only when the national security interest can be proven in court.

Was Javid’s decision to strip Shamima Begum's citizenship about the safety of our country or the advancement of his career? 

Instead, Conservative Home Secretaries have abused this power for political gain with tragic results. 

Think back to February, when Sajid Javid stripped 19-year-old Shamima Begum of her British citizenship. No one can defend what she did, but were she and her new-born baby really such a threat to national security? 

Was Javid’s decision about the safety of our country or the advancement of his career? 

We demand better.

Shamima Begum and others like her were born and brought up here. The Government must take responsibility when they are radicalised and go abroad to join terrorists.

They should be prosecuted in the UK for their crimes and interrogated to learn exactly how this happens and prevent terrorists from recruiting more young Brits.

That’s what the motion we passed at our Autumn Conference, “Deprivation of Citizenship”, will ensure.

A Liberal Democrat Government will protect both national security and individual rights.

We will introduce new safeguards so that Home Secretaries must show good reasons for revoking someone’s citizenship. A judge will have to decide, on the basis of evidence, that:

• The person obtained their citizenship through fraud, or
• Depriving them of citizenship is necessary for national security.

We will also ensure that the best interests of any children involved are taken into account and that no one is left stateless.

A Liberal Democrat Government will protect both national security and individual rights.

To see the motion in full, click here. 

Conference, I don’t know about you, but when you knock on doors canvassing, and people say “Oh, you’re all the same”, it can be quite frustrating. 

Brexit has changed all that. Everyone now knows, we are very different from Johnson’s Conservatives and Corbyn’s Labour.   

Only the Liberal Democrats want to stop Brexit. Let’s face it. Our great country could be just 46 days from economic catastrophe.   

The Government’s own Yellowhammer report could not be clearer: Food and medicine shortages, a hard border in Northern Ireland, jobs moving abroad. 

Is this what Conservatives now stand for? Gambling away our children and grandchildren’s futures? Forcing Britain into years of economic chaos? What shocking irresponsibility. 

Is this what Conservatives now stand for? Gambling away our children and grandchildren’s futures?

Britain deserves better. And Liberal Democrats demand better. 

First, we want an economy that works for everyone.  

That offers opportunity for everyone. Everywhere in Britain. And that especially means, saying to people who voted Leave, because they felt ignored and left behind, you will have a stake and a place in a Liberal Democrat economy.  

With Liberal Democrats, your communities will be given the power and the money to rebuild themselves and prosper. So in the first Liberal Democrat budget we will: 

• Back enterprise in communities and towns across our regions by relaunching our Regional Growth Fund that worked so well, and regionalising the British Business Bank, which the Liberal Democrats set up. 

• Find major investment for the East-West railway links the North and the Midlands have long been promised - but have never had.  

• Restore high streets in our towns and cities, devastated by business rates and unfair competition from the likes of Amazon. Our plans to reform and cut business rates will breathe in new life. 

• Embark on a new affordable homes programme, with council housing at its heart, and with Liberal Democrat housing plans led by communities, not developers.  

• Give every adult the chance to invest in their own education and training, with Vince Cable’s proposal for lifelong learning.  

Liberal Democrat opportunity for everyone, everywhere.  

When we stop Brexit, Britain will get a Remain Boost and a Remain Bonus

Imagine what we could do if, we weren’t wasting billions on preparing for a No Deal Brexit. Imagine if all the energies going into Brexit, were going into our NHS. Our schools. Our police service. 

The extra investment. The extra growth. The extra tax receipts for the Exchequer. 

Conference, when we stop Brexit, Britain will get a Remain Boost and a Remain Bonus.  

Extra money Liberal Democrats will spend on tackling inequality and solving the causes of Brexit. We will make Britain a fairer country, a more equal country, a less divided country. A United Kingdom again.  

You know, one of Britain’s longstanding economic problems has been productivity. That matters, because the more productive we are, the more prosperous we are. The higher wages we can earn. 

But Britain’s productivity problem hasn’t been tackled properly for decades. So I’m going to let you into a secret. About our confidential economic plan. How Liberal Democrats will make Britain more productive.  

We will invest. In people. Massive investment. In education. In training.  

And we will particularly invest in people and communities who’ve not had opportunity before. Who feel forgotten. Who voted Leave to put two fingers up to a system they felt had left them behind. 

Liberal Democrats, we must reach out to everyone in our country, especially Leave communities. They are our brothers and our sisters. Our friends. Family. Neighbours.   

And it’s not just people Liberal Democrats demand a better economy for – we demand a better economy for our planet too.  

I’ve coined the phrase - decarbonising capitalism. It’s a major reform, we must do this to respond to the climate emergency.  

I hate to say it, but the economic chaos of Brexit. And the political chaos of Boris Johnson. They will look like tea parties if we don’t stop climate chaos.  

Those pictures of the burnt desolation in the Amazon. The devastation of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas. A record seven million people across the world displaced from their homes in the first 6 months of this year due to extreme weather events.  

And scientists tell us, we ain’t seen nothing yet. 

Britain must lead. At home and abroad. In the face of such environmental chaos, we know what needs to be done

So. Britain must lead. At home and abroad. In the face of such environmental chaos. We know what needs to be done.  

In Government, Liberal Democrats nearly quadrupled Britain’s renewable energy. I’m so proud that this party made Britain the world leader in offshore wind power.  

But it makes me so angry that the Conservatives squandered Britain’s green opportunity, that Liberal Democrats had created. 

My first Liberal Democrat budget will be a budget for people and a budget for the planet. A Climate Emergency Budget.  

We will invest in new technologies, to help tackle climate change. 

And we will create green jobs. Well-paid green jobs. Green jobs outside London, in every nation and region of our country. 

And now we need to decarbonise capitalism. To move the financial markets – the banks, the stock exchanges, the pension funds and the rest – away from investing in pollution, into investing in renewables. 

We’ve got to starve climate-destroying business from the capital that feeds it. And instead, that money must go green.  

We’ll do this with a myriad of changes. Regulations to force companies and financial institutions to be transparent about their carbon investments. Laws to require them to publish how their business strategy moves them to net zero carbon.  

These major reforms are a key next step to stop climate chaos. And they will make the UK the green financial capital of the world. 

So Conference, Liberal Democrats have a whole host of economic policies – to invest in people and to save our planet. 

So what else must we do, to win? Friends, it’s now clearer than ever. 

There’s now only one party you can vote for. Liberal Democrats, we are our country’s last hope. 

To stop the sheer chaos of Johnson’s Brexit, Corbyn’s economics and climate change. And to offer hope for our people and our planet.  

So let’s go out there. Campaign. And win for our country. 

Hello Conference!

What a brilliant time to be a Liberal Democrat!

On the 7th May next year, London voters will make a decision of national and international importance. Who will be the next Mayor of London.

They will decide who they believe embodies the very spirit of London. Who will stand up for global, liberal, pro-European, warm-hearted and dynamic values. Who will reflect and reinforce the optimism, diversity and entrepreneurialism of our capital.

I believe Londoners will choose the Liberal Democrats. Londoners will choose me.

I’m asking people to choose me as their Mayor, so I want to tell you a bit about myself.

I’m the daughter of migrants. My mum was born in India. She came to England when she was just ten years old. With my grandma and her two siblings, she undertook a 6-week boat trip in search of a better life.

So much of what she tells me about her arrival and first months in London describes the London that I know and love – a charitable city that welcomes people, understands the value of community and supports the most vulnerable.

And my mum gave so much back to the city that had welcomed her. She worked as a carer and auxiliary nurse, always doing an extra last round in the evenings to check that her elderly patients were all OK.

My dad was also a migrant to London. Only he didn’t come from quite as far as India! He was born in a small village in Cornwall and came to London to work as a teacher.

My mum and dad are like hundreds, thousands of people across the capital and the country as a whole. Hard-working, law-abiding, kind, generous.

My mum and dad are like hundreds, thousands of people across the capital and the country as a whole. Hard-working, law-abiding, kind, generous.

There is something that the architects of Brexit are desperately trying to distract us from. 

Our planet is in crisis, balanced on a knife-edge at the point of no return. 

Our planet is in crisis, balanced on a knife-edge at the point of no return. 

Due to man-made climate change, global temperatures are soaring, the polar ice caps are melting faster than ever before, and whole nations are already facing the existential crisis of rising sea levels and extreme weather. Whole species of animals are being wiped out month by month, and global famine is a very real threat.  

This is something that we can only tackle if we all work together, collaborating with every single nation across the globe. No one will be unaffected, but, just like with Brexit, the poorest in society will suffer first and suffer most deeply.

Conference, it is an honour and a pleasure to be addressing you as a Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament and as your Shadow Foreign Secretary.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for making me feel so welcome.  I could not be more at home in the wonderful Liberal Democrat family.

The truth is, all the incredibly difficult decisions I have made on the journey I’ve been on this year were routed in my values and principles. I joined this party out of conviction.

As you know, I am a Remainer and proud of it - we have spent far too long apologising for being pro-European in this country.  Because you cannot be pro-Britain and put our national interest first without seeking to put Britain at the heart of Europe.

I am a Remainer and proud of it - we have spent far too long apologising for being pro-European in this country.

Be in no doubt: this is the battle of our time and it goes far beyond Britain’s borders.

In essence, the society we seek to build is one where if you work hard and play by the rules, you should be free to lead a happy, prosperous and secure life free of domination of either the state or the market. 

I grew up in world in which we took these values for granted.

As a family of mixed heritage - English, Irish and Nigerian - our back story, alongside that of millions of others, stands as an example of Britain’s liberal, open, internationalist spirit.

The notion that we all share the same basic rights and should live together in peace, regardless of background is something we will always fight for. 

This is the Britain we know and love – and Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and the peddlers of hate and division in our country better know that this is what we will fight for at the coming election. 

It is our job to make sure this country’s heart beats in a liberal and internationalist direction; not nationalist, populist authoritarianism.

It is our job to make sure this country’s heart beats in a liberal and internationalist direction; not nationalist, populist authoritarianism.

Vince began by thanking everyone who had helped him during his time as leader, and saying what he’d be doing next:

“I have fought ten national elections over half a century. I couldn’t have done that on my own without the emotional and practical support of my wife Rachel and my late wife Olympia. And without my dedicated team of volunteers in Twickenham and in Parliament led by Dee Doocey.”

He spoke proudly of our time in government and commented on the current state of politics in the country, “We now see Labour and the Conservatives putting party before country and they will suffer for it – permanently.”

He paid warm tribute to the late Paddy Ashdown and spoke of his confidence in our current leader, “It would be great to be able to claim that I have led you from the wilderness to the Promised Land. But the journey out of the wilderness started with my predecessor, Tim Farron, and I am confident will be completed by my successor, Jo Swinson. Jo has hit the ground running and we have every reason to say to the world that she should be the next resident of Number 10.”

Vince acknowledged our recent triumphs electorally and in the polls, “I did, however, get us to the safety of an oasis, in the successful local and European elections; and then onto some fertile high ground where we are consistently polling around 20% or more.”

He praised our clear stance on Brexit, “Our recovery has come from speaking with clarity and consistency on Europe.  We have been faithful to an internationalist, pro-Europe tradition which goes back, via all my predecessors, to Jo Grimond six decades ago.  70% of our members joined us to fight Brexit.”

He drew attention to our record on voting reform, “Liberal Democrats have long demanded fundamental reforms to the distribution of power: proportional voting, decentralisation, an elected second chamber.  We need no less than a democratic revolution.”

He lambasted Boris Johnson, “We see Mr Bean trying to become Stalin” and Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party, “For three years Jeremy Corbyn and his allies have cynically sat on the fence on the biggest issue of our generation…A generation of young people in particular have been betrayed.”

He welcomed our newest MPs and predicted that there would be more to come, “Within the next few weeks and months I hope and expect that the trickle from both sides will become a flood.”

He also expressed hope for the future, “people who are liberal and outward looking in their values, who see themselves as Liberals, Social Democrats, One Nation Conservatives or Greens – are coming together in the same political family, with us at its heart.”

He addressed the other parties’ failure to address problems with tax, mental health and the NHS, “These aren’t new issues but they desperately need new solutions and fresh determination to deliver them in government.”

And finished off his speech by expressing confidence in our future and our leader, “The Liberal Democrats are in a unique position to lead. Jo is ready to steer us back into government as our new captain – and, now, I am full of confidence and hope for our party and for our country.”

You can read Vince's full speech here.

Jane started by thanking everyone who came to help in Brecon and Radnorshire...

Whether you came during the recall petition or the by-election or even both – thank you.  Without all of you, and the wider party and beyond, I would not be standing here today as the MP for Brecon & Radnorshire.

She moved onto our recent wins:

Q: Do you forgive David Cameron for calling the 2016 referendum?

A: No, I don’t forgive him. Much of the problems we currently face come from David Cameron’s shocking misjudgement and putting the interests of the Conservative party above the national interest. He did it when he announced the referendum in the first place, he did it when he won a majority. And this is clearly a pattern with Conservative prime ministers. The future of our country is at stake – people are losing jobs, feeling the impact of the falling pound and they’re worried about our public services. Over 5000 of our nurses are from EU countries. There are 3 million EU citizens living now with uncertainty and a disturbing spike in hate crime. On so many grounds such as these, David Cameron cannot be forgiven.

Q: After the motion this morning for adopting the revocation of Article 50 in the case of a Liberal majority, there is some concern about how that may affect people who voted Leave. What specific policies and/or actions will you take to build those bridges?

Q: What happens after we have stopped Brexit and stayed in the EU?

We also have to dig beneath what lay behind the Leave vote. There’s a complex set of factors at play.

A: As far as leave voters are concerned, there is no doubt that our country is in a divided place at the moment. We’re all concerned about that and we can’t bridge this division by lacking clarity.

We must be straightforward and honest about our belief that we’re better off inside the EU. I recognise that there are people who genuinely disagree with that but they still can appreciate that we’re clear about our position. It’s important to make clear that there may be people who are different to us but it doesn’t make them bad people. We can conduct debate in a culture of respect, meeting people with arguments in a constructive fashion.

We also have to dig beneath what lay behind the Leave vote. There’s a complex set of factors at play. For many people, life has been tough. If they work hard, there’s no guarantee they’ll succeed. It’s a failure of the social contract that we urgently need to address. We have strong policies for that. We also need to have that communication about wider issues, on a national level and on a local level. People care about local issues that affect their daily lives – Liberal Democrat councils deliver for local communities across the country every day.

I do believe that if you really believe in something, you can make it happen. We have believed from the beginning that this is a fight we must win. Of course we want to reform the EU; there is a range of ways that this can be done and connect with people about what the EU does for us. People have had much more exposure to this since the referendum. If we stop Brexit, there will be a huge chunk of the population who want the government to address the issues that have been ignored while we’ve had to deal with Brexit. Things like the technological revolution, like the climate emergency, and other issues that have received less attention because of Brexit.

Q: How concerned are you that Brexit will lead to the breakup of our United Kingdom?

We’re talking about tearing apart a decades-old union. Think about how hard it’s going to be to break up a union that’s hundreds of years old.

A: I thought it was interesting hearing Sam Gyimah talk about how he sees the Tories increasingly playing to English nationalism. That force represents a threat to the UK. I’m determined to keep the UK united. It’s a partnership, a family of nations that has worked well. We’re stronger together. The reasons are the same for staying in the EU as they are for staying united. If we can learn anything from this mess, it’s that breaking up is hard to do. We’re talking about tearing apart a decades-old union. Think about how hard it’s going to be to break up a union that’s hundreds of years old.

It’s the last thing that any of those nations needs. I’m worried because the Prime Minister does not care about the UK. He didn’t bother to go to the Irish border. I did, last month. Sitting and listening to people’s stories is so powerful. Brexiteers will call it scaremongering and Project Fear. But when you listen to people in Northern Ireland talk about the inevitable border created if Brexit happens, especially a No Deal Brexit, their genuine fear – they’re not making it up. They’ve lived through the Troubles and they are genuinely worried. Brexiteers keep dismissing this. As a Scot, I want our UK to stay together. The thought of breaking apart fills me with dismay. I was elected on a strong promise to fight for Scotland’s place in the UK and the UK’s place in the EU. It’s a promise I intend to keep. We can save our UK and we can stop Brexit – we should not have to choose between them.

Q: Should we have a written constitution and when?

A: Yes, we should, ideally several years ago, before this mess. It’s partially why we’re in this position now. An unwritten constitution creates confusion, lacks clarity and creates opportunity for abuse. That’s what our Prime Minister has prepared to do. Our unwritten constitution works on the basis of convention. Most MPs abide by that. Boris Johnson is prepared to shut down parliament at a time of national crisis. Sending four members of the privy council to Balmoral to force the queen’s hand put her in an impossible position – a responsible Prime Minister would not have done that. And of course, Parliament will be shut down for 5 weeks. A Prime Minister who can stand before police officers with a straight face and say he’ll die in a ditch rather than obey a law passed; it’s a dangerous time when this happens. A written constitution protects us from this.

Q: As a Scottish MP, following in the footsteps of Ming and Charles and another Jo, could you explain Federalism to the English once and for all?

We need to come together as a family of nations who are in a genuine spirit of partnership. It’s not about one being dominant over the other, and not about the UK entity being in control. It’s about the power resting in those different nations coming together, not about being content with centralisation. We know from Scotland what it’s like to have a Scottish government that is a centralising government. We are a party that wants to disperse power fairly so that communities have power over their lives. It’s also how we can work with other countries and remain internationalist.

Q: What can be done to encourage more young people to get involved with politics and the party?

I want to see a politics that is diverse at both ends of the age spectrum

When it comes to young people, one positive thing we have seen over the past few years is an awakening of interest in politics from young people. It’s very healthy. I have felt that most in the past few weeks where I’ve had people telling me that BBC Parliament has become the new Love Island. We have to change our politics to stop young people looking at us and thinking we’re ridiculous.

I’m a big fan of young people getting involved in politics. I was the youngest MP in the House of Commons at age 25. I was often asked this question by broadcasters. Personally, I’ve always been into politics. I think it’s about relevance, engaging in a way that strips away the stuffiness and the procedure and having straightforward conversations. There can be very patronising attitudes towards young people in politics. We need to engage with young people as adults.

When we see inspiring young people, we should praise them. We should make conferences accessible to them. Let’s listen to what young people have to say, ask them questions and let them ask us questions.

One of the most enjoyable things I do is to go to local schools and talk about things and take questions. My favourite age group is 10-year-olds. They know a lot about the world but they have very little self-consciousness. They’ll ask you anything! If you can explain a policy to a 10-year-old, you know you’ve understood it properly. I want to see a politics that is diverse at both ends of the age spectrum.

Q: From your experience as a working mum, how can you be an active Liberal Democrat and balance family life?

A: How brave might the Lib Dems might be in terms of considering job-shares for MPs, a carer's allowance for councillors? Some structural changes could help.

I don’t always feel young, personally. I remember life before the internet. I think “politics young” should be its own category!

How do we change our politics to be genuinely inclusive? I was delighted to see earlier today a training session about how to campaign when you have young children, well attended by both women and men. Fathers role is v important too. I’ve seen a lot of kids at this conference. Luciana brought baby Zion with her. We should be inclusive. People must be able to participate. We shouldn’t have a fixed idea of a good activist. Phone canvassing is a wonderful way of reaching people. When my son had a lunchtime nap, I got on the phone and phoned 10 people.

I’m aware of my responsibility as leader to develop a way of doing differently. Vince, Tim, Nick, me – we all do it differently. I have to juggle this as the mother of a 5-year-old and a 1-year-old. This doesn’t make me a worse MP or worse leader. I do fewer evening engagements because I want to put my kids to bed at night. I do a lot of conference calls. We have to be flexible like that, in local parties, across the regions. Family-friendly social events, non-alcoholic events. We must build our politics around people’s lives.

Q: Can we expect you to bring back a creche to conference?

A: We used to have conference creche. We have an access fund now to help with extra assistance. As good libs, we won’t leave it to the leader. Conference committee are looking into this, for certain.

We all know family members who suffer from mental illness. Our goal should be nothing short of full parity with physical health

Q: How important is mental health to a Lib Dem government? How will you tackle the MH crisis?

A: This is an area of huge importance. I want to pay tribute to Norman Lamb and his fantastic work. When Norm started flying the flag, there was not a broad consensus on MH. We’ve made good progress but it’s not been matched with resources and policies to help change people’s lives. Far too many people have to wait far too long. It’s heartbreaking to hear from kids and young who have to wait months and moths for treatment. What has been so powerful is the way the MH stigma is being broken down.

Many members have shared their experience at conference. We all know family members who suffer from mental illness. Our goal should be nothing short of full parity with physical health. No difference between breaking a leg or having a breakdown. We must engage in positive mental health in the public health way. We shouldn’t just wait til they’re struggling. We have to promote positive MH. It’s all to do with wider policies. Access to arts, leisure, sports, housing.

Mental health means a lot to me. I had to wait over a year and a half for a diagnosis of autism. Young people are burning themselves out over the climate crisis and adults are letting young people fight that battle for them. I am one of those young people. On Friday, will you attend the global strike for climate? Will you stand with young people on this issue?

Thank you – that was such a powerful question. It is shaming for adults that it’s children and young people who are this voice. The energy in this movement comes from people like Greta Thunberg. I am excited to see that energy. But this must not be on the shoulders of young people on their own. We have to stand shoulder to shoulder. Yes, of course I will be striking on Friday back home in my seat. We must harness that energy and use it to create real change. We are a crucial part of that. Thank you for what you are doing.

Q: Psychotherapy is a solution to mental health problems. It’s expensive. What can the LDs do to extend this to people for however long they need it?

A: Good mental health starts at home. Elections are stressful. Activists need to be supported in the party. Why are we not getting mental health training and mental health first aid?

There’s excellent research on talking therapies, setting out economic case to increase access to these therapies. You can reap a huge benefit from this, reduction in health problems, increased ability ot contribute at work and at home. We must invest in this issue. This is a win win – it’s helping people to make the contribution that they want to make, but also help themselves. It’s an essential way forward. The rationing of this help can mean that people don’t get sufficient times in therapy. We have policy to increase number of people working in MH.

We have to understand the pressure people elected to office are under. I have been to a lot of LD training events. We can expect superhuman efforts from people. If you want to win, you have to be unreasonable about what to expect. Partially, that’s how I was elected. Ambition motivates. But too often we could work smarter, as we let too much on the shoulders of too few people. At this moment, we must be more pro-active to encourage new people to join the efforts. Let’s make involvement sustainable, so it doesn’t take up everyone’s entire life. Elections are stressful – so let’s look out for each other, de-escalate and look after each other better. We need to work together, stay together and look after each other together.

We need to hold local authorities to account for the way they spend. SEN and funding.

We have a strong team and strong constituencies. We will be winning in the North of England.

I’m often struck by the challenges my constituents face. There are too many challenges for parents of those with special educational needs and it’s wrong for them to have to fight the system too. We need a system that is more individualised, where support is bespoke, Too often it’s not there and its too much of a fight. Most worrying is that not all parents are able to take on those fights. It means we’re failing children who should be getting better support.

Q: How are we going to challenge and win in the North of England?

We are! If we look at council gains in Liverpool, Manchester, Hull and the types of candidates we’ll welcome to Parliament, like Tom Morrison, Kamran Hussein, Lisa Smart, Laura Gordon – we have a strong team and strong constituencies. We will be winning in the North of England. There’s a sig need for investment and infrastructure – HS2, transpennine railway improvements. I remember getting on Northern Spirit trains through Yorkshire – there’s been no step forward in the last 20 years. There’s a mindset shift. I notice there’s an attitude that thinks London and South are the centre of the world. Too often anything outside is dismissed. The mindset needs to change. Then we ned to take our LD message. People in N are concerned about Brexit, jobs, climate. Just as we champion devolution, we need to ensure there’s genuine power in Northern cities too.

Q: Would you consider moving parliament to Manchester or another city or a circular Parliament?

Q: How carefully are you vetting new MPs? I’m concerned not all new joiners don’t share Lib values.

Q: How do we gain the votes of the 52% who voted Leave?

A: Regarding Parliament, yes, I think the London centric nature of Parliament is an issue. I think we should look at how to reform the way it operates. I was disappointed to see the artist impressions of the plans to reform the chamber. Parliament is a massive fire risk at the moment. The temporary chamber is a carbon copy of the existing house of commons. It’s a wasted chance to try something different. The temporary move is a great opportunity to try new ideas.

Re vetting, there is a process for MPs who want to defect. It’s not the same as the candidate approval process, partially because some of this is redundant for experienced members of parliament. There is an in-depth interview with our chief whip to test for shared values. I am confident that our new MPs do share these values. They might not share our views on every single issue but neither do our members. As Liberals, it’s possible to reach different conclusions from the same values. There is that test in place.

I have some experience of being underestimated. People only ever do it once.

In terms of 52%, it’s complex addressing those grievances. One is economic, one is cultural. We need fundamental reform on economic issues as the economy is not working for our people or our planet. Culturally, there’s a battle going on. Who we are as a country is at stake. The morning after the ref, the dismay was not just about EU instit., it was about who we are. Are we an open country, do we treat people as individuals, do we believe in equality? Those are the things under threat, those are the things we’ll stand up for as Liberals.

Q: You were described as ‘fluffy’ by a Tory. How would you respond to this?

A: I wrote a whole book about unconscious bias and equality. I was elected to Parliament as a 25 year old. I have some experience of being underestimated. People only ever do it once.

Our colleges and adult education providers are underfunded and unloved.

Education opens up opportunities, shows us what we are capable of and challenges our preconceptions. When education is accessible it can be a great equaliser.

And our economy is changing. Half of the current working population will need to retrain during their career. Businesses warn that too few workers have the necessary skills to meet the needs of the future economy. If we do not invest in further and adult education, the UK will be left behind.

We demand better.

The right to an education, to learn new skills, to nurture creativity and to develop one's talents is for everyone of every age.

At our Autumn Conference, we were excited to pass our new policy, ‘Education is for Everyone’. We want to save our colleges and start a revolution in lifelong learning.

The European Court of Justice ruled that the UK has the power to unilaterally revoke article 50 and withdraw us from the Brexit process.

And the further we get into understanding what Brexit will mean for the UK, the clearer it is that we need to stop Brexit.

And the further we get into understanding what Brexit will mean for the UK, the clearer it is that we need to stop Brexit

The last few months with Boris Johnson as Prime Minister have been like living in a dystopian nightmare.

The Tory government's own research has shown that a no-deal Brexit would cause immeasurable damage to our NHS, jobs, the environment, and would put people's lives at risk.

EU citizens were told that they could lose their right to healthcare, to rent property, or to have a job in the UK after October 31st.

And this Conservative government has chosen to shut down democracy rather than accept any scrutiny of their decisions.

The Liberal Democrats demand better than Brexit, and we have a plan to stop it.

We will take on the tired old parties with an unambiguous stop Brexit message

First and foremost, the Liberal Democrats are calling for a people's vote to stop Brexit.

But if a general election comes first, we will take on the tired old parties with an unambiguous stop Brexit message.

And we do so with the full-throated support of our members.

Liberal Democrats members at our autumn conference have just passed a motion committing us to campaign to revoke article 50 in a general election.

And I'm so proud to be able to say: A Liberal Democrat government will stop Brexit.

Dignity and respect should be at the core of our criminal justice system. 

This is crucial if we are serious about reducing reoffending rates, supporting young people who have grown up in poverty and caring for people with poor mental health. 

Well, hello Conference and hasn’t everything changed since we last met in March!

Wow! Just wow! We asked you to all go on the Stop Brexit march on 20 March to make it clear we are the strongest Remain party.

You did that.

It was my privilege to help lead thousands and thousands of Liberal Democrats along with Vince Cable at that march that had over a million people on the streets of London.

We asked you to go out and give us the best results ever in the local elections.

You did that.                           

We made over 700 gains, and now control 18 councils. We’re still making gains in by elections too.

We then said please go out and campaign for our best ever European Elections results, in a snap election, with very little time.

You did that. 16 MEPs.

Our health and social health services are at crisis point in the UK.

They have been at crisis point for years now - and it is a credit to our brilliant healthcare workers that our NHS has continued to take care of millions of us every year

It is a credit to our brilliant healthcare workers that our NHS has continued to take care of millions of us every year

But the UK's healthcare provisions are getting less reliable every year.

Waiting times have increased, staff feel undervalued and patient care is suffering.

Our social care is severely underfunded and we are failing our elderly population.

Our mental health services are severely underfunded and we are failing those we need to support.

And Brexit will make all of this even worse.

Brexit will threaten the ability of our staff from elsewhere in Europe to work here.

In our country right now, around 6.5million people are classified as carers. And an enormous 700,000 of those are young people. What they do often goes under the radar, but has a huge impact on the people they care for.

Our new policy will unlock the potential of those young people with care responsibilities

But despite how much they support their loved ones, young carers also undergo a huge amount of stress and hardship. I know the physical and emotional labour of taking on care responsibilities for a family member as a young person. It is one of the most exhausting and often upsetting things I have ever had to do.

The Liberal Democrats demand better for young carers. That’s why, in collaboration with leading care charities, we’ve just passed a radical new plan. Our new policy will unlock the potential of those young people with care responsibilities.

Highlights include:

We'll offer significant support to young carers, and make sure that they don’t miss out on the chance to live life as a young person.

• Offering support workers for young carers
• Giving bus passes to young carers
• Enabling young carers with the most responsibilities to be eligible for Carers’ Allowance, so they won’t have to live through hardship because of their care responsibilities
• Giving additional educational support so young carers will no longer have to miss out on educational and employment opportunities

With it, the Liberal Democrats are at the forefront of policy on this issue. We'll offer significant support to young carers, and make sure that they don’t miss out on the chance to live life as a young person.

It is time we care for the carers and support those who give so much support to others. And with the Liberal Democrat plan, that is exactly what we can do.

You can read the full text of the motion here.

Harry Samuels is the Communications Officer of the Young Liberals. You can find out more about our youth wing's work on Facebook and Twitter.

One of the crowning achievements of our time in the coalition was legalising same-sex marriage.

Wera started by talked about everything we've achieved in just the time since the last conference.

"Number of councillors UP

Number of MEPs UP

Number of MPs UP

Membership UP

Polling UP.

Is there anything that can stop us now?"

She then talked about the scale of the climate crisis

The Climate Crisis is the biggest challenge of the future and we have a moral duty to solve it

"The Climate Crisis is the biggest challenge of the future and we have a moral duty to solve it"

Being a Liberal Democrat and being an environmentalist go hand in hand. She addressed the fraught political climate we find ourselves in.

"The rise of populist and nationalist leaders across the world directly threatens our democratic values."

And spoke about how populism is thriving on environmental chaos and social instability.

Last week, I and twenty brave colleagues took the ultimate step of defying the Conservative whip to make crashing out on October 31st illegal. In an unprecedented move, Boris Johnson withdrew the whip from us all.

I’m delighted that Motion F10: A Fairer Share for All has been passed by Conference. It commits the party to a radical shake-up of how we look after the least well-off in our society - and I can’t wait to get started.

I’m appalled by the levels of poverty we have seen across the UK in recent years. Years of cruel Conservative cuts have left vital services strapped for cash, and people destitute on our streets. For too many people, there is just not enough support to get them back on their feet when hard times come around.

For too many people, there is just not enough support to get them back on their feet when hard times come around.

Liberal Democrats demand better. Our new policy:

Commits us to spending £5 billion every year to make the benefits system work for everyone. With this money, we can reduce the average wait for that first benefits payment from 5 weeks to 5 days.

Provides universal access to basic services for shelter, a good diet and access to much-needed digital and transport infrastructures. This makes applying for jobs less financially challenging for millions of people.

Would address the historic difference between regions and nations of the United Kingdom, ensuring prosperity for the whole country, not just South East England.

With these actions, we can end rough sleeping within five years.

With these actions, we can end rough sleeping within five years. We’ll enshrine a legal right to food in law so nobody goes hungry. And we’ll end inhumane benefit sanctions that make it harder to get back into work.

I’m a Liberal Democrat because I believe in a free, fair and open society. These reforms are exactly what our country needs. Everyone deserves the same opportunities to excel - and we’re fighting to make that happen. 

The suffragettes were fighting for women’s rights over 100 years ago.

What is it with Labour’s fixation on delivering Brexit at any cost?

Labour MP Emma Lewell-Buck went on an ITV podcast last night. And when asked about potential coalition partners with Labour, she chose…

Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party.

This is really disturbing. Nigel Farage openly stokes racism, hatred and division, but some people in the Labour Party are so determined to deliver Brexit they’d put him in Government. https://t.co/aIikMcb5Rz

— Jo Swinson (@joswinson) September 12, 2019

Here are a few things about her chosen Labour coalition partner:

He’s a climate crisis denier.

"I am not saying that man is having no influence on the climate, although as the years go by it looks increasingly unlikely."

Meanwhile, pretty much everyone who knows anything is telling us the planet is literally burning.

He doesn’t even turn up to work.

Across his three years on the EU's Fisheries Committee, he only bothered to turn up to one vote in 42.

He defends candidates who use racial slurs.

What was said was so revolting, we don't want to repeat it here. You can find out more here if you want to. 

He's a misogynist

I mean. Where do you even start with this?

He hates migrants

"I just have this huge admiration for what the Aussies have done… If you listen to John Howard and what other PMs have said in the past 10 years, of Islam … he said: 'You're welcome to come here and to have your children here… but if you're coming here to take us over, you're not welcome.'" - Nigel Farage, 2013

This poster:

He’s pals with Donald Trump. Like, really good pals with Donald Trump.

Though, to be fair - Nigel Farage and Jeremy Corbyn share more similarities than you’d think.

In fact, sometimes, it can be a little hard to tell who said what. Can you tell the difference?

Who said it - Corbyn or Farage?