Serving on a committee is one of many great ways you can support the Party, and we are always keen to encourage new talent. The Party website has lots of information in the internal-elections hub.

We have upcoming Federal elections for:

• The Federal President
• The Federal Vice President responsible for working with ethnic minority Communities
• 3 members of the Federal Board (note the reforms to the structure of the Board summarised here)
• 21 members of Federal Council
• 15 members of Federal Policy Committee
• 12 members of Federal Conference Committee
• 6 members of the Federal International relations Committee
• 10 Delegates to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

With our Brighton conference approaching (agenda and registration here), I've recently written the latest report back to conference on the Board's work. Here is a slightly expanded and updated version of that report.

The next general election

With a new Conservative Party leader nearly upon us, the range of plausible dates for the general election is wide open. As it now may well be much sooner than seemed likely at the time of our last conference, the Federal Board has been reviewing our general election plans.

Britain is in trouble. The economy is tanking, the health system is collapsing, the cost of living crisis is impacting us all but particularly the most vulnerable. Meanwhile around the corner is the existential crisis of climate change. This wonderful weather and drought we are enjoying are not the fruits of God's bounty but the results of humanity's lack of respect for nature. The government, our government, whose ministers are paid for by our hard earned taxes, are taking it all particularly calmly. Some would say they are asleep at helm of the ship of state. This could be taken as a sign of good old British pluck in adversity, but we know they are just incompetent and taking us for granted. The Prime Minister and Chancellor are off on holiday whilst the pretenders for the slippery throne make meaningless promises to each other around the country which will be discarded once they get to power. Ask yourself if they can be trusted? They were both members of Johnson's cabinet of lightweights. People chosen not on the basis of competence but loyalty to Johnson. It would be good if they cared, but they do not. Look at the non-response to the growing food banks. It would be good if they were competent, but they are not. Look at the mess of the NHS and it is getting worse. It would be good to know they offered us all a fair deal. But they rip off the middle classes whilst the poor get poorer and the rich get richer. Is this the new Jerusalem? The lesson from all this is that government, whether local or Whitehall, is about competence and public service. It is not about polishing egos and taking people for fools. It is about delivering for the public. We are not getting a fair deal from the councils or Whitehall. We are being taken for granted.

We need bold and urgent action to help families pay their bills and heat their homes this winter. There is no other choice.

Families and pensioners across the country are in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis. We have already seen energy bills rise by £700 this year. They simply cannot afford another, even bigger rise of £1,400 in October.

The bleak despair of the Conservative leadership contest has been punctuated by the euphoria of the Lionesses' great victory. Funny how women, who have traditionally got a raw deal from the Football Association, managed to achieve what the men have so significantly failed to deliver. Healthcare is also not delivering.

General Election preparedness

As is our key focus, in our last meeting we continued to discuss our General Election preparedness and planning.

In summary, our plan builds on what worked in the 2019 general election (and previous plans), changes what didn't work, and looks to the future for new ideas and approaches.

On Saturday 23rd, the Lib Dem team were out in Romsey Cornmarket speaking with residents about everything from their local concerns, enviromental issues, and electoral reform. There was lots of positive conversations with residents and many welcomed our campaign to Stop the Social Care Cuts at Hampsire County Council

Currently held over Zoom. Please contact the Secretary for details.