Gedling Liberal Democrats

Here's the most important question in this leadership election; If Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn go head to head as the leaders of the Tories and Labour, both supporting Brexit, who should we choose who will stand out as the real alternative?

For me, that leader is Jo Swinson.

Let me tell you why.

As our party's Brexit spokesperson, I've seen the reports; medicine shortages, small businesses crushed, our security at risk.

It has been a huge honour to have the chance to lead our great Party, and I am really enjoying speaking to members across the country in this campaign.

I've been talking about my vision to stop Brexit, tackle the Climate Emergency, and defend our Liberal values - but also about my political life that has led me here. I wanted to share some of my proudest moments with you:

In the last week I have been immersed in the subjects which we ought as a country be talking about, but which attract minimal attention where they do not impinge on Brexit or the Hunt-Johnson roadshow.

I went to Manchester to speak to the NHS Confederation: essentially the people who run the NHS, from Simon Stevens, the Chief Executive, down. I tried to get my head around the underlying politics of the NHS: this is a much loved pubic service which politicians tamper with at their peril, but it also feels itself to be in a permanent state of crisis and underfunding.

June is LGBT+ Pride Month!

LGBT+ Pride events are being held across the country to recognise the impact LGBT+ people have had in the world and the struggle they still face for equal recognition. The Liberal Democrats have always championed the rights of the LGBT+ community. Here are 7 things that we have done:

We have a date for the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election!

After days of delay, the Conservatives finally caved this morning and moved the writ to allow the by-election to go ahead. It'll be held on Thursday 1st August - exactly 5 weeks from today.

It's going to be a brilliant campaign - I'm looking forward to seeing as many people there as possible. The weather's lovely and the views speak for themselves!

We have a by-election in Brecon and Radnorshire!

The current MP, a hard Tory Brexiter, has been overwhelmingly recalled by his constituents.

And if we take this seat off the Tories and they may lose their working majority in the Commons.

Brecon and Radnorshire is a seat that we held until 2015, and we hold the Welsh Assembly Member seat.

It was heart-rending to see the recent pictures in the Nottingham Post of those poor intending air travellers trudging along the side of the A453 in the rain, pulling their luggage along as they tried to reach the airport. No holidaymakers or intending air travellers should have to endure this. It is a desperately sad way to start your holiday.

Please be advised that this article contains language that some may find offensive

As a child of the Windrush generation, Windrush Day is hugely important to me. I'm so glad that we, as a society, are marking it.

The term 'the Windrush Generation' stems from the arrival, on June 22, 1948, of the ship The Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks, just east of London, bringing with it the first immigrants from the Caribbean.

Do you get excited by a big by-election? Do you want the inside track on how we are performing?

We are setting up a new email list to give you just that - a first-hand account from the Campaign Managers and candidates of how we are performing in big Parliamentary by-elections and most importantly how you can help.

If you're not down in Brecon and Radnorshire campaigning on the doorstep with the fantastic Jane Dodds and team,
there's still a very important way you can help us win.

Every week (often twice a week), we welcome volunteers at Lib Dem HQ in London who come and help us phone canvass.

You don't need any experience and we love to see new faces join us!