The Federal Policy Committee has had a busy autumn, kicking off our next programme of policy development work.
We have spent some time over the last few months trying to understand the party's key political priorities to win over the voters we need, and the right messages and supporting policies needed to achieve that (recognising that detailed policy is not usually the thing that swings most voters). This has been the starting point for our latest programme of work.
The Liberal Democrats have today called for urgent measures to support the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV), including a formal return and improvement of the shielding programme.
The Government has so far failed to announce any specific measures for those who were classed as CEV in spite of their increased risk of serious illness from Covid. It comes after two cases of the newly discovered 'Omicron' variant of Covid were reported in the UK.
Today is Carers Rights Day, and the Liberal Democrats are continuing to stand up for carers.
The Covid pandemic has shown that we are a nation of carers. But it's also shown how, for this Conservative Government carers are nothing more than an afterthought.
From Ministers' abject failure to protect people in care homes, to their refusal to raise Carer's Allowance when they put up Universal Credit, carers have been forgotten and ignored again and again.
Let's Make Lib Dems BME Friendly - It's Not What We Do, But How We Do It That Counts
Below is an outline of why I am standing for Vice President.
I am an established Race Equality and Diversity campaigner with a Business Management background and an established record of striving for Race Equity across the Party. In the course of my 25 years as Party member I have served on the Federal Policy Committee, International Relations Committee, been Secretary of the PCA, vice chair of EMLD and served as a Regional Diversity Champion. I am also Secretary of Lib Dem Friends of India. It is this personal history that accounts for my reputation as a Community Champion within the Party and my high profile amongst BME communities nationally.
Time and time again, we hear that the reality of what ethnic minorities face in our party and in our politics does not match up to the principles we hold, and, as a party committed to equality, it is vital that we apply our values and make a change. I will provide the positive vision and leadership we need to move forward and make that happen.
