How do we improve as a party and achieve greater success in future elections?

That’s the theme running through the bumper set of key decisions the Federal Board is looking at next week at our meeting. (Or rather meetings, as to avoid Zoom fatigue, we’re splitting one long meeting into halves on consecutive nights.)

Reports suggest that the NHS tracing app is set to be rolled out nationwide by end of next week, despite concerns about privacy and misuse of personal data.

That’s why we’re calling on the government to bring forward a new “Safe Trace App Law”, to ensure the Government’s coronavirus tracing app is safe and effective.

This new primary legislation would force the Government to justify its decision to reject plans for a decentralised app (as recommended by the Information Commissioner) and pursue a centralised app instead, despite experts warning that:

• It may not work on phones that are locked or when it’s running in the background.
• It will drain a phone’s battery, so won’t work for long.
• It will be incompatible with other countries’ apps, including Ireland’s.
• It puts people’s privacy at greater risk.

The Safe Trace App Law would provide a clear legal framework for this enormous collection, storage and use of people’s personal data, including:

• A guarantee that your data will be deleted within 21 days of being collected, on a rolling basis.
• Creating legal safeguards against discrimination so no one can be excluded from any space for not having or refusing to use the app.
• Introducing significant penalties for the misuse of personal data.

The coronavirus tracing app set to be rolled out by the end of next week, despite privacy concerns.

Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to bring forward a new Safe Trace App Law, to ensure their coronavirus tracing app is safe & effective.https://t.co/uJIupS8cL3

— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) May 13, 2020

Daisy Cooper, our Spokesperson for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said:

“Any strategy for easing the country out of lockdown must prevent another surge. An app alone will not end this lockdown, but a safe and effective app could play an important part in a broader strategy to test, trace and isolate to keep people safe.
 
It is vital that the Government gets this right first time. It must not lose valuable time and risk losing public confidence by reinventing the wheel when there are already effective models it could use.
 
That’s why the Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to bring forward a new Safe Trace App Law, to ensure that the app will keep people safe, and be a genuinely effective tool in which the public have confidence.

To keep people safe, the Government must be open and honest about the decisions it is making in the design of this app. If the public don’t have confidence in it, they won’t use it – our plans for a Safe Trace App Law would fix that.”

The Furlough scheme has helped protect jobs and it is something the Liberal Democrats have campaigned to protect.

So we are delighted the Government has done just that and adopted many of our ideas.

However there are still millions of people that need significant help through this challenging period.

Some who moved jobs but were not on their new employer’s payroll by mid-March have fallen into a crack in the system and need much more help.

That’s why the Chancellor must help those excluded from job rentention scheme & those self-employed not covered by any scheme.

Liberal Democrats have been campaigning hard to protect the #FurloughScheme, so we are delighted the Government has done just that & adopted many of our ideas.

Now the Chancellor must help those excluded from job rentention scheme & those self-employed not covered by any scheme. pic.twitter.com/jrwHByoKIf

— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) May 12, 2020

Responding to the news  Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

“The lockdown has also been extremely difficult for many self employed people. Taxi drivers, hairdressers, cleaners, childcare providers and millions of other self-employed people are still not getting the help they need.

“The Liberal Democrats led the campaign for a Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, which will finally open tomorrow. But the Government must extend this scheme too.

Self-employed people have waited far too long for this support, and they must not see it snatched away too early.”

“Liberal Democrats have fought hard for the #FurloughScheme to be extended, and today we are pleased to see that the government has done just that.

Now the Chancellor must extend protections for self employed people who are most vulnerable during this crisis.” – @EdwardJDavey pic.twitter.com/BwLOlk2hD6

— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) May 12, 2020

I can’t believe it was a year ago I was elected as an Eastbourne Borough Councillor, the time has absolutely flown by. What a year it’s been, and who could have imagined a year ago that I would be writing this during lockdown in the middle of a pandemic, a crisis affecting local councils across the country?

Europe Day is a reminder of the value of international cooperation.

Only by working internationally can we effectively combat international challenges.

It is also an opportunity to recognise the contributions EU citizens living in the UK make to our society. These friends, colleagues, neighbours, and family members enrich our lives every day.

During this crisis the contribution of migrants, including those from the EU, has been immense.

On Europe Day 2020, we therefore give our heartfelt thanks to those in our NHS, those working to ensure we all have access to food, and those filling other essential roles.

We cannot thank the people on the frontline enough for going above and beyond to look after us all.

None of these people should face being kicked out of the UK by the Home Office after the service they have provided.

Liberal Democrats will continue to call on the government to grant these heroes automatic indefinite leave to remain.