Hate crimes against trans people have gone up by 81% in the UK.

This Transgender Awareness Week, we must reflect on how much further we must go.

The profile of trans issues is higher than it ever has been, yet we are no closer to trans people being treated as equals.

Our system is ill-equipped to meet the needs of those who are transitioning. It is a long, arduous and expensive process.

We must do more to help those who wish to transition.

But this is by no means the worst situation facing the trans community.

Horrifyingly, a recent report stated that hate crimes against trans people have gone up by 81% in the UK.

This is an appalling statistic.

Unfortunately, it is hardly anomalous. The most recent Trans Report by Stonewall makes for disturbing reading. From those trans people interviewed:

• 41% had experienced hate crime or a similar incident
• 25% had experienced homelessness at some point in their lives
• And 28% of those in a relationship had faced domestic abuse from a partner.

These statistics illustrate how far the trans community is discriminated against. There is so much more that we all must do.

Yet the government continues to drag its heels on this issue.

The Liberal Democrats continue to be allies of and advocates of the trans community.

Last year’s consultation on the Gender Recognition Act descended into dangerous farce. The media circulated wildly inaccurate and misinformed newspaper articles. These fanned the flames of vitriol against the trans community – any goodwill around the consultation was all but undone.

Since then, the government has been largely silent on the issue.

In recent weeks the Prime Minister has used increasingly inflammatory rhetoric. This has doubtless made a bad situation worse.

The trans community is one of the most marginalised in our society, and most at risk. The fact that our government would stoke the fire of unrest, knowing the damage it might do to those in danger, is shameful.

But the Liberal Democrats continue to be allies of and advocates of the trans community.

We will continue to push as hard as possible for reforms to the Gender Recognition Act (GRA). At conference this year, the Liberal Democrats voted to remove the Spousal Veto from the GRA. Baroness Liz Barker has since raised this as a Private Members Bill in the House of Lords.

We will continue to push for it to be swiftly passed through Parliament.

Removing the Spousal Veto is only a small part of GRA reform, but it will be the first step towards more widespread change.

The Liberal Democrats will continue to live up to the values as we set out in our Constitution:

“The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity. We champion the freedom, dignity and well-being of individuals, we acknowledge and respect their right to freedom of conscience and their right to develop their talents to the full….”

Being advocates and allies of the transgender community is at the heart of that message.

The Liberal Democrats will fight to give hope to our friends in the trans community. Together, we will build a brighter, more inclusive future.

It was a pleasure to be in Leeds today to give my keynote speech as Lib Dem Shadow Chancellor. 

Things need to change. Too many people can’t live a secure, happy and fulfilling life. And too many businesses face crippling uncertainty over their future. 

The economic debate in this election has been between two fantasies. Between Conservative fantasies of the days of empire or Labour fantasies of failed ’70s socialism. Both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn will only take our country backwards.

The climate crisis is doing irreversible damage to our planet, and our country deserves a government that has a clear, ambitious plan to tackle the climate emergency. That’s the Liberal Democrats.

We previously announced our bold green plan to build a brighter future, and today we go a step further as Ed Davey unveils the Liberal Democrats’ latest economic pledge in taking urgent climate action. 

A Liberal Democrat government will jump-start an economy-wide programme to tackle the climate emergency. Across a five year parliament, we will spend and invest an extra £100 billion of public finance on climate action and environmental preservation. 

A Liberal Democrat government will jump-start an economy-wide programme to tackle the climate emergency.

This will include a new £10 billion Renewable Power Fund to leverage in over £100 billion of extra private climate investment.

This will fast-track deployment of clean energy, to make Britain not just the world leader in offshore wind, but also the global number one in tidal power too. There will also be a £15 billion investment to make every building in the country greener, with an emergency ten-year programme to save energy, end fuel poverty and cut heating bills.

This election debate on the economy and public spending has Brexit at its heart, and the simple fact is, no party’s economic plan is remotely credible unless it starts with stopping Brexit.

With stopping Brexit as our number one economic policy, the Liberal Democrats won’t just grow the economy faster, but we’ll generate a £50 billion Remain Bonus and invest it in public services and tackling inequality.

Learn more about our Plan for the Future here. 

We have always been fierce advocates for human rights. We believe in a Britain where nobody has to fear discrimination. A Liberal Democrat government will put equality at the heart of society and the workplace.

We’ve announced a huge raft of policies on rights and equalities. They are our blueprint for a government that respects the rights of the individual. This will be our foundation for a society where dignity, privacy and equality are valued.

A Liberal Democrat government will put equality at the heart of its agenda and strive towards a brighter future.

The Liberal Democrats believe that in 21st century Britain, none of us should need to fear discrimination.

We believe that we should all have the same opportunities regardless of where we come from or our circumstances; and that our children and grandchildren can be who they want to be without any fear of persecution or intrusion.

A vote for the Liberal Democrats in this election is a vote for a government with equality for all at the heart of its agenda.

But sadly, that is not the reality of life in the UK. 

Whilst both Labour and the Conservatives have failed to tackle harmful rhetoric and root out bigotry in their own parties, the Liberal Democrats have a vision for the UK where everyone’s rights and liberties are protected, and our diversity celebrated. 

Today, with the help of Chuka Umunna and Luciana Berger, we have launched our Plan for Equalities and Human Rights which includes a number of ambitious policies, such as:

• tackling the rise in hate crimes by making them all aggravated offences
• providing funding for protective security measures to places of worship, schools and community centres that are vulnerable to hate crime and terror attacks
• completing the introduction of equal marriage
• reducing the over-representation of people from BAME backgrounds throughout the criminal justice system

The Liberal Democrats believe that we should all have the same opportunities regardless of where we come from or our circumstances. 

That’s why a vote for the Liberal Democrats in this election is a vote for a government with equality for all at the heart of its agenda.

Read our full Plan for Equalities and Human Rights here.