Leaving a political party is never an easy decision – nor one that one makes lightly. I know that from my own experience nearly 40 years ago! 

Tonight, Chuka Umunna announced that he has joined the Liberal Democrats.

And I am delighted to welcome him to our party, as the Liberal Democrat MP for Streatham.

We are currently looking for members for three new policy working groups on the future of work, the natural environment and utilities.

The working groups will take evidence and prepare policy proposals to submit to Autumn Conference 2020.

Working group members are expected to attend meetings (in person or by dialling in), input their ideas for policy, and play a role in drafting the policy paper. The position is voluntary.

The deadline for applications is 1pm on Wednesday 3^rd July.

You can find out more about the working groups, and apply here:

Find out more

Apply now

As a Party we depend on our volunteers – members like you – to run things. We are introducing the new Liberal Democrat Disciplinary Procedure this Summer and need members to volunteer to make it work.

As part of the new disciplinary procedures we need teams of members to volunteer for the four roles that need filling. These are Adjudicator, Investigator, Independent Person (Mediator), and Party Mentor.

Adjudicator
An Adjudicator is an individual trained to assess the severity of a complaint and will sit on panels. Each complaints panel is made up of three adjudicators and they may impose sanctions on individuals who are deemed to have brought the Party into disrepute.

Investigator
Investigators are trained to investigate complaints referred to them and are tasked with presenting the complaints they have investigated to a Complaints Panel. Investigators determine whether the complaints are serious enough to warrant such action.

Independent Person (Mediator)
Independent Persons or Mediators are Party members with no personal connection to the event ot conduct giving rise to a complaint to to any of the individuals involved. They are appointed to provide independent advice to either the complainants, or to the person subject to a complaint. They are trained in mediating disputes in the circumstances where the parties can reach an informal solution.

Party Mentor
A Party Mentor is an individual identified by the Party to provide personal support to the person subject to a complaint, in a similar manner to the support provided by the Pastoral Care Officer to complainants.

Can you help with these roles? The workload may be intense for short periods but should not be high across the year. You may be asked to help with cases anywhere in the UK. We will make intensive use of digital communication methods to reduce unnecessary travel. We will also provide training to refresh or increase your skills.

If you would like to find out more or to volunteer for any of these roles further please click here:

I’ll volunteer

It is important that everyone in the Party, and in wider society, has confidence in the way we deal with problems in the Party, so please help us to run a robust system.

We can stop Brexit – we must. For our economy. For our families, friends and neighbours who’ve made Britain their home. For what it says about us, as a country.

You could pick a hundred reasons why we must stop Brexit. Top of my list is the fight against the Climate Change Emergency.

Climate change’s devastation won’t respect borders – you have to work internationally, with other countries, if you want to save our planet.

That’s what I did, as Energy and Climate Change Minister. At the European table and at the UN, I fought for tougher targets to cut carbon emissions.

And I won.

Now – just as we are leading the campaign to Stop Brexit – I want us to lead the fight to solve the Climate Change Emergency. With my radical economic plan, for carbon-free capitalism.

And if you vote for me to be the next Leader of the Liberal Democrats, the environment will be my priority, alongside stopping Brexit.

With our fantastic election results, the Liberal Democrats are back in the game!

And with the tectonic plates of British Politics shifting – as the divided Tories and Labour parties split over Brexit – our Party’s potential has never been greater. So in choosing our next Leader, you may be choosing a future Prime Minister.

The next Leader must be both a proven media performer and someone with the skills and vision to lead our party to win again, at all levels of Government.

If you share my vision to Stop Brexit and solve the Climate Emergency, please back me to be our next Leader.

Best wishes

Ed

Ed Davey MP

Liberal Democrat Leadership Candidate and MP for Kingston and Surbiton

PS. Please tell me you’re backing my campaign to make the Liberal Democrats THE Party that will tackle the Climate Emergency.

It has been an amazing week since I launched my campaign to become Leader of our party.

From my campaign launch with young tech apprentices to appearances on the Andrew Marr Show, Question Time, Good Morning Britain and the Today Progamme (twice!), my feet hardly touched the floor.

I am standing because our party, and our country, are at a turning point.

See my manifesto here: Jo’s manifesto

My aim as Leader is to build on our 700+ gains in the local elections and our fantastic success in the European Elections to change Britain’s politics.

As Leader, I will win us the cut through we need to get our strong liberal message across.

As Leader I will reach out to the next generation, bringing new and vibrant talent into our party.

And as Leader I will ensure that the Liberal Democrats lead the liberal revival that our politics so desperately needs.

Please join my campaign today.

Visit JoinJo.org.uk to find out more, to volunteer or to donate.

Find out why Shirley Williams and a whole host of party activists are supporting my campaign.

Thank you for everything you’ve done to help bring the Liberal Democrats this far.

Please support my campaign for Leader to help take us to the next level.

All the best,

Jo

Jo Swinson

Liberal Democrat Leadership Candidate and MP for East Dunbartonshire

PS: Please read my manifesto here: Jo’s manifesto