I want to tell you why I joined the Liberal Democrats and to encourage you to make the same journey.

As first-generation immigrants, my parents could have barely imagined the journey they or their children would make in the mother country. As an immigrant from South Asia, barely able to communicate in English, my mother built up a real estate business in London, in a country which has increasingly diversified in the intervening years.

Since its launch in 2013, the Membership Incentive Scheme has helped our party not just grow, but thrive.

The money from it has helped local parties grow their membership, fight campaigns and demand better for their communities.

In recent years, we’ve seen a worrying trend developing though. More and more local parties stopped actively recruiting new members.

This is concerning – because part of the original intent of the scheme was to help build strong, local teams that would win elections.

At the request of the relevant State Party Committees, we have therefore been exploring options to revise the current incentive scheme.

Federal Conference Committee met this weekend – unusually at Amnesty HQ in London rather than LDHQ – to set the Agenda for Autumn conference in Brighton.

If you have not yet registered, please don’t forget – conference runs from the 15th to 18th September, and you can sign up at https://www.eventsforce.net/autumnconference2018. Or, if you’d like to take advantage of our new refer-a-friend discounts, see https://www.libdems.org.uk/refer_a_friend

1. He approves of a higher pay rate for men

His statements on the gender pay gap are shocking. He stated, “men work longer hours, die earlier but retire later than women.” He expanded, saying “from the cradle to the grave, men get the raw deal”.

Raab’s comments are completely out of touch with reality, plain and simple.

2. He wants to dismantle the Human Rights Act

Dominic Raab has referred to the legislation that grants every UK citizen fundamental rights and freedoms as “rushed” and “flawed”. He attempted to dismantle human rights by introducing a British Bill of Rights which was quickly rejected.

Dominic Raab only values certain liberties and freedoms, and he misses the mark on an entire system of rights that maintains a sense of checks and balances on state abuse of power.

3. He calls feminists “obnoxious bigots”

Let us not forget Raab’s ignorant comments calling feminists the “most obnoxious bigots”.

Raab thinks it is unnecessary to close the equality gap amongst men and women. In fact, he believes if there is an equality gap, it’s men who get the short end of the stick and that we need to focus on the issue of improving men’s rights.

He thinks that if women were to be seen as equals in the workforce, many men would be turned off by a women obtaining more success than their male peers. It’s the 21st century, Dominic…

It is a day when we must remember that every person has the power to change the world.

It has been 100 years since Mandela’s birth. His dedication to the service of humanity and his contribution to the struggle for democracy continue to inspire millions of people.