We are in debt to all the front-line workers who have put their own health at risk to fight this virus and keep us safe.

It is clear that the Government could have done far more to protect our key workers

Everyone must continue to do their bit and make every effort to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.

This new data shows the sacrifice that front-line workers have made to protect us all from this terrible disease.

It is clear that the Government could have done far more to protect our key workers by providing proper PPE and an effective test, trace and isolate system.

BREAKING: The Office for National Statistics has released data which breaks down coronavirus-related deaths according to occupation in England and Wales.@SkyEnda talks us through the key details.

Latest here: https://t.co/FCO9E5IcZm pic.twitter.com/Toa5C8AYiy

— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 25, 2021

Even now many cases are not being traced and support for those self-isolating is pitifully low. That is why the promised public inquiry into the Government’s handling of the pandemic needs to start now.

‘How do we make a difference?’ That was the question the Party Body Review Group was asked to answer. Looking at the range of Party bodies, there was only one way to find out!

As a Review Group we decided to ask those Party Organisations what they thought, where the gaps were, how they could make a difference to the Party going forward and how they might help one another. The Review captures their views, their potential and the opportunity for the Party as a whole to benefit from changes and how they and the Party relate to one another.

The Review Group members interviewed representatives of Party Organisations and non UK Parties and held Webinars to discuss interim findings. The report presented reflects both the views of those organisations and of Party members who took part in the on line survey.

The Review Group members are Bess Mayhew, Steffan Aquarone, Tim Pickstone and is ably helped and supported by Jack Coulson. My thanks to them for their unstinting commitment to our task and to all those who took part in interviews and in surveys, or who submitted written evidence.

Read the full report by clicking here!

More information about next steps and ongoing work will appear on this blog in the coming weeks and months. For now, if you are leading an SAO or AO and would like to get involved with the new Party Bodies Forum, please get in touch with jack.coulson@libdems.org.uk.

More than 170 musicians have urged Ministers to organise paperwork-free travel in Europe for artists on tour. 

The extra costs will make many tours unviable, especially for young emerging musicians.

The EU Trade deal makes it extremely difficult for touring artists because they now need a costly work permit and face a mountain of paperwork for their equipment. 

The extra costs will make many tours unviable, especially for young emerging musicians.

 This could make many tours unviable, particularly for younger, upcoming artists who don’t have big teams and big money behind them.

The same applies to EU-based artists wishing to perform in the UK.

That means disruption not only to seeing our favourite foreign bands and orchestras but income to festivals and all the benefits of creative co-operation too.

Reciprocity is good for Britain and should not be holding back a deal for artists.

Predictably the government is trying to blame the EU, but the fact remains that when the going got tough during the talks on the trade deal, Tory ministers just ducked for cover and hoped the problem would go away.

As a result, our creative artists have been left high and dry, including musicians, dancers, actors and their many support staff who together with the rest of the creative industries generate over £100 billion a year to our economy.

The Government must get back around the negotiating table and get this sorted.

The creative arts sector is a massive success story for the UK economy. 

It’s already in dire trouble because of Covid and this ‘friendly fire’ assault on its viability from our own government could be the last straw for many of our talented performers and backup staff.

They were sacrificed in a botched negotiation, just like our fishermen, our farmers, and our crucial service industries.

The artists who signed this letter are either furious or fearful for the future of their business, or both.

If the Conservative Government cares about these industries and the economy, they must get back around the negotiating table and get this sorted pronto.

Liam Gallagher, Sir Elton John & Bob Geldof have called on the Government to make it easier for musicians to tour around Europe.

Johnson’s EU trade deal makes it extremely difficult and costly for touring artists. https://t.co/E1CWgtqB2z

— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) January 20, 2021

The Liberal Democrats are the most pro-European party in British politics. We truly believe that we are stronger together, and internationalism will always be one of our core values.

That hasn’t changed now that we have left the European Union.

The Federal Conference Committee met via Zoom call on Saturday, 16 January for the agenda selection for our second virtual conference. The meeting was a lengthy one, which was in part due to the large selection of varied and interesting motions we received, but also to give us breaks from staring at computer screens for a number of hours.

As you will be aware, this year we will not be heading up to the historic city of York, but instead you will be able to take part in Conference from your own home via our third party provider, Hopin. You will be able to find more information about the virtual conference. If you are planning to attend conference, we highly recommend taking part in the interactive exhibitions and the fringes.

The FCC wants to pay its thanks to the continued amazing efforts of the Conference Office team and members who have worked so incredibly hard.

You will see from the timings of Conference that it is slightly different to the usual format, and we hope that this will give more people an opportunity to attend virtually, but also it has meant that we have been able to increase the number of motions selected – compared to previous Spring Conferences. The agenda of Conference will be published very shortly.

A total of 11 conference motions, plus two emergency slots, one later deadline slot on the COVID pandemic, and two constitutional amendment motions were selected. Not including the two constitutional amendments this is 14 policy motions to be debated at Conference.

The agenda will also include the Committee and Parliamentary reports, the Leaders Q&A and a number of Q&As and set pieces set aside for Spokespeople and/or Leaders of the Welsh or Scottish Lib Dems. The full agenda will be published shortly.

On the topic of motions selection, we always receive a very large number of motions for selection at Conference, and unfortunately cannot always choose all of them for selection at Conference. This year we received 27 motions and have selected 11 motions, plus the two constitutional amendments, and reserved slots for up to 3 additional motions (two emergency slots and one reserved item on the COVID pandemic). 

Below I have included the selection grid of motions, and if they have been selected or not selected, please note with regards to the selected motions – some of the names may change between now and publication of the agenda. With regards to proposed constitutional amendments these are automatically selected; however, ruled either in order or out of order. I have not included why the motion was not selected; this has been provided to the submitters of the motion. Please note that you can submit amendments, emergency motions, and the COVID later deadline by 8 March at 13:00 via the Conference website.