Liberal Democrats

Conference Catch-up What a conference that was! It was brilliant to be back in Brighton, surrounded by thousands of members, and getting us fired up for what will be the fight of our lives. Here's some of what I got up to: Opening conference on Saturday alongside Cllr Jay Mercer. Hosting a listening reception for our trans and non-binary members. Presenting the Federal Board report, setting out what we've achieved together since Spring Conference and where we're heading next.

We are in the fight of our lives. ⁠Dark forces on the right are trying to destroy the British values we hold dear. They want to tear our country apart. In my speech to conference, I said we have a moral responsibility to stop them. I know we can do it. Because we are winning across the country. We are in the strongest position we have ever been as a party. We have a historic opportunity to finally deliver the change we know our country needs. People need hope.

The Liberal Democrats will take 2.5 million people out of paying income tax altogether by raising the tax-free personal allowance to £15,000. Our bold plan would put £680 back in people’s pockets, and also take 750,000 ordinary people out of paying the higher 40p tax rate. People are struggling in a cost-of-living crisis. The Conservatives put their taxes up by stealth, and Labour have made it worse – the equivalent of a 3p rise in income tax.

Britain is facing a food security emergency. Over the past decade, families have endured the highest food price inflation in 40 years, while the proportion of food-secure households in the UK has fallen significantly - leaving hundreds of thousands of families struggling to put nutritious food on the table.

Cycling is a vital tool for public health, local air quality, and cutting traffic congestion. The Liberal Democrats have long championed legal active travel, having been the first major party to adopt the landmark recommendations of the 'Get Britain Cycling' report. However, public concern is growing over the dangerous misuse of illegally modified, high-speed e-bikes on pavements and in pedestrianised zones.

The privatised water industry model has completely collapsed. Since privatisation, water companies have accumulated £70 billion in debt while handing out £83 billion in dividends. Up to 28% of customer bills go toward servicing corporate debt, rather than being used to prevent the 3 billion litres of water which leak away daily and the raw sewage which continues to poison our rivers and coastlines.

The United Kingdom is a global technology powerhouse, ranking third in the world for artificial intelligence and leading all G7 nations in scientific research impact. Yet, British innovation is being held back by regulatory uncertainty, severe funding gaps, and growing reliance on foreign technology. A staggering 71% of UK businesses cite unclear rules as a barrier to adopting AI, while 93% of seed-funded startups fail to secure scale-up capital, forcing our best tech talent overseas.

Last summer, President Trump escalated his damaging trade war. He hit dozens of countries with new tariffs, Britain among them, and he did it after the Supreme Court had already ruled his previous "liberation day" tariffs illegal. He also hit Canada, one of our closest Commonwealth allies, with 50% tariffs that will affect 20 billion dollars of Canadian exports. And he revived threats of 100% tariffs on the UK over Britain’s Digital Services Tax.

Record-breaking heatwaves and severe droughts are making blazes like the Dunwich Heath and Stourbridge fires an existential climate reality rather than isolated emergencies. The Government's lack of a coherent action plan is leaving 1.8 million British homes exposed. Replacing piecemeal emergency responses with sustained investment, specialised equipment, and nature-based solutions is essential to build true climate resilience.

Everyone deserves to live in safety and with dignity. Yet across the country, trans and gender non-conforming people face rising hostility, with recorded hate crimes increasing by 50% between 2020 and 2025. The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) updated Code of Practice, which came into force on 5 August 2026, has created confusion, fear, and legal risk. It has left trans people without access to facilities they can safely use - and some without access to facilities full stop.