Brexit is a national embarrassment

Brexit is a national embarrassment. The events of the last few weeks have proven that the government is in absolute chaos.

The Prime Minister pulled her Brexit vote; but if that wasn't bad enough her MPs' leadership challenge also spoke volumes: Conservative MPs can change their minds, but the British people cannot!

Earlier this year, we enjoyed our best council election results in 15 years. We snatched control of councils like South Cambridgeshire, Kingston-upon-Thames and Richmond upon Thames from the Conservatives. And in cities like Hull, Sunderland and Liverpool, we gained ground against complacent Labour councils who've taken their residents for granted.

Next year over 9,000 council seats and the control of councils around the country will be in the balance. It's a huge chance to build on our successes and make more headlines for the Liberal Democrats.

1. Thersa May rules out revoking Article 50

The ECJ rules that No Brexit is an option but Theresa May blindly ploughs ahead with her broken deal. We were given the option to get out of this mess and Theresa May turned it down.

Only by having a People's Vote will Theresa May listen and cancel Brexit before it's too late.

After years of putting pressure on the Government, on Tuesday they agreed major concessions on the Tenant Fees Bill.

We campaigned to:

• significantly limit the fees that could be charged to a tenant by their landlord or lettings agent,
• require a greater amount of transparency when deciding not to refund a holding deposit, and
• limit the maximum security deposit a landlord can require to five weeks rent.

Yesterday I introduced a bill in Parliament to legalise cannabis for recreational and medicine use.

The evidence is clear - prohibition isn't working.

The war on drugs has been a catastrophic failure, leaving young people vulnerable to dangerous strains of cannabis sold by dealers who have absolutely no interest in their welfare.

The Government is in absolute chaos. We are closer than ever to securing a People's Vote on Brexit, thanks to your hard work and support.

Today Theresa May was forced into an embarrassing delay of her Brexit vote. She knew she was going lose by a huge margin. She is running scared.

It's a huge moment, and it has been driven by Liberal Democrats.

On 10th December 1948, history was made. The United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In the shadow of the Second World War, the nations of the world came together to declare that everyone - no matter who they are and where they live - has the same fundamental rights.

With one voice, we pledged to "strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance."

For two years the Liberal Democrats have led the fight to give the people the final say on Brexit and the opportunity to Exit from Brexit.

Tuesday's vote is the best chance yet to secure a People's Vote and the Liberal Democrats will be using every opportunity to demand better than Brexit.

The Conservatives have made a mess of Brexit, aided and abetted by the Labour leadership.

To try and sell a plan that would rob us of many vital cross-border crime-fighting tools on the basis of national security takes quite the brass neck.

Consider the European Arrest Warrant. It enables us to bring criminals who've fled our shores back to justice in the UK, as well as to extradite thousands of others to face justice in other European countries.

Parliament found the Conservative Government in contempt over its failure to release their Brexit legal advice

Yesterday, Parliament found the Conservative Government in contempt over its failure to release their Brexit legal advice.

So they are publishing the full advice this morning - and our team of experts are ready to pour over the detail and find out what they were trying to hide.

At our 2018 Spring Conference the Welsh Liberal Democrats followed in the footsteps of our Scottish friends and passed policy calling on Welsh Government to overhaul its guidance on school uniforms to make then more inclusive for trans and non-binary young people.

I am proud to be in a party where members' shape our policy - and can directly make a real difference in peoples' lives.

Today as we mark the international day for persons with disabilities, I am very aware that one billion people around the world live with a disability - that's roughly 15% of the global population. I am one of them, mainly using a wheelchair and sometimes walking with sticks. I could have written something smooth and supportive, but I am angry at having to be an afterthought in our society today.

Climate Change isn't just an environmental problem, it's a human one too.

Climate Change isn't just an environmental problem, it's a human one too.

Look at our country - and the impact of weather extremes likely linked to climate change. This summer, Manchester's Moorlands were turned into an inferno. Food prices spiked as farmers struggled in an unseasonal heatwave. Back in March, parts of the country were brought to a standstill with massive snowfalls from the Beast from the East.

Report for AGM. 21 November 2018

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1. Good news and bad news

The bad news is that the chaos continues. The Tories are in meltdown and there is no effective opposition whilst the public broadcaster at best treats Brexit as entertainment, at worst seems to support a hard Brexit.

The good news is that more and more people support remain and a people's vote. Local authorities in our area that would now vote remain (C4 / Survation poll) include Leicester, Oadby & Wigston, Charnwood (incl Loughborough), Harborough and Rutland.

The latest report from Shelter has revealed that 1 in 52 people living in the capital are homeless.

That's thousands of vulnerable people forced to go without food, warmth and a roof over their head.

The report also shows that around 320,000 people are now homeless across the country.

It's an absolute disgrace.