It’s been a busy summer for our party, and there’s plenty to be excited about!

Party Strategy

Earlier this month, our further consultation on the draft party strategy concluded, with some very helpful ‘keep, change, add’ feedback provided by members across the country. Thanks to all who contributed!

We’re now working on proposing some amendments to the draft strategy to reflect some of this feedback, and have encouraged a number of members who had ideas for amendments to submit them directly to the Federal Conference Committee for debate at Autumn Conference in Brighton. 

This has been a huge piece of work, and I want to start by thanking everyone who has contributed. We have undertaken the most substantial consultation this party has ever carried out on a new strategy, and we have listened carefully to what members have told us. 

The strategy is ultimately about delivering what you have been calling for.

That means a stronger national message; improving our social and digital campaigning, particularly in places where traditional methods are harder; putting a renewed focus achieving more breakthroughs in Urban Britain, the North of England, the Midlands and Wales; and making the Liberal Democrats a more diverse and representative party. 

There are three things I particularly want to highlight from the process.

First, this is your strategy.

We want as much space as possible for amendments and ideas to come from members themselves at Conference. A number of suggestions brought forward during the process were considered by the Strategy Sub-Group, but the view was that they would be better brought forward as amendments by the members who proposed them. 

That is exactly how a member-led party should work.

Second, I know it’s a long document!

There is a huge amount in there, and while there is plenty that I want to change and improve, I appreciate that it isn’t always the easiest thing to digest. 

So we’re going to be putting together a simple one-page summary of our top priorities, so that everyone can quickly see what we are trying to achieve and, importantly, what we are going to do about it. This’ll be ready for Conference and pushed out to local parties and organisations - so everyone’s on the same page!

And third, delivery matters.

The strategy says that, once agreed, it will be followed by detailed plans for delivery.

That is where my focus as Party President now shifts: making sure we deliver on the things you told us matter most.

A strategy is only useful if it changes what we actually do. I won’t let this strategy be one that gets passed and then forgotten about.

A huge thank you is also due to our brilliant Strategy Sub-Group. They have been absolutely top-class throughout this process, and a special mention has to go to our excellent Janey Little, who played such a huge role in bringing this work to life. 

Summer visits

While Parliament has been quieter, the Liberal Democrats certainly haven’t been standing still.

Liverpool

I headed up to Liverpool to campaign with Carl Cashman and the brilliant team there.

We are absolutely serious about taking back Liverpool with Carl at the helm. The city needs a new, energetic Liberal Democrat administration to fix the mess and deliver the change residents deserve.

Sutton

It was fantastic to attend and speak at the famous Sutton Garden Party this year, marking 40 years since we first took control of Sutton Council in 1986. 

That is the longest period of continuous control by any local party anywhere in the country. It was a great opportunity to celebrate that history, but also to look forward to the next 40 years of Liberal Democrat success in Sutton.

Salisbury

I was delighted to support the Salisbury local party and their brilliant PPC, Victoria Charleston. They have some exceptional activists, and I know they will be working incredibly hard to get Victoria elected.

ALDC Kickstart

I also headed up to Yarnfield Park in Staffordshire for another ALDC Kickstart.

I had the pleasure of speaking to the Future Leaders cohort - a brilliant group of young Liberal Democrats who are ready to make a real difference in our party and our communities.

The work of our activists is phenomenal. Our job nationally is to make it easier for that work to translate into votes, councillors and Liberal Democrat victories.

Looking ahead: Conference

And now, we’re into the run-up to Party Conference!

I’ve got a rammed diary for Conference, and I’ll be running around speaking at events, casting my votes and - most importantly - meeting as many of you as possible.

Please come and say hello. Whether you’ve been a Liberal Democrat for decades or have only just joined, I want to hear from you.

I’m particularly looking forward to presenting our Party Awards, speaking with some brilliant local party and regional officers, visiting the AO stands and getting around as many events as possible.

You can still sign up to Conference here: www.libdems.org.uk/conference

Back to Parliament

And then it’s back to Parliament.

There’s a new Prime Minister, a new political landscape and plenty of challenges facing our country.

Whether that means defending our rights and freedoms, fighting the corporate giants who rip-off our communities, tackling the climate emergency, or demanding a fairer economy for people across Britain, I’ll be making sure the Liberal Democrat voice is heard.

We have a huge amount to do.

But after the work we have put into our new strategy, the campaigning I’ve seen across the country, and the incredible energy of our members, I’m more optimistic than ever about what we can achieve together.

On a personal note…

On a more personal note, I took some time off this summer to get married.

My now-husband Connor and I were so touched by all the lovely messages from party members following our engagement last year. We tied the knot in Scotland, where Connor is from, before returning to Eastbourne for a seaside party! We wanted to say a massive thank you for all your well-wishes.

Onwards - and hope to see you at Conference!

Josh