South Lincolnshire Liberal Democrats

One year ago today, 17.4 million voters (out of 46.5 million) won the referendum to leave the European Union. This month the UK started with the negotiations. The difference between June 2016 and 2017 is staggering.

On June 24, 2016 the Leavers were jubilant. The country bought their vision, and all the scare stories predicted by Remainers did not happen. The future was bright and rosy. Theresa May was to unite the nation.

Introduction

Having spent months out campaigning, first for the County Council elections, and then the general election, I took a break afterwards by examining the election results! It is clear the Liberal Democrats made good progress in terms of seats: a 50% increase from 8 to 12 MPs compared to 2015; and, agonisingly, fewer than 500 votes away from doubling our seats to 16. (1) This was achieved, however, against a slightly lower vote share of 7.4%, compared to the already-low point of 7.9% in 2015, and an accompanying further decline in our vote in many seats.

A lot can change in a year.

On 23rd June 2016, I was left heartbroken after a tough and exhausting referendum campaign saw a victory for an insular nationalist vision of Britain.

The vote to Leave has divided our country in a way even 'Project Fear' could never have imagined.

After the referendum, we were told that the populist right was on an unstoppable rise. Geert Wilders, Netherland's answer to Donald Trump, would storm to victory in the Dutch general election; Marine Le Pen would triumph over the established political consensus in the French Presidential election; and the Liberal Democrats' fight to keep Britain in Europe was laughed off.

Briefing: Fracking - An attack on local democracy

Though not in the Queen's speech, the changes proposed by the Conservative Party to the planning laws surrounding the development of onshore oil and gas exploration, plus the further commitment to develop the shale gas industry (fracking) are alarming.

• The Repeal Bill will turn European Law into UK law and repeal the European Communities Act 1972. Supposedly to allow for technical editing out of references to EU institutions, it will give the Tory government sweeping powers to change British law without votes in Parliament MPs - all in the supposed name of speed.
  
  
• It is our fear that the volume of Statutory Orders will be so great that effective scrutiny will be impossible, thus potentially allowing the removal of measures to fight climate change and other environmental protection.
  
  
• The Agriculture Bill will set up a "system to support UK farmers and protect our natural environment". It is essential that the legislation does properly protect the environment. It must also protect the consumer and agricultural workers. It should encourage (relative) localism.
  
  
• The Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill will try to boost Britain's electric cars - already 100,000 of them - by paving the way for compulsory charge points at motorway services. It will also set up a common set of standards to ensure charging points are consistent across the country.
  Brexit will not close down ferries or the Chanel Tunnel. Electricity charging points need to be to European standards. While hydrogen vehicles are not yet as common as battery-electric vehicles, the bill should commit to a European standard for hydrogen vehicle connectors.
  
  
• The Nuclear Safeguards Bill will hand over responsibility for nuclear safety to an expanded Office for Nuclear Regulation. It will also support international efforts not to expand nuke stockpiles
  Our UK standards will have to remain high to protect the operation of nuclear facilities. This doctrinaire move will be much more expensive remaining in Euratom.
  
  
• The Smart Meter Bill will commit to offer smart energy meters to every home and firm by 2020.
  However, the Smart Metering scheme has been a farce, with unnecessarily complex infrastructure and a lack of proper standards. Government should explore existing market solutions rather than continue to pour consumers money into a failing infrastructure development.Smart Meters must conform to stable and well-scoped standards which will allow them to send control signals to all electrical appliances designed for world-wide distribution. This may require new British Standards to support the UK unique energy supplier driven system.
  
  
• A promise on the Paris Agreement.
  The Queen said "My government will continue to support international action against climate change, including the implementation of the Paris Agreement."
  
  
• With so many climate change deniers in the Conservatives and the DUP, it will take the combined efforts of those Tories who are environmentally responsible and members of the opposition parties to ensure that our part of that international action remains on track.
  As Green Lib Dems, we will continue to do our part to hold this government to their word.

The Liberal Democrats have criticised Theresa May as "cold and heartless," following the shock revelation she blocked attempts to guarantee the right to stay for EU nationals immediately after the referendum.

In a scathing editorial in the Evening Standard today, George Osborne revealed that "in the days immediately after the referendum, David Cameron wanted to reassure EU citizens they would be allowed to stay. All his Cabinet agreed with that unilateral offer, except his Home Secretary, Mrs May, who insisted on blocking it."

It comes as the Liberal Democrats have set out a list of four demands that must be addressed in the government's paper on the rights of EU nationals on Monday, including ending the "bureaucratic nightmare" faced by EU citizens applying for permanent residency.

A recent report revealed that at the Home Office's current workrate, it will take around 11 years to process the millions of expected residency requests from EU nationals.

Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson Tom Brake said:

The Liberal Democrats have tabled an amendment to the Queen's Speech calling for Britain to stay in the single market and customs union.

The party is now calling on both Labour and Conservative MPs to support the amendment and inflict a historic defeat on the government, forcing Theresa May to soften her extreme approach to Brexit.

Some voices in the party say I want a hard Brexit. I don't - what I want is an end to the gross inequality that has made me angrier than ever

Liberal Democrats are faced with electing a new leader after Tim Farron's resignation last week. I have come to the conclusion that I will not be putting myself forward as a candidate for that vacancy. That might seem strange given the support and encouragement I have received from party members - indeed, from many people outside the Lib Dems.

The Lib Dem Press Office has issued a veritable storm of press releases in response to the Queen's Speech today. Here's a round-up of what our key figures said about their areas of expertise.

Tim Farron looked at the whole speech and was unimpressed:

This slimmed down Queen's Speech shows a government on the edge.

In February, as I was writing an earlier article in this series, construction workers on a site near Frankfurt airport found an unexploded bomb from the Second World War. Motorway and railway connections to the airport had to be interrupted while the bomb was being defused. In April, on the eve of the Boat Race, a similar incident occurred in London near Putney Bridge. Last month (May) saw further cases in Hannover (with 50,000 people needing to be evacuated), Gießen 70 km north of Frankfurt and again in Frankfurt itself.

The Trade Bill announced in the Queen's speech is simply a job creation scheme for Liam Fox, the Liberal Democrats have said.

Tom Brake, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson, said: "In reality this is an Anti-Trade Bill, as it means leaving the single market and customs union, despite clear opposition from the Chancellor and the Bank of England.

Ministers are to consult on reforming the system of social care funding in England after Conservative plans were slammed as a Dementia Tax during the election.

Commenting, Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb said: "Social care is in a state of total crisis. A million older people are missing out on care they need and services face a funding black hole of billions in this year alone.

The Liberal Democrats have vowed to oppose any attempts to weaken workplace rights, health and safety standards and environmental protections as part of the government's Repeal Bill.

The party is also calling for proper oversight and transparency over the Repeal Bill, after the government's White Paper hinted at a power grab by ministers through the use of so-called Henry VIII powers.

Donald Trump's state visit to the UK appears to have been shelved for at least two years after it was not included in the Queen's speech.

Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Alistair Carmichael commented: "It took Theresa May just seven days to offer Donald Trump a state visit, it's taken her 145 days to officially postpone it.

Letting agents fees look set to be banned in this year Queen's Speech following pressure from the Liberal Democrats.

The fees cost on average £223 per tenancy but under the new plans they will be banned and tenants will be given the opportunity to recover illegal fees imposed upon them.

Lib Dem peer Olly Grender, who has led a campaign against the fees, said: "I am absolutely delighted that the ban on letting fees set out in my Private Members' Bill is now being proposed as law.

Brexiters claim that 82% of voters supporting the Tories and Labour validated Brexit in the recent General Election. This has a grain of truth in it. However subsequent polls found issues such as health, the economy, and security were more important to voters. Furthermore, the election marked a return to two party politics in which smaller parties, including ours, were squeezed. A vote for Labour was not necessarily a vote for its ambiguous Brexit stance, but arguably one for hope and an end to Tory austerity.

Jo Swinson has been elected unanimously as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats.

The result was announced on Tuesday evening at the Liberal Democrat parliamentary party meeting.

Jo will continue in her role as Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary.

Jo said: "I am very proud to have been elected by a newly energised and strengthened parliamentary party.

Theresa May is reported to have dropped plans to scrap free school lunches for infant pupils from tomorrow's Queen's Speech.

It comes after the Liberal Democrats strongly criticised the Conservatives during the election campaign over their manifesto plans which would have deprived 1.7 million children of free school lunches, including 700,000 living in poverty.