The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the enormous contributions that workers from all over the world make to our country and our communities.

Tens of thousands of doctors, nurses and other NHS staff. Hundreds of thousands of social care workers. And millions more in sectors hit hard by this crisis, from restaurants and hotels to construction and manufacturing.

In the midst of the Covid 19 crisis it is easy to think it is the only issue in town. But there is another issue that as Liberals we should not need reminding of.

One aspect of it was highlighted to me this week when a friend told me that he cannot give blood.

My friend would like to help by providing blood from which plasma could be used in the fight against COVID-19 but regardless of how rare his blood group might be, of how healthy he is, he cannot donate because he is gay.

Following the 2019 General Election, the Federal Board commissioned Dorothy Thornhill and her team of fourteen to conduct an independent review of the Party's performance.

The Liberal Democrats are committed to a fair and open society and reflect that in our internal approach to transparency and accountability. The resulting report is therefore available here in its entirety.

Before being an MP, I was a teacher. I'm keenly aware that every day schools remain shut the disadvantage gap widens and the students in need of the most support from teachers and support staff are being left behind. More than this, it's the most vulnerable children I'm most worried about. Are they eating? Are they safe, let alone learning?

How do we improve as a party and achieve greater success in future elections?

That's the theme running through the bumper set of key decisions the Federal Board is looking at next week at our meeting. (Or rather meetings, as to avoid Zoom fatigue, we're splitting one long meeting into halves on consecutive nights.)

Taxi drivers, hairdressers, cleaners, childcare providers and millions more self-employed people have seen their incomes evaporate as people rightly stay at home to save lives. They desperately need the Government to support them.

We're urging the Government to extend the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme in full until October

Welcome to the Weekly Whip. Your one-stop shop for Lib Dem Parliamentary updates, covering the week that was and the week to come.

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Weekly Whip w/c 11th April

Monday 11th May

The Commons started the day with the Department for Work and Pensions questions. Munira Wilson asked what recent assessment has been made of the potential merits of increasing the Carer's Allowance.

Reports suggest that the NHS tracing app is set to be rolled out nationwide by end of next week, despite concerns about privacy and misuse of personal data.

That's why we're calling on the government to bring forward a new "Safe Trace App Law", to ensure the Government's coronavirus tracing app is safe and effective.

The Furlough scheme has helped protect jobs and it is something the Liberal Democrats have campaigned to protect.

So we are delighted the Government has done just that and adopted many of our ideas.

However there are still millions of people that need significant help through this challenging period.

I can't believe it was a year ago I was elected as an Eastbourne Borough Councillor, the time has absolutely flown by. What a year it's been, and who could have imagined a year ago that I would be writing this during lockdown in the middle of a pandemic, a crisis affecting local councils across the country?