During the war in Afghanistan, a number of Afghan civilians served with British troops as interpreters. These brave men and women risked their lives to enable our Armed Forces to do their jobs.
It was our own Paddy Ashdown who fought to ensure that the Government didn't forget the service of these Afghan heroes.
Many of them were no longer safe in Afghanistan, facing reprisals for their service to the UK.
So I was proud that, when the UK began withdrawing our forces in 2012, it was our own Paddy Ashdown who fought to ensure that the Government didn't forget the service of these Afghan heroes.
Back in 2013, he spoke powerfully about the "debt of honour" we owe them, and argued that they must be offered the chance to live in the UK.
Afghan translators put their lives at risk to help British troops. The least we can do is allow them the chance to build their lives in the UK.
It was our own Paddy Ashdown who back in 2013 fought to ensure that the Government didn't forget the service of these brave people. 👇 pic.twitter.com/TECrCZgUyH
Thanks to Paddy's campaign and the efforts of Liberal Democrat Ministers, we secured a scheme to allow interpreters to move to the UK.
However, they faced fierce resistance from Conservative Ministers, who set tight limits on who could benefit from the scheme.
Only those who were still working for the UK in December 2012 were eligible, and they could only bring family members with them if they moved at the same time - spouses and children could not join them later.
This left far too many interpreters stuck in Afghanistan and at serious risk of violence, or in the UK but separated from their families.
So we kept campaigning and, in 2018, the Government promised to expand the scheme to include all interpreters who have served on the frontline with British troops since May 2006.
It claimed that up to 200 more people would be able to benefit from the changes - but, two years later, just two translators have been able to come to the UK under the new rules.
Afghan translators put their lives at risk to help British troops. The least we can do is now allow these brave people the chance to build their lives in the UK.@Jamie4North has led a cross-party letter demanding we fulfil our debt to these brave translators 👇 pic.twitter.com/mSs5PN89A5
The Government also promised in March last year that interpreters who have relocated to the UK would now be able to bring family members to join them.
Brave individuals in Afghanistan who put their lives at risk for our country deserve the right to stay in the UK.
Sadly, however, not a single family member had been relocated to the UK under the new rules more than a year after that change came into force.
These failures represent an appalling breach of the debt Paddy spoke of back in 2013.
These courageous interpreters must not be left to live in fear of reprisals for their service, nor must they be cruelly separated from their families.
So, along with my Liberal Democrat colleagues and a number of MPs from other parties, I have written to the Defence Secretary and the Home Secretary, urging them to put this right without further delay.
A complaint has been made about Ed Davey's campaign's conduct in its communication with members as to their voting intentions, specifically that they instructed canvassers not to disclose the identity of the campaign they were actually calling on behalf in calls made on the 11th and 14th of July 2020.
Throughout this terrible disease, people have not only faced heartbreaking loss of life, but also crushing anxiety over their livelihoods.
Lockdown has been necessary to prevent an even greater catastrophe, but the economic shutdown has thrown millions of people into financial hardship.
Liberal Democrats have been fighting to make sure people do not feel left behind as the country slowly recovers. We cannot allow this to create a new wave of inequality in Britain; the damage done to businesses and jobs falls harder on some than others.
Like many young people and students in the early 2000s, I first joined the Liberal Democrats because of Charles Kennedy's brave stance on the invasion of Iraq.
Charles played a courageous role in steadfastly opposing military intervention, putting both his and the party's reputation on the line. I joined a million others marching on the streets in protest, pleading with Blair's Government to change course.
We're calling on the Government to grant indefinite leave to remain in the UK - the right to stay - to all foreign nationals currently working in the NHS and social care, and their families.
How many people from other countries work in the NHS and social care?
Throughout this crisis, the Government's communications have been an utter disaster.
Yet more mistakes reveal how necessary it is for an inquiry to be launched now
To announce a regional lockdown of millions of people not only just hours before it's enforced, but with no clarity on the new rules coming into place, is beyond comprehension.
Voting opens today for the Liberal Democrat Leadership Election!
You might get your ballot by either email or post and it might take some time on the 30th or 31st to be sent, as delivery is being staggered through the day. Postal deliveries may take longer, especially if you're overseas.
If you haven't had a ballot by 10am on Friday 31st July, please feel free to drop elections@libdems.org.uk an email. Votes have to be cast by 1pm on Wednesday 26th August 2020.
Let's be honest with ourselves - we're in a tough spot. Our average polling figure currently stands at 8%, a far cry from the late teens or early 20s we previously enjoyed as recently as last year.
I won Oxford West & Abingdon from the ground up. Nobody knows the potential of Liberal Democrat activists like I do.
