Dear John,

With parliament now in recess until early September, I’ve finally got time to pen you all an update about the latest happenings at Best for Britain.

Last month was a particularly busy one for us. 

1. We launched a major policy blueprint, containing over a hundred recommendations to give UK trade the boost it so desperately needs. The work was based on the most comprehensive post-Brexit consultation of business that anyone has done, and it’s already having an impact. Indeed - none other than former UKIP Councillor and Conservative Minister George Eustice, took one of the headline policies (a reciprocal Youth Mobility Scheme with the EU) and waxed lyrical about it to The Observer.
   
   Thank you to everyone who has already shared it with their MP - a delightful bit of summer reading for them I’m sure.
   
   
2. Together with polling guru Professor John Curtice, maths wizard Carol Vorderman, and focus group boffin Luke Tryl, we launched the first ever set of seat level polling under new constituency boundaries. The message was clear - Labour’s margins are falling across the country and those who want to oust the Conservatives from Number 10 can’t take anything for granted at the next General Election. Tactical voting will be required at scale in marginal seats, and pro-EU Scotland could be the most important battleground come polling day.
   
   
3. Trade Unlocked happened. Our flagship conference took place at the NEC in Birmingham and the feedback from attendees was phenomenally positive. Businesses have been telling us they’ve never attended an event like it before, because it was,‘ political but in a good way!’ If you want to watch any of the sessions, from Shadow Cabinet keynote speeches, to sustainable trade and labour shortages, just hit play on these videos. We’ve got big plans for Trade Unlocked, and I’ll let you know about them as soon as I can.
   
   
4. Best for Britain supporters forced a response from the Government on voter ID after more than 3,000 sent their feedback in following the Local Elections in May. The Government Minister’s response promised that they would conduct a review and look at expanding the types of ID that will be accepted in future elections. You can read the Minister’s response and Best for Britain’s reply here.
   
   
5. The UK recently signed the deal to take the UK into the CPTPP trade agreement. Best for Britain has a number of concerns about this trade agreement with countries across the other side of the world, including its’ effect on the UK’s food standards, environmental protections and the fact hardly any of our trade takes place over such a long distance (surprise, surprise most of our trade is with our nearest neighbours in Europe!). But most of all, we’re concerned that the deal has been signed without MPs having the chance to properly scrutinise or debate it - that all happens after the deal is done. Which seems very wrong. You can write to your MP about proper scrutiny of trade deals here.

We’ll be spending the rest of July and August preparing for the return of parliament and of course, the party conference season. We’re taking Best for Britain to the Greens, Lib Dems and Labour, so if you’ll be at any of those please come and say hello. The Conservatives don’t often let us attend but we might give it another shot.

I hope you get to have a good break over the summer - I’ll be back soon with details of our plans for the General Election and beyond.

Best wishes,

Naomi.