Your Latest Briefing from the Liberal Democrats. |  | For three years, the UK and our allies have stood united in defence of Ukraine. But with US President Donald Trump threatening to betray the Ukrainian people, the UK must step up and lead in Europe.
We’re glad that the government has committed to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence; something we’ve supported for years.
But cutting international development to pay for it damages our soft power and leaves a vacuum for Russia and China to fill. Instead, we propose increasing the Digital Services Tax on the profits of social media firms and other tech giants.
We’ve also urged the government to seize billions of pounds worth of frozen Russian assets to help pay for supporting Ukraine. We’re delighted that Alison Bennett MP secured a commitment from the Foreign Secretary to do so.
Calum Miller MP also secured assurances from the Prime Minister for cross-party talks to prepare for spending 3% of GDP on defence. But we’re also urging the government to go further and reverse the Conservatives’ cut of 10,000 troops. | | | | ⏲️ Est. reading time: 2 mins | Please show your support for Ukraine, democracy, and freedom, by sharing our message on social media: | | |
 | Record GP waits and other shocking health findings | Last week, the Liberal Democrats’ research and polling uncovered worrying data about the state of our health service: | | | The Conservatives’ neglect left the NHS in a terrible mess but Labour’s lack of ambition is holding back improvements.
The government's announcement this week that they have secured a new contract for GPs is simply not ambitious enough to fix the front door of our NHS and properly address these shocking waiting times.
We must do more.
Only the Liberal Democrats are committed to taking the bold actions required to fix the NHS and social care. | | | | ⏲️ Watch time: 2 mins | | | | ⏲️ Est. reading time: 4 mins | |
 | Standing up for social care | On Tuesday, Liberal Democrat MPs joined hardworking carers in Westminster to call on the government to scrap the employer’s national insurance hike on care providers and complete the social care review within a year.
We’re urging the government to be bolder and faster in fixing the social care crisis. Increasing the national insurance which care providers pay is counterproductive and taking at least another three years to complete the social care review is simply kicking the can down the road.
That same day, Liberal Democrat Peers had a huge win in support of carers. The House of Lords voted in favour of our amendment to exempt care providers, NHS GP practices, NHS dentists, and others from upcoming NI rises. We now need Labour in the House of Commons to listen and agree.
It’s time to give carers the support they need and deserve now. | | | |
 | Lib Dem win on Youth Mobility Scheme | We’ve been calling for a Youth Mobility Scheme with Europe for years so young people can work and travel across the continent. Last week, we were delighted that the government finally announced it’s considering such a scheme.
This would be a great step - not just for young people who will see their opportunities grow, but also for the country, helping to rebuild our relationship with Europe.
We’ll continue to hold the Government to account to make sure we get the best possible deal for young people here in the UK.
Show your support for the proposals by sharing them online: | | |
 February marked LGBT+ History Month, a time to learn about and celebrate the stories of LGBT+ people and the LGBT+ rights movement.
LGBT+ people have always been part of our societies, but often their stories are left untold or hidden.
This month is a chance to raise awareness, combat prejudice, and celebrate diversity. The Liberal Democrats will always champion the rights of all LGBT+ people, including all trans people.
Watch our Equalities Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP’s speech marking the month here: | |
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