Businesses with 500+ staff should be forced to reveal how they help employees with mental health issues if they fail to disclose the information voluntarily.

The Companies Act should be amended so employers have to report on workplace mental health.

Once again we’ve seen us winning a fantastic by-election victory, this time up in Chesterfield on 4 October, with Tony Rogers increasing our vote share to 47% and gaining the seat off Labour, proving that once again where we work hard and find strong local champions, we win. Tony and his team did everything needed to get our message out, find out where our supporters were, and then getting them out to vote on polling day. Congratulations to him and his team, and also to our other winners in local government by elections.

Recorded hate crimes are up 17% from last year, and have more than doubled in the last 4 years.

Racial hate crimes have increased 14% year on year, while those based on sexual orientation have risen a terrible 27%. Attacks on people based on religion, disability and transgender people have also risen year on year.

We must redouble our efforts to prevent hate crime, because its effects go well beyond physical harm to victims. It can inflict lasting psychological damage, divide communities and beget further violence.

The Liberal Democrats are therefore calling for the definition of ‘aggravated offences’ to be extended, so that it covers hate crimes motivated not only by racial or religious hatred, but also by hostility based on gender, sexual orientation and disability. That would send a clear message that no form of hate crime can be tolerated and ensure that all victims are properly protected.

This is not the Britain we believe in. Liberal Democrats will continue to fight against prejudice and discrimination, and ensure full equality and protection for people of all backgrounds and beliefs.

Kickstart is the name of the Association of Liberal Democrat Campaigners and Councillors (ALDC) residential campaign training weekend. It runs twice a year – in the summer and autumn.

Q – I’m sure being at the centre of a parliamentary by-election is impossibly exciting, but also busy, exhausting and overwhelming, with huge highs and lows. What stands out the most for you from the campaign?

A – It really was! But incredibly exciting at the same time. I had seen Liberal Democrats gear up for a by-election before, but until you are at the centre of it you really can’t appreciate the extent of the support, the enthusiasm and sheer hard work we do as a team to have these great results at by-election. Seeing Lib Dems come together and campaign together – that is definitely what stands out for me.