Today is Windrush Day – where we acknowledge the outstanding economic, social, and cultural contribution the Windrush generation have made to the United Kingdom.

It feels fitting to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the HMT Empire Windrush in Britain nearly simultaneously with the NHS’s 75th birthday. The Windrush generation was instrumental in building the NHS, one of our country’s greatest achievements.

It’s just one example of how the Windrush generation has enriched our country – from culture and cuisine to the economy. Their hard work and determination helped to rebuild Britain in our time of need, and I am forever grateful.

But too many of them became the victims of the appalling Windrush Scandal at the hands of the Home Office. People who have every right to live in the UK were wrongly denied access to NHS treatment, housing and other services simply because they didn’t have the right documents to prove it. Innocent people were made homeless, detained and even deported.

The Conservative Government should be working tirelessly to right the wrongs of this country’s treatment of people who have given so much to us.

But let’s be clear – this scandal is nowhere near over.  Only one in four applicants to the Windrush compensation scheme have received payments, with some people even tragically passing away before they can receive their compensation.

Yet now, we are hearing that Suella Braverman is considering scrapping vital recommendations from the Windrush Lessons Learned review. Conservative ministers seem disturbingly determined to repeat their past mistakes. 

This anniversary is both a celebration and a sobering reminder that here in the UK, far too many people’s lives are still blighted by discrimination, inequality and injustice.

So Liberal Democrats will keep campaigning to abolish the Conservatives’ cruel and discriminatory Hostile Environment, and end the disproportionate use of Stop and Search. 

And we will keep working to combat racism – whether conscious or unconscious, individual or institutional – wherever we find it.

As we honour the legacy of the Windrush generation, we owe it to them to stand up to bigotry, hate and injustice. I hope you will join me in this fight. 

The Liberal Democrats have unveiled local councillor Emma Holland-Lindsay as their candidate for the upcoming Mid Bedfordshire by-election. 

Emma grew up in Bedfordshire and lives locally, and is currently councillor on Central Bedfordshire Council representing Leighton Buzzard. Emma is a member of the senior leadership team at a nationwide women’s charity and has previously worked for national disability charities. 

Her by-election campaign will focus on local health services starved of Government funding. Local people are unable to see a GP after a surge in housebuilding and no new investment in health services.

In recent days, betting companies Ladbrokes and Betfred have both declared the Liberal Democrats as favourite to win, with Labour a distant third.

The Liberal Democrats have proven to be the best challengers against the Conservative party in Bedfordshire. The party made major gains in May to oust the Conservative party from controlling Central Bedfordshire, and have also run Bedford Borough Council for almost two decades. The constituency is also neighboured by Liberal Democrat MPs including Sarah Green, winner of the Chesham and Amersham by-election, where Ed Davey famously knocked down the Blue Wall.

Millions of people care for loved ones, doing everything from day-to-day physical caring, washing, dressing and feeding for those who cannot care for themselves, to things like shopping for a housebound elderly relative.

Yet far too many unpaid carers go without adequate support and struggle to balance caring responsibilities and work. 

The Carer’s Leave Bill is a first step to providing greater support. It will allow carers to take time off work to manage caring responsibilities.

The Bill will give an estimated 2.4 million carers across the UK a statutory right to take five days of unpaid leave per year, helping carers to better balance work and care.

The Bill was introduced by Liberal Democrat MP Wendy Chamberlain last June and has been shepherded through the House of Lords by Lib Dem Chris Fox.

Today the Bill passed it’s final parliamentary stage and will soon become law.

The law will have benefits for employers too. Many businesses already provide a version of Carer’s Leave to their staff and report reduced recruitment costs, and improved retention and wellbeing.

Today is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

It gives us an important opportunity to acknowledge the violence and discrimination that too many LGBT+ people face, and reflect on what we can do to help change it.

I’m proud of the role Liberal Democrats have played in delivering that change over the years. From being the first party to openly oppose the abhorrent Section 28, to our tireless efforts in getting the Same Sex Marriage Act passed. 

Milestones like these are not only important policies that take us closer to achieving equal rights. They help shift social attitudes, too. People are becoming more accepting of the LGBT+ community – which is vital for stamping out homophobia, transphobia and biphobia in all its forms.

But we cannot get complacent.

Discrimination against LGBT+ people is still far too commonplace in the UK – particularly against the trans community. We’re even seeing this at the hands of the Conservative Government, who have dithered and delayed on important progress like gender recognition reform and banning conversion therapy. 

And with trans hate crimes on the rise, we are seeing too clearly the harmful effects this rhetoric can have on our society.

LGBT+ rights mustn’t be taken for granted. The fight for equality must go on.

So today, my message to the LGBT+ community is clear. I support you. I stand with you. And I will keep fighting for the rights of the entire LGBT+ community, until true equality is achieved.