In 2021 we achieved something we've not achieved since 1993: winning two Parliamentary by-elections in the same year off the Conservatives. We start this new year with a larger Parliamentary Party than any of us would have dared dream of a year ago. (A winning run that has continued with the first council by-election of this year too - congratulations to now councillor Andrew Dunkin who won a seat from Labour from third place.)

Liberal Democrats won a stunning victory in North Shropshire, taking one of the Conservatives' safest seats.

Liberal Democrat candidate Helen Morgan received 17,957 votes, representing a swing of 34% from the Conservatives and giving her a majority of 5,925.

North Shropshire was the 58th safest Conservative seat in the country, with former Conservative MP Owen Paterson having a majority of almost 23,000 votes in 2019. This represents the second biggest majority overcome in a modern by-election, after Christchurch in 1993.

County Councillor Mark Watkin, Lib Dem spokesperson for Children's Services, has raised concerns about the Government's £3 million under funding of Herts County's high needs services for children with special needs.

Cllr Watkin said, "Hertfordshire receives the 4th lowest funding based on its population of any of the 160 English local authorities. Compared to the average local authority, this means each year it receives £3million less to fund its crucially needed SEND services including its special schools, its advisory services, its school-based special resources and funding for children to receive specialist support.

Liberal Democrats have and always will support public health protections that work but the use of so called "vaccine passports'' provides a false sense of security.

The Government has lost sight of why they put forward these measures in the first place - to reduce transmission of the virus. The vaccines being given in the UK are highly effective at reducing the severity of Covid symptoms, the likelihood of admission to hospital and against the risk of death. But even those who are fully vaccinated can still spread the virus.

I've often said history points to two routes for Liberal Democrat (and before that Liberal Party) revivals. One, which we'd much rather avoid, is a foreign disaster - Iraq, former Yugoslavia, Suez… The other is seizing electoral opportunities outside Westminster general elections to give us momentum, increased prominence and growing relevance.

The Liberal Democrat motion calling on Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) to take action to end Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), was debated and agreed at Cabinet Panel for Adult Care, Health and Wellbeing on Wednesday 8 December despite an attempt by leading Tories to weaken the message.

The Lib Dem motion seeks a number of actions to end the 'epidemic' of male violence against women and girls, in support of a call from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services for 'fundamental cross-system change'. Key amongst the requested actions is that the Leader of the Council calls on the Home Secretary and Prime Minister to declare Misogyny to be a Hate Crime and for Hertfordshire Police to record it as such. It also calls upon the Leader to ask the Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable for Hertfordshire what steps they are taking to review internal safeguarding and vetting procedures following the sentencing of a serving police officer on 30 September 2021.

The scenes of people trying to cross the Channel demand urgent action. They also show that the Government's approach isn't working.

in her two years as Home Secretary, Priti Patel has only made the problem worse."

These crossings are incredibly dangerous - as demonstrated so tragically by the deaths of 27 people when their dinghy sank two weeks ago. They line the pockets of the criminal gangs engaged in people smuggling and human trafficking. And they undermine public confidence in our whole immigration system.

Hertfordshire Liberal Democrats have hit out at County Council claims that their roads are in "Good Shape".

In March this year, the Lib Dems hit out as over 60 road resurfacing reconstruction schemes were cut from works due by the County Council.

The ruling Conservatives cut road improvement schemes (mainly on secondary side roads across Herts) and reduced the budget for such schemes by £2m in the next year and in each of the following three years, cutting £8m in total from the planned £37m spend up to 2025 - a cut of 22%.

Now the County Council has released figures showing that the number of such side roads in Hertfordshire that are in need of repair has nearly doubled since last year - increasing from 7% to 12%.

County Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst (Lib Dem Group Leader and Highways Spokesperson) said:

"The Conservatives claimed that our side roads had improved over recent years and said they did not need to spend this money as the roads were in such good condition. Residents knew this was not true and the facts now show that!"

"This is a kick in the teeth, not just for motorists but also for cyclists. The impact that will be felt by cyclists is particularly disappointing given that the County should be encouraging residents to change to more sustainable forms of transport"

The Liberal Democrats had proposed to restore this budget cut and increase spending on pavement repairs. They were voted down.

When I arrived in London as a teenager, Sir John Major was Prime Minister. I felt a connection with the City. My political views formed, firstly at university, and later whilst living in Islington. I joined the Liberal Democrats.

I was honoured to be elected as the Lead London Regional Diversity Champion. I continuously help to increase participation and engagement within our inclusion and diversity teams. I am vocal within Liberal Democrats Members to help represent those underrepresented in the UK Politics. In 2020 I founded the national BLAC Liberal Democrats (Blac Lives Action Committee) with the mission to make heard the voice of Black members within the Party.

Dear Lib Dem friends,

I know already you are as keen as I am to improve the experience of people from under-represented groups within the party, particularly people who are not White. May I
thank you now for your excellent attitude, for listening closely to my suggestions on what to do. The improvements are immediately noticeable. Please keep going.