Scubaguy strides onto the stage, wearing much the same ensemble as his previous address at this Conference, but with a navy-blue tie as opposed to an orange one. He has retained the Liberal Democrat Dove and Union Flag pins on his lapel.

Scubaguy: Conference - Hello.

What a pleasure it is to stand here, and I must admit I did not foresee this day coming as quickly as it has. As many of you have known for a while now, due to both my resignation as leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats and due to the announcement by my friend and colleague /u/rea-wakey, I am leaving the position of Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Every person who enters politics knows it must come to an end eventually. Some have resigned in triumph, after a period of transforming the nation that may be long or it may have been short. In the history of the United Kingdom, we’ve seen countless instances of both, from the bitter-sweet resignation of Clement Atlee in 1951, to the disgraced departure of Anthony Eden’s ministry. I would hope that my departure from frontline politics will rank me with the likes of Charles Kennedy and that I do not merely fade into obscurity.

I would hope that my various achievements whilst holding a position within the Liberal Democrats, within a British Government and within two Scottish Governments will lay plain my record and my commitment to this Country. Under my Leadership of the Ministry of Defence, we undertook the most thorough review of British Military commitments worldwide since 2010, paving the way for a truly global Britain, and an Armed Forces that will remain one of the most advanced in the world. We worked extremely hard on that piece of work and I am immensely proud of it.

I am equally extremely proud of leading the first progressive Scottish Government in 4 terms. As I spoke about in my earlier speech, the sunset of that Government was less than glamorous. Alas, it is out of my hands now, as will be a great many things come the morning.

I have many people to thank, both in and out of the Liberal Democrats. Though he is now well retired, I have to thank my continuing friend /u/NorthernWomble for helping me get started, for giving me a leg-up into the then-Scottish Government, and for being a confidant and source of advice throughout. I would also like to thank /u/SapphireWork. Though we have clashed, particularly around this time last year, and she knows why, I’m glad we’ve weathered the storm and remained friends.

Another person to thank is /u/a1fie335, who is another person I initially clashed with and, confession time, seriously considered pursuing a Vote of No Confidence in his leadership.

Crowd gasps with some nervous laughter.

Scubaguy: [With a Smile and a grimmace] I’m leaving, I don’t care.

Nevertheless, after a bit of time and a few several hours-long discussions, myself and A1fie settled into a partnership, that saw us weather through a Government that was tough on both us and the Party, as well as fighting an election to the best of our ability.

I’d like to finally mention the incumbent leader /u/rea-wakey, who has quickly become a good friend of mine also. His maturity and can-do attitude has been a breath of fresh air to the Party, and, not to disparage his predecessor, has clearly been exactly what the Party needed. That being said, it must surely be no secret by now that I’d have liked to have finished my tenure in Politics sitting in his chair. But I am confident I am leaving the Party in no safer hands.

There are people I haven’t mentioned. Please don’t be offended if your name hasn’t come up here. I will neither confirm nor deny that it was intentional.

I shall be retiring to the Lords for the foreseeable future, where I will show up for tea, cakes, and the occasional vote when time allows. Hope to see you all there.

And in case I don’t see ya, Good afternoon, good evening and goodnight.

Thank you.

Scubaguy steps back, and appreciates the gentle applause. He takes a slight bow, then walks off the stage. Off to the side, he is seen taking a handkerchief from his blazer pocket and wiping a tear from his eye.

Scubaguy194 greets the crowd at the ExCel Centre in London, smiling warmly as he strides out onto the stage. He has opted to speak without a dais, instead choosing to present directly to the crowd. He is wearing a plain navy blue suit, with an orange tie, and a liberal democrat dove and a union jack pin on his lapel.

Good evening conference!

I hope you had a wonderful day experiencing all the things we’ve had to offer, and that you enjoyed the speeches from yesterday.

Today’s speeches will include a warm address from one of our newest party members, and our new deputy leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, /u/frostwalker2017, and an address from the Press Officer, Metesbilge. Both of these individuals I count as my friends, I’ve watched them work diligently throughout their careers and I hope to see much more of what they have to offer.

I’d have loved to stand here and talk all about what has been achieved in Scotland, both by my predecessor in that role /u/NorthernWomble, and myself. Indeed, in the space of about 18 months, we’ve built a party up from being the minor party with a handful of seats in a coalition with the Scottish Libertarians and the Scottish Conservatives to taking a leading role in a Government, holding Bute House and several key ministries in the first broad left coalition Scotland has seen since the Scottish Greens’ heyday. To achieve this, and to become the second-largest party in Holyrood is an immense achievement. I am proud of every person who has helped make this a reality. Being the first-ever Scottish Liberal Democrat First Minister was an immense privilege. My only apology is that we did not achieve more during my tenure as leader. Alas with the current turmoil that the Scottish political scene currently finds itself in due to factors beyond our control, it would seem premature to blow my own trumpet. I’m not going to grovel and make apologies, but my hope is that with new leadership in the form of my good friend /u/Comped, the Scottish Liberal Democrats will continue to go upwards in the world, to continue to beat back the now weakening Scottish Conservative Party, and look to work with friends and colleagues across the broad-centre for a more progressive and more equal Scotland.

I’d like to also talk about the reason why I entered Scottish politics and politics in general. I believe passionately in Britain’s place in the world as one of the foremost liberal democracies. Liberalism was born in England and has thrived across the UK, shaping English and Scottish law. It is my firm belief that it is this shared bond of liberal values, of the plucky British spirit, that makes England and Scotland the masterful partnership it has always has been. The Union is something that is incredibly important to me as a Liberal Democrat, and it is my hope that the over 300-year-old bond between our nations shall continue for 300 years more.

Thank you everyone for listening. I hope you enjoy the rest of the conference, and I shall see you again in a couple of days time.

Good evening,

Today we wrap up Lib Dem conference and to my fellow party members, I hope you have all enjoyed it. I am thankful for those who have had confidence me to succeed as leader and whilst it was a close competition, I do hope that I will win over those who did not see me as their preferred leader - only together can we sustain our platform as a voice for liberalism. Not that we should find ourselves pursuing an aggressively neoliberal dogma, nor should we find ourselves pushing too far for more collectivist measures. There are merits to policies from the broad divide within liberalism, and we shouldn’t find ourselves pushing too far to one or the other to find that we alienate members to seek refuge in other parties, whether it be labour or otherwise.

Yes, I may be a neoliberal, that is evident by my voting record and my speeches in the Commons and in press. It is an identity that I do not reject and in every sense believe that it is a Moniker for my vision for a liberal nation and world - and that those who do have neoliberal beliefs within the party should not be ashamed to describe it as it is, rather than see it as a term synonymous with market fundamentalism or dogma. Likewise for those who have social democratic policies and whose beliefs may align them as Social Liberals should not be afraid to say as such. Within this party there are Georgists, there are those who align with more European Christian Democracy, there are those who have previously sought anarchism as a logical conclusion to the preservation of civil liberties. No matter, they should be welcome within the party, as we agree on the desire for radical and liberal reform. That liberalism flourishes where we empower communities through the enshrinement and augmentation of individual rights, and bring back control from central government to the individual to improve the communities we all partake in. That, despite our differences, is a core tenet of the liberal tradition this party represents, as a rejection of centralised and controlled rhetoric from both wings, and serves as the foundation of our modern society.

I am placing a strong emphasis on communities, and there is no community that I feel a stronger attachment to than that of this party. 8 months ago, I came to this party - disgruntled about how I saw the Classical Liberals progress and their loss of touch between leadership and membership. That the leadership did not necessarily have the best strategy to addressing Northern Ireland’s Executive at that time, the one I led alongside Ka4bi and Trevism, in the midst of the fall of Sunrise. And for the vast majority of the time for those 8 months, I have had the pleasure of being your deputy leader, as a deputy when our party was at its lowest and it was the work of our party members of the time that pulled us together and ensured that the voice of liberalism was not lost to this nation. Now, Alliance may seem different with its adopted platform of self designation, and I have continued personally to uphold the spirit of Alliance in that we should put improvement of Northern Ireland above questions over its constitutional future. There are members in our party that do have different feelings, and it is that freedom we now grant, and it remains to be seen if this is effective in our communication to the electorate that inspire of our different beliefs, we are united on a platform to improve. In many ways this is similar to the internal coalition we hold within liberalism UK wide, that despite different views we hold a vision to be the voice for liberal reform and ensure that voice never comes close to extinction again.

I shall be opening up nominations for Deputy Leader to replace myself from when I conclude this speech and shall issue a timetable for nominations + procedure later this evening. I would hope that the nature of this election would be decided by its candidates, rather than a request for it to be a public or private affair, in spite of how this week has played out. I ask those who might be interested , of all different experiences, to give it a good shot, since you never know how things would turn out otherwise. Experience is gained only by trying, we are all new at some point of our lives, arguably we are a new person after each passing event. Don’t let unfamiliarity define your decision here!

I thank /u/Randomman44 and /u/RickCall123 - both executive members and my opponents in this past week. My commiserations have been conveyed privately and now we agree to set back to work on picking up on the vision we have.

I also thank /u/thechattyshow , my predecessor and a dear friend during my time serving under him. I have never been one for sentimentalities but he’s been there to support myself and many of our members throughout his tenure and it is hard for me to quantify the pride and respect I have towards him for his work. There isn’t anything I’d change about the time we have spent in the party executive and I know that I have big shoes to fill, but I hope I can be supportive and decisive as he has demonstrated for us during his tenure.

And to all of our party members, thank you for sticking around for this man in a world of his own rambling and sticking with the party even at its lowest. We may not be the largest party in the Commons or in the polls, but as long as we foster a kind party environment and ensure our message for liberalism is heard, I don’t think there is much that would make me happier. To see young and upcoming members engage with our policy and with each other is the thing that is the result of the successes of my predecessor. I hope that my tenure does not change that at all, and only strengthens that bond I see when I arrive for business on the daily. This conference has been a great manifestation of that , and for the events that come after I finish, I hope these words ring true, now and moving forward.

Thank you all,

And nominations for Liberal Democrat Deputy Leadership Election is now open!

Good evening everyone. My name is /u/SapphireWork, and I am your spokesperson for Home Affairs and Justice, and I also shadow the Secretary for Equalities. I am delighted to be here in Brighton for my first conference as an elected MP, and I am honoured to be addressing you this evening.

I would like to begin by extending congratulations to our newly elected leader, /u/CountBrandenburg. You have an impressive track record here with the Liberal Democrats, and I look forward to learning from you and to getting to know you better in the coming months. I’m sure I speak for all of us when I say it will be a pleasure to see the party grow under your leadership. I would also like to thank /u/thechattyshow for his service to the party as leader- I may not have been here long but one does not have to be to see the tremendous impact you have had on the Liberal Democrats. I would also like to extend thanks to /u/Randomman44 and everyone else on the conference team- this has been a fantastic few days that I am sure we will all remember.

While we are here celebrating our success in the Devolved election, our recent surge of new members and our increase in the polls, in the back of our minds we cannot forget that the last few weeks have been a tumultuous time in the world. We have seen protests and violence erupt globally. We have seen our government argue against a motion aimed at providing support to the Black Live Matter movement. We have seen our official opposition lost in cabinet reshuffle after reshuffle. We have seen new motions and bills proposed that will further set back our immigration policies, and our quest for fair and equitable justice. In Westminster, we have seen how divided our parliament truly is on very important issues. Now, more than ever, the United Kingdom needs the kind of sensible and balanced leadership that only the Liberal Democrats can provide. We are the better choice for government because we will work to make things better.

We will work to make immigration better. We must reject the points based system that simply is not practical and does not work. Our country is a haven, and we need the support of our immigrant population to function. We need a real solution for allowing people to enter our country and make it their home.

We will continue to do better than the current administration is supporting our minorities. It was the Liberal Democrats who made the motion to support the Black Live Matter movement and to review our policies and use of force. It was the Liberal Democrats who introduced an amendment to include BAME history in all schools. It was the Liberal Democrats who were the first party to publicly celebrate Pride Month. I am proud to be a Liberal Democrat, and we will never stop fighting for equality.

It is clear that the Liberal Democrats are the choice for a better United Kingdom. Tonight we celebrate our achievements, but we also renew our resolve to continue our important work and to do all we can to work together to achieve success, not just for ourselves, but for the entire nation. I thank you again for the honour of being your Spokesperson, and for being invited to address you this evening.

By /u/SapphireWork.

Good evening Conference!

It is a pleasure to speak to you today, both as your Environment Spokesperson and as your Deputy Leader. Today, I wish to discuss the Liberal Democrats’ role in leading the way towards a sustainable United Kingdom.

Before I do so, I wish to congratulate /u/CountBrandenburg on being elected as our new Leader. He is an amazing asset for our party, and I’m glad that I will be serving as Deputy Leader under his tenure. I’d also like to thank both /u/rickcall123 and /u/CountBrandenburg for being great opponents in an incredible leadership race - although I didn’t win as I had hoped, now is the time to unite around our new Supreme Leader, uniting around the Liberal Democrat cause.

Conference, our recent merger with the Green Party has allowed us to take bold steps towards environmentalism, and I am glad that we can all work together to tackle the effects of Climate Change. As stated in our last manifesto, we are committed to carbon-neutrality in the UK by 2027, and we will not shy away from this pledge. Our planet is suffocating - we must do all we can to help it.

Of course, any transition to a carbon-neutral society would require monumental change - in this case, we must turn an entire country towards renewable energy in 7 years. To facilitate this, we will aim to continue the use of nuclear energy, eventually phasing it out when the UK’s energy mix allows us to.

Moving on, the Liberal Democrats have even more radical plans to create a sustainable society. Looking at the example of Ontario, Canada, we will seek to implement an Environmental Bill of Rights - this will allow the public to be notified on environmentally-significant projects, as well as allowing the public to sue over environmentally-harmful projects.

Conference, our ambitious plans for sustainability stretch into the realm of transportation also. This party will be supporting light rail networks in both Leeds and Belfast. We understand that residents of these cities struggle with poor and inefficient transportation systems, instead having to rely heavily on cars. These light rail networks will seek to reduce car usage, and in effect, the carbon emissions that are created by vehicles.

Finally, Conference, I must remind you of our previous successes in government. We have protected Peat Bogs in England. We have regulated the use of insecticides. We have even banned the sale of new fossil-fuel powered buses and taxis, which comes into effect at the end of this year. However, we must continue to do more - and we will. We will be radical - we will ban the sale of new fossil-fuel powered cars by 2025 at the earliest. Transportation is the most polluting sector in the UK - banning fossil-fuel powered vehicles will help create a greener country.

Conference, I’m proud to be part of a party that seeks to lead the way on the environment. I’m proud that we want to do more to protect our planet. Above all, however, I’m proud to be a Liberal Democrat. In our party song, The Land, the chorus ends with "God gave the land to the people!" - we, as Liberal Democrats, will do all we can to protect our precious land - the land.

Thank you, and congratulations to /u/CountBrandenburg on being elected as Leader!

By /u/Randomman44.

Welcome to the last day of the Liberal Democrat Conference 2020! Here is the remaining schedule for today:

• 6:05 - /u/SapphireWork, Spokesperson for Home Affairs and Justice, will deliver a speech.
• 6:10 - Our newly-elected Supreme Leader, /u/CountBrandenburg, will close the Conference with a Keynote Speech.
• 6:20 - Conference will finish with a members-only Reception.

Good people of the Liberal Democrats, how are we today!

It is so great to be here in Brighton and especially good considering the excellent weather we've been having lately. To be celebrating next to the ocean is a real treat. I'd also like to apologize for the delay in my arrival, I had some business to attend to in Westminster. However, it's great to be here now.

We've come a long way as a country and as a party since I was Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrats, and I couldn't be more proud of the work that has gone into accomplishing that.

I'd like to start by extending my most sincere congratulations to Thechattyshow for his excellent second stint as Leader of the Liberal Democrats. In the darkest of hours, he and /u/Estoban06 were able to rise to the occasion and do some great things for our party during their tenure. At the end of the road, we've become more passionate, dedicated, and energized than ever before with an excellent crop of new members who have great promise to do extraordinary things and an impressive roster of members who have awoken from the retirement homes to lend hands to this liberal project. Some I would like to especially mention are /u/SapphireWork, our new Spokesperson for Home Affairs and Justice, /u/NorthernWomble, the Education Man, and Kef, our new Scottish Leader, among others. Together we will continue as the great positive force in British politics.

For our party, this term has certainly been an interesting one full of accomplishments and setbacks.

The "Clegg Coalition" between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative Party exemplified everything that a government should be: pragmatic, effective, and positive. In parliament, the coalition made great strides while working across the aisle with wide-ranging political forces to accomplish efforts such as the Budget, championed by the great Model-Saunders, that made taxes fairer, invested in people's health and education, and got the rare backing from one /u/Jgm0228. While the opposition played petty games, we did the real work for the people of this country.

That isn't to say that everything has been accomplished. Going forward, we need to ensure Liberal Democrat presence in future governments to tackle the issues going forward head-on.

A great example of this that will be especially relevant next term that's near and dear to my heart as the former Minister of State for Exiting the European Union and as our party's Trade and Brexit Spokesperson is the upcoming trade deal and negotiations on our future relationship. It's no surprise to anyone here today for me to tell you that I love the European Union. However, in our party's project of pro-Europeanism and globalism, going forward we must be realistic about how we apply these principles. On our future relationship with the EU, we must aim to be as close to Europe as possible while respecting the results of the two referendums. We should work hard to guarantee the maximum possible access to the European market and new markets around the world so that British business and the British people can thrive. A failure to do that would have massive consequences for the British public and our economy and we cannot give up until we are satisfied with our position in knowing that Britain will continue to have great ties with Europe going forward.

We must work hard, we must work smart, we must be positive, we must be pragmatic and I know that we can be all of these things. With the Liberal Democrats, the liberal project is safe.

I'd like to thank the Conference organizers for pressuring me to give this speech but also for their great work at organizing this conference. It truly has been a pleasure.

o7

By /u/TheNoHeart

Good evening conference! It’s a real honour to speak to you all today after a day of warm weather in Brighton, and I’m excited to talk to you about a topic we all rely on every single day – Transport!

It’s great to see thousands of Lib Dem members and supporters here with us today, having travelled from all over the country on every imaginable mode of transportation. I’m willing to bet that those of you who took the train down today were faced with packed carriages, delayed trains, and overpriced fares. Those of you who drove here today will have experienced the poor state of our roads, the pollution from our motorways, and a road network designed for the 19th century. And those of you who cycled here today will have only come from a short distance away, yet still faced unsafe infrastructure and cities designed not for people but for machines.

All things considered, Brighton is a relatively safe city to cycle in, with relatively common cycle infrastructure and safe cycleways, but I live in London. Although we have made improvements to our cycle infrastructure in the UK, through the implementation of Dutch-style bus stops and the building of more cycleways, cycling in the UK is not seen as a viable and safe option for many commuters. If we want to tackle the climate crisis, we need to get people out of their cars and onto their bikes!

That’s why I’m proud to announce the Liberal Democrats are working on our manifesto commitment to reform cycle laws in the UK, and we’re not stopping there. In a bill that promises to be my magnum opus, we will be completely rethinking the way we design and build roads in the UK to be more in line with the Dutch standards of road building. We’re seeing more and more local authorities taking it upon themselves to make these changes themselves – I saw a great innovation for pedestrians the other day whilst walking in Bloomsbury, a pavement at a T-junction which didn’t end where the roads met, but continued at the same height across the junction. We need a national effort to make little changes like these! These small changes to the way we build roads have a big impact in creating spaces which are ‘owned’ by pedestrians and cyclists, not motorists, and where different types of traffic are safely able to travel without dangerous interactions at roundabouts and road crossings.

Now conference, I know this might not seem like the most exciting of policy announcements, but it’s a step in the right direction towards a safer and more environmentally friendly UK, and proof that a Liberal Democrat government in Westminster will build on these reforms and provide our pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and public transport users with clean, safe, and efficient transport.

By /u/ohprkl

Good evening Conference!

It is our pleasure to unveil the new Liberal Democrats website. This site aims to make information about who we are and what we are doing easily accessible to everyone. Our site includes updates on our policies, information about our members, and the latest Liberal Democrat party news, all with our highly recognizable flair for style and design. Whether you are new to politics, and want to learn about our policies and how to join the party as a new member, or have been a member for years, and want to find our latest manifesto or press release, there is something for everyone on the site. The site is now live and can be found at: https://sites.google.com/view/mhoclibdem/.

By /u/SapphireWork.

Moving on, Day 2's schedule is as follows:

• 6:05 - The Spokesperson for Finance, International Trade and Cybersecurity, Innovation and SPACE FORCE, /u/TheNoHeart, will give a speech.
• 6:10 - The Spokesperson for Employment and Transport, /u/ohprkl, will be the last person to give a speech on Day 2.
• 6:15 - A members-only discussion on updating the Liberal Democrat Constitution will commence.
• 6:30 - Day 2 of Conference will finish with a members-only Cocktail Hour and Reception.

Good evening Conference,

This has been one of my proudest months in politics. I’m proud to be able to represent the proud constituency of Orkney in Holyrood. I’m proud to be the Education Spokesperson for the finest party on these shores and I’m proud of having the honour of being able to speak to you here today.

Education in Britain is being left to rot. Academisation has created vast inefficiencies all in the name of privatisation through the back-door.

Now unlike every other party’s Education Spokesperson, I am someone who worked in education. I have seen on the coalface the damage and disease this fatal experiment has brought to our children’s education and I say no more.

Already we are starting to make changes. We have brought forward a motion to make sure that school uniforms are truly affordable to all. We have pushed forward legislation to ensure the history we teach our children is not riddled with colonial dominance but one that properly introduces the historical role BAME people have played in building this compassionate Liberal society. We have introduced legislation to ensure that the technology students need to succeed in a 21st century world has been provided should they be unfortunate enough to not be able to afford it.

These are changes that I know the Liberal Democrats are proud to push to the fore. But we must also recognise that we must do more.

The Liberal Democrats are going to radically reform the selective education system. Now I know that some of you think this is a political third rail; yet the flaws in this system can be dealt with. A Liberal Democrat-led government will introduce a phase system, so that students can move between Grammar Schools, Comprehensive Schools and Universal Technical Colleges freely at the establishment's recommendation. This will be backed up with appropriate reforms of our qualification and exam system: ensuring that students receive the best style of education that they need to go and be successful in our society.

I also recognise that we must adequately train our teachers to provide the best education they can, but also ensure the work they do does not result in burn-out. Our system does nothing to protect our teachers with record numbers leaving the profession after just one or two years. This must stop.

The Liberal Democrats will reform teacher training. We will support our teachers by providing a salary to those undergoing training. We should not charge teachers to train when they will be providing a tireless service to our children and this country's future.

Once these teachers are trained, we will protect them. We will increase school budgets, so that teachers can be given more PPA time across the board: giving them more free time to prepare exciting lessons, provide good feedback and the headspace they need to ensure our brightest minds get the best results.

Conference, these reforms will ensure we provide a world class education for future generations. A Liberal Democrat government in Westminster is the only way we will provide the education our children deserve.

Thank you.

By /u/northernwomble

This is the last speech for Day 1 of the Liberal Democrat Conference 2020. We'll be back tomorrow evening for more speeches on Day 2!

Good evening,

Rest assured that I am indeed alive and that I am still in politics, just that certain political… administrations has required me to remain mostly politically neutral for the past month or so. I am comfortable in passing on the contents of this speech from a party perspective however, and thus in my role as foreign and defence policy Spokesperson would like to welcome you again to Lib Dem conference.

We have seen an explosive few months on the foreign policy stage, and whilst the world in the past few weeks has undoubtedly, perhaps unfortunately been drawn to the United States, we perhaps should remember that our foreign policy should not have dialogue with our US allies over their internal situation take precedence over our activism and diplomacy on a global stage. I trust with LPUK’s motion passing that this is the sort of attitude that the Foreign Secretary takes, and I should not dwell on it in that respect.

Indeed, we should look to authoritarian crackdowns on rights. Yes, we have made great progress on citizenship accessibility with the Conservatives on visa reform, but there is a matter of more when we look to the crackdown on autonomy in Hong Kong by the PRC. We can certainly provide a pathway to citizenship and a Right to Abode for those from Hong Kong who would be eligible for BN(o) status alongside their dependents and I would hope in any policy that is proposed would further enhance the aid we can stretch towards people of Hong Kong, that could hopefully extend to all those who want to. Whilst there is the unilateral component for the change in immigration, there is a need for us to work with our allies to address China in the long term.

The topic of Myanmar as liberals remains fresh on our minds, in ever growing pressure due to the liability of Genocidal actions, but the discrimination of Rohinga and other ethnic minorities goes far deeper than recent years. Ever since the nation’s independence, the government has sought to prioritise its culture and its way of life of that of its majority Bamar people, with little regards to recognition or provision for civil society for the vast numbers of smaller ethnic groups, including the Rohinga. It is well noted that Rohinga are not recognised as citizens and are simply seem as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and that their fundamental rights to movement are restricted only to permits, while camps even within Myanmar enshrine the segregated nature that has been thrust onto communities.

The question of course remains: how should we tackle it? It is up to the international community to uphold basic rights as human beings of those living without representation or citizenship recognition in Myanmar and work on a multilateral basis to continue pressure on Myanmar so that basic civilian rights are granted to those living without. Responsibility to Protect has been fairly limited over the years because of Chinese cooperation with Myanmar over infrastructure, and military intervention under international terms to protect at this stage would be infeasible due to perceptions of equating such humanitarian demand with neo-imperialist paternalism. As someone who could have seen suggestions for humanitarian intervention, the political will globally and balance of power means we must stick to maximising our economic pressure against these crimes of persistent ethnic cleansing, unless there is a tide of change that means this is no longer the most effective stance we can take.

I shall leave it here since you will hear from me again during conference, and thank you.

By /u/CountBrandenburg

The Liberal Democrats have always struggled to keep a foothold in the Scottish Parliament. While the national constituencies of Lothian and Fife and Highland and Grampian have stayed reliably liberal, our party was kicked out of the devolved legislature in November, and struggled in polls for half a year thereafter. By examining the faults in our strategy then, and what we did to achieve representation during the campaign period, it can tell us a lot about what we can do as a party to garner support and enthusiasm from an electorate in the future.

The most integral part of communicating a message to voters is having a focused platform as a springboard for policy. Our slogan ‘A Union of Equals’ fundamentally adhered to the principles of unionism, egalitarianism and individual liberty. This message was furthermore deeply embedded in the limited but ambitious proposals we are seeking to implement currently, with a few highlights being our pledge to make a larger range of housing available to be bought tax-free, investing in alcohol and drug treatment centres and banning microbeads in consumer products.

This was another aspect of our campaign which really managed to build trust with our voters. We didn’t pretend as if we were going to be winning a majority in the last election, and by making promises which could be retained in a coalition, we have so far seemingly kept our polling steady. I believe that this is an important attitude for any small party to take, and it is something reflected by the national leadership. If we have suffered losses, we do not throw everything at the wall in order to take it back, but we rather take slow and steady steps and attempt to engage in a relationship with the public. We have entered government now, and I can hope that this strategy will prove worthwhile as we press on with making our ideas a reality.

By /u/ka4bi

Hello everyone!

Whether this is your first conference, or you’ve been attending for a while, it is a pleasure to see you here in beautiful Brighton. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed when my personal preference of Fair Isle was not chosen for our conference location, but Brighton has been absolutely fantastic.

It’s been a massive honour being leader of the party. It’s been an absolute blast, and this party has seen a major change. It is like the i360 located here, in Brighton. Sure, we have had a few issues along the way, but now we are able to rise. We are able to see with clarity. Whilst other parties are dogged by infighting, toxicity and incompetence, the Liberal Democrats have risen above it all and provided a clear alternative to the bitter politics.

This conference will be a blast, and a massive thank you must go out to everyone who has been planning this conference. We are incredibly lucky to have you around, I cannot wait. And at the end of it all, we will have a new leader! How exciting!

Use this time to have fun, listen to people, and rest. Then, when we get back to Westminster, Holyrood and Stormont, use what you have learnt here this weekend to create positive change in your communities.

Have a good conference!

By /u/thechattyshow

Good evening Conference!

Welcome to Day 1 of the Liberal Democrat Conference 2020, located in sunny Brighton! This is sure to be an exciting time for our party, with many speeches, and of course, the election of our next Leader! Without further ado, here is the schedule for Day 1 of the Lib Dem Conference 2020:

• 6:05 - The outgoing Leader of the Liberal Democrats, /u/thechattyshow, will give a Keynote Speech.
• 6:10 - /u/ka4bi shall be giving a speech as Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
• 6:15 - Our Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Defence, /u/CountBrandenburg, shall be making a speech.
• 6:20 - In a slight change to the schedule, our Spokesperson for Education, /u/northernwomble, will be the final speaker for the evening. Those wishing to hear /u/ohprkl will have the opportunity to do so tomorrow.
• 6:30 - Day 1 of Conference shall conclude with a Members-Only Cocktail Hour and Networking Reception.

As you can see, we have an exciting line-up of speakers for this evening. Before we do hear from our Leader, however, we shall recite the Chattyshow prayer:

Our /u/thechattyshow in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your liberalness come, your will be done, on the Reddit Liberal Democrats as it is in the MHoC. Give us this day our daily Canadians, and forgive us our NubBank loans, as we also have forgiven our defectors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from Labour. Amen.

/u/randomman44 has been elected the new Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, replacing the space left by /u/jellycow99 last week. We would like to congratulate Salmon on his victory, and offer commiserations to /u/model-saunders and /u/HollaIfYouHearMe1 on a well-fought Deputy Leader election.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Members of the Liberal Democrat Treasury team were conducting research regarding the Broadright Budget, its effect on the economy, and the effectiveness of the current Government's fiscal strategy. Unfortunately, due to an abuse of power within a press organisation of note, Labour MP /u/ThePootisPower stole some of this information and re-papered it within one of his parliamentary questions without permission or credit. The Liberal Democrats are disappointed that a member of the Labour Party's frontbench has exhibited poor ethical conduct in his position.

Not only did this information go out through unethical means, it went out incorrectly. The Labour MP incorrectly claims that the Bank of England's forecast relies upon a surplus rather than a deficit.

-- /u/TheNoHeart & /u/marsouins

In January, I was absolutely blessed to be elected Leader of the Liberal Democrats. It took quite a while to get there, but with patience, determination and work, I eventually accomplished a lifelong goal of mine.

However, since then, despite my best efforts, and undying help and assistance from our Exec team, we have slipped. The first election was a manageable slip, but tonight's polling confirms both a comprehensive fall and my decision to resign as Leader of the Liberal Democrats.

I don't want to dwell on the negatives, but I must apologise to my party, the Lib Dems. I'm sorry for not stemming our losses, for not making gains, nd for not being the leader we needed.

But of course, there have been countless positives to being Leader and my considerable time as Deputy Leader. I've made fantastic friends, mentors and allies, and had my fair share of arguments and debates too.

To my past Exec members I've been lucky enough to work with since joining - /u/RickCall12, /u/thenoheart, /u/wakeyRKO, /u/KernowRydh, /u/disclosedoak, /u/Wagbo_, /u/bloodycontrary and /u/m1cha3lm - I learned so much from you all.

To the current Exec - /u/JellyCow99, /u/el_raymondo and /u/Vladthelad123 - thank you all for your unwavering help and determination, and I wish you all the best going forward, and if you ever need me, I'm only a message away.

To the ever faithful, optimistic and supportive Lib Dems - thank you for aiding me through this journey right from when I first joined to tonight. But its time to pass the torch now, and I look forward to stepping out of the limelight for the first time in almost 2 years, and helping blood the next generation.

Thank you all.

As of the 13th of June, CDocwra's membership of the Lib Dems has been revoked, under section 2.3.2 of the constitution, for actions bringing the party into disrepute.

On a personal note, CDocwra was a wonderful politician to have as a member, both at Westminster and Holyrood. It is a disappointment of mine that his membership of the Liberal Democrats has ended in such a way, but I wish him all the best in the future.

Estoban06

At midnight, the vote on the Liberal Democrat-Classical Liberal merger closed, and the leadership of both parties is very happy to announce that it has been accepted. The co-leader of the new party, Estoban06, had this to say from the doors of his home.

“I am immensely pleased to see this proposal accepted by both components of the new party. We are hereby declaring the name of the party to be ‘Change UK’, and we hope to work together for the good of liberalism and pragmatism across the country. We will be releasing a full party platform in the coming days, and hope that voters from both sides will be able to support our new endeavour. To change!”

Voting has now closed for the next Party President of the Liberal Democrats.

16 verified votes were cast. Therefore, the quota is 9 votes.

ROUND ONE

• /u/CDocwra: 10
• /u/vladthelad123: 6
• RON: 0

Therefore, exceeding the quota in the first round of voting, /u/CDocwra shall serve as the next Party President of the Liberal Democrats. Congratulations!

#New Deputy Leaders of the Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats held an internal Deputy Leadership election mandated by the Constitution. The candidates were /u/bloodycontrary, /u/wagbo_, and /u/estoban06.

/u/wagbo_ and /u/bloodycontrary were elected after three rounds in an STV election.

You can view the full results here.

I'd like to thank /u/m1cha3lm and /u/estoban06 for their service to the Liberal Democrats over course of their terms. They've been outstanding Deputy Leaders and have done excellent work at building our party up. They will be missed in the Executive, but I look forward to working with /u/wagbo_ and /u/bloodycontrary who are extremely qualified and great choices.

• /u/thenoheart, Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrat vote on ratification of the Liberal Democrat-Labour-Classical Liberal (dubbed "Sunrise") Coalition Agreement has officially concluded.

The results are as follows:

Yes - 50% (9 votes)

No - 50% (9 votes)

Under the rules outlined in the Liberal Democrat Constitution, the Party Leader has a tie breaker vote under these circumstances. /u/RickCall12 voted in favour of the status quo.

Therefore, the Liberal Democrats will not be joining the coalition.

Sincerely, the Executive