NW Conference Speech Saturday 19th October

 How long in party? Ran for ASW, Oldham, GM Mayor, now Group leader

at council and MEP. Showing how much the party means to you e.g.

 What made people in the room join party? Hands up (Good to be

interactive)

- Pre coalition politics?

- 2015 Clegg speech

- 2016 referendum. Disaster for country especially after hard work of LDs

campaigning

- 3 years on still not left and shows that as LDs we never give up, strong

Stop Brexit message.

- 2017 GE (and GM mayoral)

- Since 2017, the LD fightback and the success in the locals? Jo Swinson?

 What made YOU JB join the party? I joined party because....

- Mention things we discussed at dinner on Tuesday, last chair of Young

Liberals, parents being liberals so used to having all liberals around you

etc.

 Clung on through the dark days of the coalition, stuck to grassroots and

still able to make a difference and win as a councillor.

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LD what it means.

 What are your, unwavering, liberal values? Consistent things that make

people Lib Dems, despite the defections etc need to demonstrate what

core values.

RALLYING PART

 I’m here today because of you and your support through the years. You

made the difference. You helped me with your campaigning over the

years, doorknocking for locals, building foundations and campaigning for

the Euro’s, strong Stop Brexit message.

 Need to thank every single one of you. Doing this by doing my best in my

job to represent you.

 Also one of the reasons that I have been so active in travelling round the

North West to speak at various events etc. Will continue to do this as

much as I can and will represent my constituents as long as I can. We must

fight to stop Brexit so I can keep representing you, the North West, and

fighting to get the best deal for our area.

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Being an MEP has new responsibilities

- Very different experiences at party conferences (like giving this speech

and lots of people wanting to meet you), importance of reporting back

(without sounding like a Focus cliche) and sharing experiences as an

elected official.

- Walking on doing the stunt at conference a highlight, for me shows just

how supportive the party is as a network. Always has been and always will

be.

- Things like that and being here today make me proud to be in my job

and realise the importance of what I’m doing here.

 Importance of reporting back to you and to tell you what I’m doing over

in Brussels.

- EMPL Committee. My committee the Employment and Social Affairs

committee covers a wide range of areas. This ranges from working

conditions, social security; the free movement of workers; workers’

rights; health and safety measures at the workplace and combatting all

forms of discrimination in the workplace.

- Commitment to show liberal values there, fight for social affairs and

access to work for all. All should receive a fair salary, treated right at work

etc.

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 - Brazil Delegation work, inc. Amazon letter etc. Beautiful diverse tropical

rainforest.

- Working with Lib Dem MEPs and cross party in Stop Brexit efforts.

Brussels agreement with remainer MEPs, Brexit mental health event.

- Lots of meetings with various bodies and organisations, want to support

and help any good causes I can like Apna Haq, women’s violence support

group, various environment groups.

 Being in Brussels learnt a lot. Made my pro-EU views even stronger as can

see just how important the EU is and how important working together is.

- May still not know my way around maze that is parliament but I know

more about how the bodies work, how the institutions directly help the

NW and why it is so important.

- Learnt that it is more democratic than people think. Commissioner

hearings show elected officials have important role in approving or

rejecting commissioners, more democratic than House of Lords, wonder

why Brexiteers don’t mention this?!

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 As a party, where we are. In a great place as the strongest remain party in

a fight to stop Brexit. Seen us grow this year by over 50,000 new members

and 6 new MPs.

 Must hold onto our gains. Grow the brand of the party, not just as a

remain but sticking to our core liberal values and being proud of them. So

important to have members who give up their time for something they

believe in to help the party, which is financially less well off than the main

2 other parties, stay afloat and battle elections.

 Success must be sustainable. Together we must build for the future. Must

do this for future generations, especially with the climate emergency etc.

Should work together with other bodies and not be afraid to support the

work of groups like Extinction Rebellion who are so passionate and make

a real difference in their protests to raise awareness of the climate

emergency.

 If this is the end of time as MEP it has been amazing and an experience

that I’ll never forget. Will still fight for same core, liberal values and to

rejoin EU or work extremely close with it as a body. Always told to never

give up and will still do that by mobilising the extremely strong remain

sentiment in the UK.

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 If not the end, will continue to fight to STOP BREXIT, highlight how

important the EU is in all walks of life, educate our citizens on what the

EU actually do as people don’t know and the positives that integration can

bring.

 Will continue to fight for you. Will continue to represent you. Will

continue to campaign hard and visit the regions, say thank you for your

hard work. Will continue to fight for our liberal values and to make the Lib

Dems strongest party.

 I will close with a few lines from the preamble to our party constitution

which I feel resonate closely with me, especially in these difficult times.

- ‘The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open

society’.

- ‘We champion the freedom, dignity and well-being of individuals’.

- ‘We believe that each generation is responsible for the fate of our

planet’.

 Now we can only do this if we work together and have a common goal

both at home and with our friends in the EU and our neighbours

worldwide. As a party to make a difference, we must all work hard, and

we must all work together.