Child poverty is set to continue rising under the Conservative Party's social security plans, while the Liberal Democrat manifesto plans for an extra £9 billion of social security spending, and would see a 600,000 reduction in child poverty, larger proportion than Conservative and Labour plans, according to new research published by the Resolution Foundation.

The Liberal Democrats have set out a bold plan to end rough sleeping within five years, spanning social housing, welfare, local authority funding and legal changes.

Shadow Housing Secretary Tim Farron declared that "nobody should have to spend a night sleeping on the streets" and announced a package of measures to prevent rough sleeping, including:

Businesses across the country are backing the 🔶Liberal Democrats🔶

At the recent CBI conference where all the main parties presented their economic plans to business, it was the Liberal Democrats who received the warmest reception.

The Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS), have also spoken positively about the Liberal Democrat manifesto in terms of funding. This is in stark contrast to their reaction to both Labour and Conservative funding for their spending commitments.

Leaked documents from US-UK trade deal talks have revealed the threat facing farmers in South West Wiltshire from a trade deal with Donald Trump, the Liberal Democrats have warned.

Liberal Democrat candidate for South West Wiltshire, Ellen Nicholson has written to Conservative candidate Andrew Murrison, calling on them to make a "cast-iron" guarantee to vote against any lowering of UK food standards that could put local farmers at risk.

It comes after documents published online yesterday revealed years of talks between UK and US trade negotiators, with American officials pushing to allow greater use of chemicals in food production, including chlorine-washing chicken. The US team even offered 'public lines' on chlorine-washed chicken to help UK officials try to sell the controversial practice to British consumers and help 'inform the media narrative'.

The US negotiators also said that maintaining the UK's current high standards for food production was 'the worst-case scenario', adding that in a no deal Brexit there would be 'all to play for.'

Liberal Democrat candidate Ellen Nicholson said:

"These documents show that a Donald Trump post-Brexit trade deal poses a grave threat to farmers across South West Wiltshire. The US has far lower animal welfare and food standards, especially on the use of chemicals and growth hormones. The Conservative party's desperation for a US trade deal would open the door to these lower food standards being forced onto the UK.

"Farming communities here in South West Wiltshire are rightly concerned about being undercut by low-standard imports from the US and losing access to vital European markets.

"Conservative candidate Andrew Murrison must make a cast-iron guarantee they will vote against any attempts to lower our world-leading food standards as part of a trade deal with Trump.

"The Liberal Democrats will stand up for local farmers and stop Boris Johnson ramming through a damaging Trump trade deal. Every vote here will make a difference in stopping Johnson getting a majority and making sure he is held to account."

Almost 11,000 EU academics have quit the UK in the three years since the Brexit vote, research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.

The analysis, based on Freedom of Information responses from 81 universities, shows that 4,014 EU academics have left UK universities in 2018/19. This is a 31% increase on the 3,051 EU academics who quit in 2015/16, the academic year before the Brexit vote.

Welcome to the 'Twelve Lies of Brexit', where we will be unwrapping the biggest porkies told by senior Leave politicians.

Let's start with the obvious:

1. The lie on the side of a bus

Perhaps the most famous of the Brexit lies, Boris Johnson championed an outlandish, fraudulent promise on the side of his Vote Leave bus in 2016.

Jo Swinson now has to share the limelight with policies

For reasons which may become clear after the election, it is evident that the strategy adopted by our headquarters has somehow missed its target. Swinsonmania has apparently not shaken the ramparts of our FPTP system. Johnson has scooped up the dregs of the Brexit Party`s arrogance and naivety (and vote!) and despite a widespread recognition that he is a lying toad, there is a fear amongst small `c` conservative voters that not to vote for Bojo may result in a government led by their nemesis, J Corbyn esquire.

A melting block of ice!

The recent televised leaders climate change debate and the debacle around Johnson not attending certainly hit the headlines, with Johnson replaced with an empty chair and a melting block of ice for opting out of the debate.

The real reason that the Tories didn't send Johnson is simple. They do not have the track record nor the future policies to tackle this crisis. But fear not. I have taken the time to put together a quick explainer of the Tory track record with my Christmas themed 12 days of Tory #ClimateFails because we only have 12 days left to elect the most important parliament in our lifetimes. Twelve days left to #VoteClimate. (#Vote Liberal Democrat!)

We are in a realignment of British politics where former Tory and Labour supporters find they can no longer vote for those parties.
Now with the backing of many businesses & voters the Liberal Democrats are the future.

In #GE2019 it is likely we will win seats or be 2nd placed in many more.
Join us!