Plymouth Liberal Democrats are fielding a full slate of candidates in the Plymouth City Council elections for the first time in many years. This reflects the overall growth in the party and the level of enthusiasm from its members.
Plymouth Liberal Democrats are urging the city's "almost 5,000" EU residents to back the party in the elections to the city council in May. The election, on Thursday 3rd May, is the last scheduled set of elections before the planned date for Brexit, in March next year.
Sima Davarian and Hugh Janes were among a number of Plymouth Liberal Democrats who supported the South Hams local party's annual dinner to hear Sir Ed Davey MP, former Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. Sir Ed was upbeat about the current position for green energy and had signed a number of contracts before leaving office that meant the good work of the LibDems in Coalition could continue. Offshore windfarms have exceeded expectations in the energy they provide and it's low cost. At current rates, electricity from wind is about half the price of that predicted from Hinckley C Nuclear Power Station. As the life of wind turbines has increased dramatically this great source of energy is going to be supplying us with power for some time. Gratitude for Sir Ed's far-sightedness as a Minister was widely expressed.
Stuart Bonar, a former Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate in the city, was in Downing Street earlier this month to hand in a petition signed by over 36,000 people. The petition calls on the Prime Minister to negotiate the right for British people to keep their EU citizenship after Brexit, if they want to.
LibDem Chair Hugh Janes joined other Greenpeace volunteers on Sunday helping clean up the Hoe foreshore. Over 20 bags of litter, including many plastic and glass bottles that could have been recycled, were collected as well as sundry other discarded items. Greenpeace currently has a major campaign to stop the proliferation of plastics in the oceans.
Plymouth extended a very warm welcome to our new leader on his first visit to members and supporters outside London on Friday 21st July. Members had travelled from as far afield as St Ives and North Devon to question Vince on his views, policies and outlook for the future of the party.
