I am very concerned by the news that councils across the country that are due to have elections next year have received letters asking them whether they would consider cancelling them. I asked the Secretary of State for the content of those letters and assurances that elections will go ahead.

And from Calum Miller MP to ask Yvette Cooper, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make a statement on imminent US military strikes on land targets in Venezuela, and the implications for UK foreign policy.

From my post on whether Reform will kill the Tories. These two are group one: samf.substack.com/p/last-rites

Hampstead and Highgate by-election incoming?

🚨EXCLUSIVE: we reveal that Knowsley Foodbank siphoned over £195,000 into companies linked to disgraced Big Help CEO, Peter Mitchell. We can also reveal that the Serious Fraud Office is now investigating Knowsley Foodbank www.livpost.co.uk/exclusive-ho...

Barnoldswick- Pendle Borough Council LIB DEMS HOLD ANOTHER COUNCIL SEAT! LD🔶- 1008- 59.8% (+1.5) RFM➡️- 441- 26.2% (New) CON🔵- 170- 10.1% (-11.7) LAB🔴- 66- 3.9% (-11.1) Congratulations to Cllr Bryony Hartley and the Pendle team for a fantastic campaign!

Yes, govt bent to pressure from MPs over the benefit cap. That's how parliamentary democracy works - and why it's a good thing. It means a leader has to carry a wider movement with them. There's a counter-pressure to the strategists in No. 10. It matters that we elect a Parliament, not just a PM.

Bang on, @bjennings90.bsky.social

One of the most beautiful bits of english eccentricity and glorious design is coming back to Sotheby’s and should be bought by a musuem (or me) for THE NATION. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

Today the Government had the opportunity to end the cost of living crisis, get Britain growing again and repair the £90bn Brexit black hole - by fixing our trade with Europe. It didn't.

‘Is Nigel Farage a Russian asset?’ ‘Are you seriously asking me that?’ @shelaghfogarty.bsky.social refuses to back down while questioning Reform’s Zia Yusuf.

I wish I was surprised. Buried in this Budget is a plan to slash the Digital Services Tax, giving a multi-billion tax cut to US tech giants and the likes of Elon Musk. That's right, cutting taxes for the world's richest man while hiking them for millions of hard-working Brits.

Basically, less than 2% of Britons are more likely to vote for Your Party than any other party, with only about 0.5% open solely to Your Party. 85% of those who would consider Your Party are also considering (mostly more so) the Greens.

My guess this week Hunstanton IND Barnoldswick (Pendle) Lib Dem Hetton (Sunderland) IND Independent seem to have strong support in both wards but it could be RefUK who benefit.

Lib Dem leader Edward Davey calls for a national investigation into Russian political interference in British politics: "Given Reform won't, he must. So will he know launch a national investigation into Russian infiltration into our politics?" Starmer: "Reform is riddled with pro-Putin propaganda"

New research shows Brexit has cost UK up to £90bn per year in lost tax revenue, Lib Dems say - www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

Compare and contrast the rude, childlike behaviour of Kemi Badenoch and the satesmanship of @eddavey.libdems.org.uk #budget #budget2025

Responding to the chancellor’s #Budget2025 speech, Kemi Badenoch claimed unemployment has increased “every single month” under Labour. As we’ve explained before, that’s not quite right.

Badenoch throwing out insults and behaving like a child. Tories = The Nasty Party #budget #budget2025

Can't help but think that had Rachel Reeves made that speech last year, then Labour may not be where they are today. #budget #budget2025

I'm enjoying this new, more relaxed Rachel Reeves #budget

Oops #budget

As part of the English Devolution Bill that comes before the House of Commons this week Lib Dems are tabling an amendment to stop the Government cancelling local elections in May 2026 across a range of councils. Democracy delayed is democracy denied. Read more: www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/da476f3...

I sat on the Bill Committee for the Border Bill. I spent hours proposing amendments that would've saved taxpayers money and created safer routes for refugees - all ignored. Even Labour knows this Bill isn’t good enough, as the Home Secretary’s new measures show.

Whoops! 😂

"I think that the government are increasingly aping the likes of Reform." @joshbabarinde.bsky.social on the importance of approaching asylum policy without needlessly dividing our communities. #BBCQT

Ukraine is on the brink of an historic betrayal by Trump to Putin. Keir Starmer must bring our European allies together to back Zelensky, starting by seizing frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.

Correct 🌍 Macclesfield Central Correct 🌹 Southbank What? 🌳 Ashdown & Conquest So close! 🔶 Salford Priors & Alcest Correct 🔶 Quinton How did they lose that? 🌍 Hale Correct 🌳 Stranraer & The Rhins

Lib Dems to force vote on creating new customs union with EU

"Not only have you fobbed off the guy who's just asked this question for an apology, you fobbed off the whole country, who have been utterly let down." @joshbabarinde.bsky.social on the failure of the Conservatives to handle the pandemic. #BBCQT

Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist

Lib Dems to force vote in Parliament on new customs union with EU

Supporters of the Labour government would do well to read this and take it on board

There is a direct line between Donald Trump trying to destroy the BBC and him excusing the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump hates the independent free press – whether in the US, Saudi Arabia or the UK. We will always defend it.

The leader of Camden Labour has fled Fortune Green ward (where his colleague is the brilliant Lib Dem Nancy Jirira) to a safer ward across the borough. Labour clearly feeling scared of the Camden Lib Dems team.

Christmas gift giving is a zero sum game. Too much tit-for-tat ends up in tat, that wastes money and fills landfills. Time for my annual ‘no unnecessary presents’ Christmas message (courtesy @itvmlshow.bsky.social )

I think that's called hedging your bets.

Thames Water tried to make MP pay its legal fees of up to £1,400 an hour

Latest from fighting Reform in Kent: libraries and tips in danger as they plan at least £42m in cuts. These guys are worse than the Conservatives.

BY ELECTION RESULT! Ridgeway (Vale of White Horse District Council) LDM: 43.1% (-14.9) CON: 24.4% (-17.6) RFM: 19.9% (New) GRN: 11.9% (New) LAB: 0.8% (New) Lib Dem HOLD Well done to new Cllr Hannah Griffin!

"Those last four weeks of her life when she was in the hospice, I think it's odd to say, but were some of the happiest of her life." Sir Michael Palin reflects on the care his wife received in a hospice, as he calls for more support for hospices in the budget. #Newsnight

There is no future for humanity under 2.6C of global warming. That is it. Nothing else matters. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Liberal Democrat MPs have today tabled a motion in Parliament to remove Robbie Gibb from the BBC Board. Robbie Gibb was appointed by Boris Johnson, he was an editorial adviser to GB News and a director of communications for Theresa May. He is not neutral or impartial.

Newly-elected Lib Dem president @joshbabarinde.bsky.social tells me he'll be "the last line of defence against Reform". The Eastbourne MP plans to "campaign hard" to offer "solutions of hope and optimism that bring our communities together rather than tear them apart".

NEW The letter the BBC could send back to Trump A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim By me. Enjoy. emptycity.substack.com/p/the-letter...

Calum Miller, MP for Bicester and Woodstock and Lib Dem Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, has presented a Bill to Parliament to enable the seizure of frozen Russian assets and direct the proceeds to Ukraine’s defence, reconstruction and humanitarian relief. whatson.parliament.uk/event/cal532...

🔴'BBC Bias’ Memo Was Authored by Lobbyist Tied to Pro-Trump Tech Giants The leaked memo that fuelled Trump’s attack on the BBC was written by a lobbyist at a firm paid by US tech giants tied to the President, reports @nafeez.bsky.social bylinetimes.com/2025/11/11/b...

🔀 With politics fragmenting, leading academics are warning First Past the Post risks plunging the UK into chaos at the next general election 🤝 The Government and all parties have an opportunity to get a grip on this risk to our national stability 👉 We need a National Commission on Electoral Reform

Newark and Sherwood Balderton North and Coddington Janette Barlow, Conservatives - 480 votes Tracey Jevons-Hazzard, Labour Party - 101 votes Martin James Lunn, Green Party - 173 votes Kay Smith, Reform UK - 545 votes Turnout - 25.26%.

Tandridge DC, Westway LDM GAIN from CON 🔶LDM (Martin Redman): 539 (42.3%, -0.6) ➡️RFM: 420 (33.0%, new) 🔵CON: 202 (15.9%, -13.3) 🔴LAB: 112 (8.8%, -19.1)