Lichfield, Tamworth and Burton Liberal Democrats

Cllr Paul Ray has been re-elected onto Lichfield District Council and Lichfield City Council, while seven of his colleagues were also elected to the latter. He believes the results show the public are looking for an alternative to the Conservatives and Labour and that the results showed voters were in tune with his party's stance on local and national issues

Congratulations to Paul Ray and Helen for their re-election in Lichfield district council and East Staffordshire borough council elections.

Across the patch thanks to our other candidates, no fewer than 27 of them, for their courage and hard work, in a number of cases getting very close to election in seats long held by other parties. Miles Trent was especially unfortunate to miss out on winning a district council seat by just 7 votes!

Local air quality in East Staffordshire is still below international standards according to a major report just issued by ESBC. East Staffordshire Liberal Democrats want to up the Council's game responding to this pollution which is damaging public health. A replacement modern digital system of monitoring should be used to make real time checks to pollution levels at the times and locations where children and other pedestrians are crossing roads to go to school or work, and when children are in school playgrounds. The old style diffusion tube system relied on now only measures average pollution over 2-4 weeks, not the real time peak levels to which pedestrians are exposed.

As you know, Vince has now formally announced his resignation, and, as your President, I am triggering the process for the election of his successor as Leader of the Liberal Democrats.

I'd like to take a moment to thank Vince for all he's done since he was elected leader in 2017. He's been a steadying influence when it was most needed - and that's led to us gaining new MEPs (exact number to be announce tomorrow evening!) and almost 800 councillors. Thank you, Vince.

Last night, the British people finished voting in the European elections. The fallout is there for all to see, with the Prime Minister finally conceding this morning that she has reached the end of the road.

Our campaigning over the last three years has kept the cause of remaining in the European Union alive, and I now believe we have a strong chance of stopping Brexit. When the votes are counted on Sunday, I expect us to do well.

This morning, Theresa May conceded defeat and announced her resignation as Prime Minister.

This will undoubtedly be spun by hardline Tories as a failure on her behalf. They'll tell us that a true Brexit believer would have been able to do it.

But a new Prime Minister won't solve Brexit. Neither will a General Election. Leaving the EU without a deal will cause our country untold harm and widen the gap between the richest and poorest in society.