As a local political party, we have been paying very close attention to the unfolding developments concerning the new strain of coronavirus, COVID-19. The World Health Organisation has declared a global pandemic, calling for "urgent and aggressive action". Here in Plymouth, at the time of writing, we are fortunate that our city is still free of any confirmed cases. However, the City Council's Director of Public Health, Ruth Harrell, stated in her update yesterday that it is unlikely that we will remain so, and expects that we will see cases in Plymouth at some point.

Plymouth Liberal Democrats have been delighted to get back out on the campaign trail for the 2020 Local Elections. The team have been out meeting residents in Compton ward, with local candidate Sima Davarian. We have had lots of positive conversations on the doorstep and look forward to many more conversations over the coming weeks. You can find out more about Sima's campaign on her Facebook page. We look forward to updating you with further developments over the course of our campaigning.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us, joined our campaign team and donated towards our efforts. We could not have done it without you.

It has been a disappointing General Election outcome nationally. However, it was a privilege supporting Sarah Wollaston's campaign in Totnes. It is a huge shame that such a brilliant and principled MP was not re-elected as a Liberal Democrat. It was also a disappointing result for Danny Chambers in North Cornwall.

It's the final day of the General Election campaign. We have a great team spreading the Liberal Democrat message and fighting for a Brighter Future. Together we can Stop Brexit, fund the NHS, tackle the Climate Emergency and invest in our services. Make sure you get out and vote tomorrow.

There are only two more days of campaigning to go before election day! Plymouth Lib Dems have made a huge effort over the course of the campaign. Locally, we have campaigned in South West Devon and Plymouth Moor View, although we have candidates standing in all three Plymouth constituencies. We have also supported Liberal Democrat candidates across Devon and Cornwall, with a particular focus on Sarah Wollaston's campaign in Totnes.

You may be aware of a story in the media suggesting that the Liberal Democrats have stood down for Labour in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport. Naturally, this has attracted questions, so we are making this statement to clarify our position.

At the start of the General Election campaign, the Plymouth Liberal Democrats Executive decided that the best use of our resources was to campaign in seats where we either have a chance of returning a Liberal Democrat MP, or where we can challenge a sitting MP who supports Brexit. Consequently, we have not run a campaign on the ground in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport. Instead we have focused on South West Devon, Plymouth Moor View, and neighbouring seats; particularly Totnes. The Liberal Democrat candidate, Graham Reed, is standing in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, so that voters are provided with the opportunity to vote for the Liberal Democrats.

In addition to our local campaigning activity, Lib Dems from Plymouth and South West Devon have been sending out teams to help the campaigns in seats across the South West. In particular, we have been helping the excellent Sarah Wollaston, so that she is re-elected as the Lib Dem MP for Totnes, but we have also had members visiting seats such as St Ives and North Cornwall. Here are a few recent photos from the campaign trail.

The Lib Dem campaign in South West Devon has made fantastic progress. Sima and her team have been out campaigning with local party members and supporters. Lots of leaflets have been delivered, lots of great conversations with local residents have taken place, and lots of battling the elements has been necessary during this winter election! With two weeks to go, our team is still hard at work.

Sarah Martin is standing against the Conservatives, in Plymouth Moor View, as the voice of remain. Under the Conservatives, our economy will be hit by a damaging Tory Brexit. Furthermore, our public services are underfunded, and not enough is being done to tackle the climate emergency. The Liberal Democrats have a deliverable plan to solve these issues build a brighter future. Read Sarah's leaflet below to find out more.

Lib Dems have been out across South West Devon supporting your local Parliamentary candidate Sima Davarian. Not only will Sima make an excellent MP, but a vote for the Lib Dems is a vote to stop Brexit, solve the climate emergency, and rescue the NHS. It's been fantastic to see so many members and supporters joining the campaign, and we look forward to sharing more news via our website and social media channels.

This is about Dennis. Dennis is not a candidate and not famous (until now). Dennis is the man who delivers the stakeboards and window posters in the South West Devon constituency. Most of the people are in densely populated suburbs around the eastern side of Plymouth, and a couple of smaller towns, but most of the constituency is very rural, running from Dartmoor down through the South Hams to the sea. We joked about Dennis delivering by boat, on a day when heavy rain and flooded roads prevented some people from getting home, and the trains didn't run on time, or even at all in some cases. But what he mainly had to contend with was mud. The South Hams "area of outstanding natural beauty" is in November an area of outstanding mud. We don't know exactly why we have to have an election in December, but we do know for sure why it's not usually chosen.
Anyway stakeboards are up in strategic locations, for the first people who volunteered to have them, and more to come. And a heap of posters to go out for windows.
On the map, the northern part where there are no place names, we don't deliver there, no-one lives on the hills there but sheep and ponies. And you can see the neighbouring constituency of Totnes, for all that Totnes is a pretty little town, it's a very rural area, with no real conurbation, and also runs from the moors to the sea coast. Around the country there must be many people like Dennis in wilder locations, and with winter coming on, not an easy job. Which leads us to wonder ... does anyone actually deliver by boat ?

Sima Davarian for South West Devon

Find out more about Sima here

Sarah Martin for Plymouth Moor View

Find out more about Sarah here

Graham Reed for Plymouth Sutton & Devonport

Find out more about Graham here

GRAHAM REED - LIBERAL DEMOCRAT - PLYMOUTH SUTTON AND DEVONPORT

Graham stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Plymouth Sutton and Devonport Constituency in 2015 and for Moor View in 2017. He is delighted to have another chance to represent Plymouth.

Graham worked for many years manufacturing scientific apparatus for industry and science. He gained a degree in politics and was a City Councillor for five years. That work, representing local people in the community, gave him valuable experience and understanding to be able to tackle the major issues facing Plymouth and the West Country. He is currently Parish Councillor for Bere Ferrers. He is a lifelong supporter of liberal values and has always fought for these basic core principals and goals: a fairer voting system to ensure everyone has true, democratic representation; a strong and competent economy, a sustainable Environment, good housing, proper education and health care for all. He strongly supports co-operative owned businesses and Societies and is a director for Tamar Energy Community, an energy-saving co-op that is fighting Climate Change.

Sima is a secondary school English teacher and is standing as parliamentary candidate in South West Devon. She grew up in South West Devon experiencing the rural nature of the constituency on a daily basis, where her maternal grandfather had strong links with the local farming community. Wherever she has studied or travelled, the rolling green hills of the constituency are always a sure sign that she is nearly home.

The "Let Us be Heard" march in London on 19th October met its target of one million people, and there were great cheers in the streets outside Parliament when the government lost the vote on the Letwin Amendment. Lib Dems were present in large numbers, and prominent at the head of the march.

A number of Plymouth Lib Dems took part, and Sima Davarian, PPC for South West Devon, was in the group leading the march, just behind Caroline Voaden MEP.

Sarah Martin has been selected as the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Plymouth Moor View constituency.

Sarah has worked most of her life in marketing and communications, recently for the local NHS.

Like so many others Sarah only became a member of the Liberal Democrats following the 2016 referendum. She has been very active in local and national elections and was elected as a Saltash Town Councillor in 2018.

"After spending ten years of my life post-university working in Germany, and seeing how the movement of people, goods and services within Europe changed and enhanced our country's landscape, I was appalled to think that we had voted by such a narrow margin to leave.

"Three years later so many people feel politically homeless. The landscape we are faced with at Westminster has changed beyond all recognition, and the things that should be important to us are taking a back seat. That is unacceptable.

"As a country we need to move forward. Brexit has sapped enough of our energy but also our democratic power and needs to be put to bed with a second referendum, which must include the option to remain. Our success as a party in this year's local and European elections has shown how important that is to the general public.

"We need a renewed effort to get the Liberal voice heard in Moor View and to show a way forward out of the mire of current politics. Mostly I want to offer the residents of Moor View a more tolerant, outward-looking and positive future.

More photos from the protest yesterday in Plymouth against the suspension of parliament. Featuring Sima Davarian (Lib Dem PPC), Luke Pollard (Labour MP), Jane Stevenson (Yellow Rose Initiative, and Green Party).

Overall it was a very positive experience, with people from different parties and organizations in Devon and Cornwall meeting and networking.

There was a fantastic turnout in Plymouth city centre, to protest against the suspension of Parliament. The actions of Johnson and Cummings are an attack on our democracy and must be stopped. Many groups supported the event, including Plymouth Lib Dems, Plymouth Labour, Devon For Europe, Plymouth Greens, Extinction Rebellion Plymouth, concerned local citizens, and more.

Earlier today protesters gathered outside the local office of Geoffrey Cox MP, Tavistock. Cox is the Attorney General and close colleague and legal advisor of Boris Johnson. After speeches there, the protesters went to the square, for photos and further short speeches from Labour and Lib Dem members.
The protest ranged wide in age and politics, with some obvious Lib Dems and Labour, Green party and non party placards against the coup. There were Devon for Europe badges too.
Lib Dem David Chalmers, was interviewed by Spotlight. David is Parliamentary Spokesman for Torridge & West Devon, and Chair of the Lib Dem European Group.
In the square the crowd assembled for photos, then the political banners arrived, with the bright red Torridge and West Devon Labour flag, flanked by long white Lib Dem banners reading "Stop the Coup!" and "Save Our Democracy".
There is a letter going to Geoffrey Cox, and some clipboard people were collecting signatures. The clipboards seemed to be getting "sign ups" from passers by as well as protesters. There was no sign of hostility to the protest.