Today's Headlines

Empty pharma stockpiles show govt must rethink transition extension
Today the BBC reports that No Deal Brexit stockpiles "significantly reduced and/or used up entirely" by Covid pandemic according to senior figures in teh pharmaceutical industry.

• These reports show the recklessness of the government's approach to Brexit negotiations and protecting our economy and NHS.
• The stockpiles created to protect against the risk of a no deal Brexit have now been used up, and building them back up to safe levels by the end of the year is going to be very difficult.
• So by pushing the UK into a no deal Brexit the Conservatives could be putting more lives and more jobs at risk.
• The calls to extend the transition period have come from people who voted leave and remain a like. The government must put national interest ahead of Brexit ideology and extend the transition period."

Covid-19 has exposed politics as not fit for purpose, Lib Dems warn
The Liberal Democrats will today lead a debate in the House of Commons calling for a "radical overhaul" of Westminster politics, warning it is "not for purpose" to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

The Liberal Democrats will use the debate to call on other political parties to join them in getting behind change and reforming the way people elect MPs with a proportional voting system.

• If the last three years have shown politics isn't working for people then the coronavirus crisis has made it clearer than ever that reform is needed.
• Covid-19 has exposed the political culture in Westminster as not fit for purpose. Our democracy doesn't need piecemeal change, it needs a radical overhaul.
• Over the coming months and years we're going to face numerous issues as we seek to overcome and recover from the coronavirus crisis. We need to work together - yet our Westminster politics is adversarial and divisive.
• Simply put, that means the true variety of the electorate's voices are not heard. Many of those people are the same people who need their voices heard now more than ever. It's time all parties got behind change.

Lib Dems to use emergency debate to warn Rees-Mogg is threatening public health
The Liberal Democrats will today use an emergency debate in Parliament to warn Jacob Rees-Mogg that if an MP falls ill to COVID-19 or there is a spike in cases because of travel to and from London then he must take personal responsibility and resign.

• Tens of thousands of people have already died during this pandemic. To protect vulnerable people, we should all follow public health advice and work from home when we can.
• I am relieved that Mr Sharma does not have coronavirus, but his condition last week should be a wakeup call for the Government. Forcing physical proceedings exposes MPs, our families and our constituents to risk.
• There are no two ways about it. If an MP falls ill to COVID-19 or there is a spike in cases because of travel to and from London then Jacob Rees-Mogg must be ready to take personal responsibility and resign.
• The Government has the chance to think again. Remote voting worked and they must change course and allow all communities to have their voice heard.