Following the Conservative Government's shameful refusal to ensure the capital's most vulnerable children will be fed over the half term holiday, Lib Dem-run Richmond council has stepped up to the plate.

The Council is developing a COVID-19 half term food support package for vulnerable children, meaning that children from the borough’s lowest income families don’t go hungry over the schools’ break. Liberal Democrat councils in Kingston and Sutton are also setting up schemes. 

Yesterday in Parliament the Lib Dem MP for Twickenham, Munira Wilson, challenged the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps MP, over the Tory Government's plan to make the Mayor of London raise council tax to balance TfL's books.

Munira Wilson, Sarah Olney and Gareth Roberts have written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock about the failures of the test and trace service. 

Twickenham MP Munira, who is the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, has been pressing Mr Hancock on the issue in Parliament. 

Lib Dem Councillors from Hampton Wick and Teddington Wards have today released a press release calling on Quantum to manage Udney Park properly or sell up to a local community based group.

Udney Park Playing Fields were donated to a London college for use for amateur sport as a memorial after the First World War. They were bought by a developer - Quantum - who proposed building on the site contrary to planning policies in a move that was opposed by Sport England and environmental groups as well as by many in the local community. Quantum’s plans were thrown out by a planning inspector after an appeal hearing earlier this year.

The future of the playing fields is now in limbo and the sports pitches are deteriorating through lack of maintenance. Lib Dem Councillors in the area have vowed to campaign vigorously for the playing fields to be protected and for them to be used for their original purpose.

You can read the press release here and the Councillors’ letter to Quantum here.

Sign the petition to call on the government and TfL to withdraw their plans to: Scrap free travel for under 18s and stop the use of the Older Person’s Freedom Pass on buses before 9 am.

If you need help, want to volunteer or want the latest local information and updates, please see this post. 

Sarah Olney and Munira Wilson won thumping majorities to be elected as the new Liberal Democrat MPs in Richmond Park and Twickenham. 

Twickenham and Richmond Liberal Democrats have welcomed the announcement both seats in the borough will benefit from the Unite to Remain agreement at the forthcoming general election. 

Tuesday was truly the end of an era, as our great friend and colleague Vince Cable completed his final day representing Twickenham.