Over the summer, we won two big by-elections, in Brecon and Radnorshire and Shetland. This week, Jane Dodds took up her seat in Westminster and Beatrice Wishart in Holyrood.
This week, three MPs have joined our ranks.
And over this week, three more MPs have joined us.
Phillip Lee, MP for Bracknell, who joins us from the Conservatives; Luciana Berger, MP for Liverpool Wavertree, former Labour and Change UK MP, who joins us having sat as an independent; and Angela Smith, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge former Labour and Change UK MP, who also joins us having sat as an independent.
Meanwhile, this week Boris Johnson had one goal – to crash us out of the EU without a deal.
Thanks to cross-party working, the work of many talented lawyers who drafted the legislation, and guidance from house clerks in navigating parliamentary procedure – opposition MPs took control of the parliamentary agenda on Tuesday.
Every indication shows that we’re going to do incredibly well in the next general election.
This week, we introduced legislation to stop the government from crashing us out of the EU without a deal.
We got in through first, second and third reading in the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Our Lords worked through the night to see down more than a hundred wrecking amendments. And we passed the legislation on Friday evening.
Arriving in Lords with duvet, change of clothes and shaving kit. Could take us a while to see off 86 wrecking amendments on timetable motion today/tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/Knbxu1Odlf
— Dick Newby (@RichardNewby3) September 4, 2019
Then, Boris Johnson attempted to circumvent all of this, by trying to call a general election.
As Jo said, we relish the opportunity to face the government in a general election. We are prepared and every indication shows that we’re going to do incredibly well in the next general election.
Today the @LibDems and I will act with responsibility. We will not vote to tip our country into an election if it increases the likelihood of a dangerous No Deal Brexit. https://t.co/xAIc6qw3gu
— Jo Swinson (@joswinson) September 4, 2019
But right now, we’re acting in the national interest.
We relish the opportunity to face the government in a general election.
A general election where we gain more MPs but crash out of the EU straight after is not what’s best for the country.
We know what leaving the EU without a deal means.
The government’s own analysis shows it means our economy will crash, businesses will struggle to run and we will have serious food and medicine shortages.
The Liberal Democrats are putting the country first. This week and every week.