Welcome to the Weekly Whip. Your one-stop shop for Lib Dem Parliamentary updates, covering the week that was and the week to come.

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Weekly Whip w/c 6th July

Monday 6^th July

There are some two million victims of domestic abuse a year. More than one in ten of all offences recorded by the police are domestic abuse related. In 2017, the Conservative government committed to introduce a bill to transform the approach of the justice system and wider statutory agencies. It has now been 3 ½ years since this commitment, but the Domestic Abuse Bill finally passed through the House of Commons on Monday night with cross-party support.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie today questioned proposals to delay the expansion of childcare to 1140 hours and called on the Scottish Government to stop stonewalling parents by refusing to release local progress reports. The party says a one year delay to the expansion is bad for education and the economy.

On Thursday 16th July, the two candidates for leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey and Layla Moran will be answering questions from a panel of experts in a new hustings format.

So you want to be leader? Is styled like a job interview. Candidates will get to make their pitch to the panel on why they should be leader and that'll be followed up by questions from the panel on the skills they'll need to make being leader a success.

It is outrageous that Stirling Council is planning to introduce an additional £35 levy on the brown bin for garden waste. Stirling Council has been abysmally slow to constructively respond to the Climate Emergency. This levy threatens hard-won recycling commitments by residents across Stirling. Waste uplift is a core function of any council, residents should not be taxed twice for the service. Sign our petition to "Bin the brown bin levy".

Over the last 2 weeks, members have been nominating candidates to stand as the next leader of the Liberal Democrats.

This is the first time that the system has been run mostly online and also the first time we have published these totals.

We decided to publish the totals as we felt it gave candidates a chance to demonstrate some of the key skills they'll need as leader.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today pressed the Finance Secretary about what measures she will put in place to support freelancers and others excluded from the existing funding schemes.

Speaking after he addressed the Finance Secretary in the Scottish Parliament, Mr Rennie said:

"Too many people have fallen between the gaps in the various support schemes offered by the UK and the Scottish governments. It's harsh and unfair to leave so many excluded.

What are Party Awards?

Party Awards recognise publicly those who have given the party outstanding service and commitment in the past year. They are presented at Autumn Conference (national conditions allowing) and each winner receives a trophy to keep and a special mention.

Candidates must themselves be party members, and be nominated and seconded by two party members.

Countless families are facing serious financial hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis. More than a million people have lost their jobs and many more are worried about losing theirs in the weeks and months ahead.

We are also facing big challenges in deep-seated inequality and the climate emergency.

We must ensure no one is left behind.

Responding to the statement from the Chancellor, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said:

"This mini budget contains some measures such as the VAT cut for hospitality and tourism that Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for. The green home grants is a start but not enough to kickstart a real green recovery.

Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton has written to the First Minister to ask when visitors to Edinburgh will be able to arrive without quarantining.

Mr Cole-Hamilton's letter is as follows:

Dear First Minister,

I am writing to ask that you expedite the decision on the designation of 'air-bridges' to those countries from where we will be able welcome international visitors to Scotland without a quarantine order. Furthermore I'd be grateful if you could clarify which countries might subsequently be included into the air-bridge scheme in the latter half of the summer tourism season.