In his keynote speech to the Liberal Democrat Conference, Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has outlined his goals for the Government and the country over the coming years. He reiterated his commitment to liberal values on the environment and human rights and his determination to ensure a fair chance for every child, saying "every child can do good things, great things, if only we give them the opportunities they deserve."

On 5th May you have a choice. You can keep the discredited First Past the Post system to elect our MPs, or you can choose a new and fairer system - Alternative Vote (AV). Back the campaign for change at www.YesToFairerVotes.org

AV is a small change that makes a big difference.

Saying YES! to Fairer Votes Means:

London Liberal Democrats have today announced their team of candidates for the London Assembly top-up list in 2012. Caroline Pidgeon AM topped the poll of London Liberal Democrat members to lead the London Assembly campaign in 2012.

Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington and London Spokesperson Tom Brake said:

PPC Layla Moran chaired final hustings for GLA candidates (attended by 7 out of 11) on 25 Nov at York Gardens Library, Lavender Road in Battersea.

Extract from Merlene's closing speech:

"We need a strong and diverse team on the London Assembly. I offer a unique skills set having worked in the City and in the private sector but also with significant experience as a community mediator and charities champion.

The Government's chief design adviser has warned against the danger of supermarket led developments in town centres. Mixed-use developments involving the building of housing, schools and parks linked to supermarkets are often badly conceived and may not thrive in the long term, said the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) in its report published this week.

On 24 November, some 100 members attended the AGM of Sutton Liberal Democrats at the Civic Offices to hear from their MP Tom (Sellick look-alike, at least in the month of Movember) Brake, Lord Graham Tope and guest speaker Deputy Leader Simon Hughes MP.

Incredibly the local Council now boasts of 43 out of the 54 Councillors being Liberal Democrats, with 20 new Councillors elected this May. Simon Hughes (arriving straight from an earlier interview with the NUS leader on tuition fees) was fulsome in his praise for Sutton's achievements. He warmed up the audience with some trivia questions on Coalitions across Europe. This was followed by insightful observations on both similarities and differences between his own Southwark and Sutton boroughs and how Lib Dem and Coalition policies can be made to work across London boroughs.

THE future of Marylebone Farmers' Market is under threat after Westminster Council announced plans to "dispose" of Moxon Street car park which holds the weekly market. Restrictions on when the council can sell the site without being penalised run out next year and the council may simply sell the site to the highest bidder for a high density development.

At a gathering for the Young Ice-breakers of the 48 Group Club, chaired by Stephen Perry and hosted by Clifford Chance, guests were treated to a key-note speech with Q&A with ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair, drawing on his experiences as Middle East peace envoy and adviser to many African governments.

Hammersmith & Fulham activists met at Chair-elect, Paul Kennedy's home in Fulham for a morning of action. Armed with surveys on Fairer Votes, they 'knocked' on and 'dropped' off survey forms in neighbouring streets to gather information on how well informed residents were about the current (First Past the Post) and proposed (Alternative Vote) voting systems.

Lynne Featherstone MP, Equalities Minister in the Coalition Government was the guest speaker at Camberwell & Peckham Lib Dem's AGM. She shared about her work which overlapped with other ministries such as Home Office, Justice and Immigration departments. Her role was very much that of the conscience of the Government, alerting colleagues to situations of injustice and inequality.