FEEDBACK FROM LIVERPOOL SPRING CONFERENCE

LOTS OF ACTIVITY AND ACTION !

This was the first time we had a stall with our name on it, and found it very worthwhile to be there for people to come and ask questions, pick up our literature, join us, and enter the mythbuster quiz too. Sharing the stall with the Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats made it more affordable too. We had a pull up banner, and a folding one too to advertise us further.

Nick Clegg came to look at all of the stalls, and it gave us the opportunity to explain to him what we were doing, and how we were aiming to provide good information on the facts around asylum as well as promote our good policies on it. If you weren’t at conference and would like any of the “mythbusting” literature for yourself or others, then please do get in touch.

Saturday morning began with the Liberal Democrat Christian Fellowship gathering, and our President. A presentation by Open Doors was a timely reminder of why people are so desperate and flee from their homes in places such as Syria. Lord Roger Roberts gave the epilogue and mentioned the work LD4SOS is doing, particularly around detention.

The manifesto debate had lots of people wanting to speak so we went for a one minute intervention. The simple words said are at http://www.ld4sos.org.uk/archives/371 and you can see the video – 4 min 30 seconds in. Amazing what you can get into 40 seconds!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao9hzh7r_XE&list=PLf3UymFHxHUmTllMfhnTmOI03MwDs75kW&index=13

During Nick Clegg’s Q and A session, one of our members, Hannah Bettsworth, was able to ask a question about ending detention. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHqXbmWMXQ0&index=9&list=PLf3UymFHxHUnYV1yWqnulXGlWC7Li1GoN starting 17.45 minutes in. Then there is Azure cards. Campsfield is 21.32 minutes in.

Our fringe meeting was a joint one with Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats, sharing costs and organisation. The theme was on busting the myths around asylum. We had two excellent speakers who left people in do doubt as to what the facts were.

Ewan Roberts, Centre Manger from Asylum Link Merseyside (ALM) which provides friendship, health and support, spoke about the situation as it was on the ground, and the amazing work his organisation did to support those seeking sanctuary. They have thousands who have no support and 175 people a day, that have 100 different languages between them, using the centre.

Durani Rapozo, the Complex Needs Coordinator there spoke passionately about his journey, starting with the tragic circumstances why he had to flee from Zimbabwe, and how he was followed by spies. He had a long wait for a decision, and told us how he had to walk 4 miles to use his food vouchers, and how much he valued support given by local organisations. But since being granted status has gained qualification up to a PhD and does vital work in teaching and social work. His wife has now been able to join him, and she is a manager in Social Services.

Suzanne Fletcher spoke on asylum issues including what detention for immigration purposes was about, the APPG report, our policy, and signing up to the Citizens UK ask.

85 people were at the meeting, there were good questions, and a number came to the stall afterwards, and we hope there is a better understanding all round about the issues. There will be a fuller write up for the Liberal International British Group http://libg.co.uk/en/ in a few weeks time.

On Sunday morning there was a topical debate on the agenda, put in by Jack Davies, on Sunday morning on “women and detention”. We didn’t have much time to prepare, but here is the u tube of the debate. It is backwards way round. Janet King spoke first, standing in with no notice for the mover, then me, then Julian Huppert. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS4EerHcyWU…

So we did manage to get our issues well and truly spoken about, and hopefully information given and interest raised. We are grateful to Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats who we were able to work with on the stall and the fringe. Not only did it mean that our stall was covered all the time, but it was good to have the cooperation, share with them, as well as learn from their experience.

Our thanks to everyone who worked hard and helped in any way.