Statement from Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats:

“This is the public health policy the Prime Minister should have announced before Christmas, but yet again, Boris Johnson ducked the difficult decisions, failed to listen to experts and acted too late.

"Just yesterday morning Johnson was telling parents that schools were safe and children should definitely go. Today he is telling us that they must all move to remote learning but without any proper future plan.

“The Prime Minister’s failure to act earlier means we are seeing record numbers of new infections, a rising death rate, hospitals overwhelmed and NHS and care staff exhausted.

Surrey Liberal Democrats are calling to extend free school meals so that no child living in poverty misses out - even during holidays and periods of lockdown.

Last night, Tory MP’s including East Surrey M.P. Claire Coutinho, voted against a motion to continue funding free school meals over the school holidays until Easter 2021. This bill was introduced following the campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford.

Yesterday Acting Leader Ed Davey set up a Coronavirus Community Taskforce to coordinate Liberal Democrat councillors, members, activists and supporters in their response to the Coronavirus crisis in their communities.

The Coronavirus crisis is leaving the most vulnerable in our communities at risk. People across the country are rightly worried about their loved ones, with many more keen to do something to help.

The Taskforce is set to advise and guide thousands of Liberal Democrats right across the UK who want to ensure all those self-isolating, especially the vulnerable and elderly, get the support they need.

Hear from our newest MP, Sam Gyimah, on why he has joined the Liberal Democrats

Last week, I and twenty brave colleagues took the ultimate step of defying the Conservative whip to make crashing out on October 31st illegal. In an unprecedented move, Boris Johnson withdrew the whip from us all.

I won’t be seeking to get it back. It is with great sadness that I’ve come to realise the Conservative Party is no longer the party I joined more than twenty years ago.