The 23rd May is upon us and voting in the EU elections will commence very soon. The polls still show the Lib Dems ahead of Labour and the Conservatives. Only the Brexit Party are ahead of us in the polls.

In the South West, we look very likely to get a Lib Dem MEP elected. It looks very possible that we can get a second Lib Dem MEP elected provided remain voters come out and vote Lib Dem.

Caroline Voaden has continued working hard on the campaign trail this week, with a day in Gibraltar. The South West region in the EU elections covers a huge area stretching from Swindon to Gibraltar. Caroline was joined by Sir Vince Cable and Sir Graham Watson and spent the day speaking with Gibraltar's environmental action group, meeting with the cross-border business group and meeting Gibraltar's Chief Minister.

Enough is enough.

This country is better than Brexit.

The Liberal Democrats demand better than the rise of nationalistic and divisive politics which we've seen since the referendum.

We don't think that you and your family should bear the brunt of Brexit when your weekly shop gets more expensive, you can't get the medication you need from the NHS, or our public services are slashed because we're poorer as a country.

Yesterday's local elections have been a national success for the Liberal Democrats, and not before time! We are finally back on the map.

The latest reported number of seats gained by the Lib Dems is in excess of 700 across the country. I am delighted to report that the South Hams didn't buck the current political trend in yesterday's elections. The Lib Dems made several gains at SHDC.
The following seats were gained; Kingsbridge (Denise O'Callaghan and Susie Jackson); Ivybridge East (Vic Abbott); Loddiswell and Aveton Gifford (Kate Kemp); West Dart (John McKay); South Brent (Guy Pannell). A second seat was gained in Newton & Yealmpton (Dan Thomas now stands with Keith Baldry). Julian Brazil retained Stokenham and John Birch retained a seat in Totnes.
So many of our other candidates came very close, with Simon Rake missing out on Blackawton & Stoke Fleming by just 10 votes.
We now have control of 10 seats on SHDC. In addition, 2 independent candidates were elected and 3 Green candidates. No Labour candidates were elected.
So although the Conservatives have retained overall control of SHDC, it is now by the smallest of margins.

Sir Vince Cable has called every vote for the Lib Dems in the local elections a "vote for stopping Brexit." With this in mind, the successes in the local elections will provide a perfect springboard for the European Election campaign. We are commencing our campaign next week, with canvassing and leafleting for our incredible candidate, Caroline Voaden across the district. But for now, I think we all deserve a few days off over the bank holiday!!

The Liberal Democrats have picked Totnes PPC Caroline Voaden as the lead candidate on their South West list for the European elections on May 23^rd.

Caroline will be leading a strong team of candidates from across the region including two ex-MPs, a bilingual translator, the chair of the Lib Dem European Group and a representative of the Liberal Party of Gibraltar.

A while back the administration at South Hams District Council was heartened by plans produced by a firm of consultants called AECOM for a proposed development scheme at the Steamer Quay in Totnes.
AECOM was instructed to draw up development plans by the previous leadership of the Totnes Neighbourhood Plan Group. Astonishingly those leaders refused to disclose the AECOM Steamer Quay development plans paid for out of public funds and yet referred to it in a draft Neighbourhood Plan they had prepared.
John Birch, District Councillor for Totnes, managed to uncover a copy of the development plan at SHDC and as a result it was made public. The plan includes turning the caravan site, the scout hut and the boatyard into a coach and car park along with housing. Apartments and offices are proposed on the existing car park adjacent to the public conveniences. There is also housing proposed further down the quay towards the rowing club.
John Birch said "In consequence of the disclosure of the AECOM report, the Totnes Town Council, quite rightly in my opinion, replaced the leadership of the Neighbourhood Plan group and the new group rejected the Steamer Quay proposals."
However the development plans remain with the Conservative led administration at SHDC and recent actions would seem to indicate that it still has its eye on possible development.
The initial findings of a recent survey carried out by Liberal Democrat councillors throughout Totnes shows that residents are very much opposed to development at Steamer Quay.
The three Liberal Democrats candidates for Totnes in the forthcoming District Council election, John Birch, Emily Price and John Anderson, are opposed to the development scheme set out in the AECOM report and if elected will take steps to have the proposals scrapped once and for all.

Well, who could have predicted that we'd be discussing the UK's role in the European elections?

But, with the EU having agreed to an extension of the Brexit process to the 31st October, it has been confirmed that the United Kingdom's component of the 2019 European Elections will take place on the 23rd May.

At 4pm today, the nominations for district councillors in the May elections closed.

We can now confirm that the Liberal Democrats are fielding 22 candidates in the district council elections on May 2nd. We have candidates standing in the following wards; Allington & Strete, Blackawton & Stoke Fleming, Charterlands, Dartmouth & East Dart, Ermington & Ugborough, Ivybridge East, Ivybridge West, Kingsbridge (2 candidates) Loddiswell & Aveton Gifford, Marldon & Littlehempston, Newton & Yealmpton (2 candidates) Salcombe & Thurlestone, South Brent (2 candidates), Stokenham, Totnes (3 candidates), Wembury & Brixton and West Dart.

Today, MP's rejected Theresa May's EU withdrawal agreement by 344 votes to 286, a majority of 58, throwing the UK's Brexit plans into further confusion. As Ed Davey said; "This is the third time that the Prime Minister has been told that the majority of MP's don't want to leave the UK on her terms. As Lib Dems, we don't want to leave at all." We realise that the best deal for the UK is for it to remain within the EU.

The last few days have seen more historic votes taking place in Parliament. Yesterday, MPs voted overwhelmingly against Theresa May's Brexit deal for a second time. Tonight, MPs rejected leaving the EU without a deal. With events from the last few days, an extension of Article 50 now seems inevitable. An extension to Article 50 could allow time for a people's vote to take place.