Millions of people across the country have made untold sacrifices in the past year.

Boris Johnson must not squander the months of sacrifice by millions of people and businesses across the country

People have been isolated from their families, hundreds of thousands of businesses have been shuttered and our precious freedoms have been curtailed.

Liberal Democrats in the East of England have called on the Government to reinstate the EnAble Fund for disabled candidates running for public office.

With political campaigning made more difficult because of Covid-19, disabled candidates are unfairly disadvantaged. The current Conservative Government should fulfil the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, which states disabled people have the right to 'participate effectively and fully in political life on an equal basis with others.'

Adam Robertson, Diversity Lead for East of England Liberal Democrats, said:

During this pandemic, carers have stepped up in very difficult circumstances to look after elderly, disabled and vulnerable people.

Carer's Allowance is just £67 a week. It's just not nearly enough.

Unpaid carers in particular are doing a remarkable and important job looking after our loved ones.

But many carers are facing extreme financial hardship.

Just like with Black History Month (October) or Disability History Month (which runs from November into December), it's typically filled with events (check ours out here) and discussion. LGBT+ History Month reminds us of the progress we've made, but also warns us about the injustices that we have only recently escaped - and injustices that are still with us.

During this pandemic, millions of people have stepped up heroically to look after elderly, disabled and vulnerable people.

Most carers are simply exhausted during coronavirus. Most haven't had a single break since the pandemic began.

A recent survey by Carers UK found that 81% of carers are spending more time on their caring responsibilities during the pandemic, mainly because the needs of the person they are caring for have increased or because the local care services they rely on have been reduced or closed.

For all of us, 2020 was a difficult year; some of us touched by death and many by loss of income, wellbeing and self-worth. So much has changed, and yet not changed.

Those of us with memories of SARS watched in concern at the British Government late and botched efforts to tackle COVID. We saw COVID-related hate crime spike as Chinese people were shunned, and verbally and physically assaulted. Internet memes depicting Chinese people as sources of COVID were widely shared.

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 8th February

Monday 8th February

Two Urgent Questions were accepted on Monday morning.

Silencing the BBC shows that the Chinese government has no intention on stopping its human rights abuses.

The Chinese government's BBC ban, in response to their reporting on the Uyghur genocide and other abuses, marks their latest move in an unacceptable crackdown on fundamental freedoms.

We've already seen the consequences of this in Hong Kong.

This year we welcome The Year of the Ox - an animal known for its strength, diligence and hardworking nature. These are positive values to which we should all aspire to live our lives by.

The New Year is usually a time of large family get-togethers. This year however, intimate, virtual celebrations will be the norm. I know the adjustment won't be easy but let us keep doing our part to suppress this virus.

Our values work best

Tackling the coronavirus epidemic, and minimising the tragic loss of life, is primarily a public health issue. But there's also a consistent political lesson from it too.

The approaches that work best use international cooperation. Viruses don't stop at borders, and scientific cooperation and vaccine supply chains work best when they don't either.