The Lib Dem 2019 Manifesto has been launched.

Read it all by clicking HERE

Robert Court is the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Derbyshire Dales at the 2019 General Election.

He worked as a physics teacher in London and then until retirement as headmaster of Birkdale School in Sheffield. He has lived in Derbyshire Dales with his wife Andrea for over 20 years. He has played village cricket and taken part in amateur drama. He is involved in his village church and is governor of a local primary school. He has been a member of the Liberal Democrats since 2016 and was selected as our candidate in October 2018.

Judging from headlines in the right wing media you might have thought that all 17.4 million who voted leave in the 2016 referendum were of one mind as to what they expected to happen when they placed their cross in the box on June 23rd.

They wanted to leave, no matter what the economic and social costs might be. They voted for a 'hard Brexit'.

Brexit Myth #2 If we leave with no deal at least we will have finished with Brexit

We are told that the country is desperate to 'get Brexit finished' and appears to believe that short circuiting any negotiations for a deal and instead coming out without one will somehow end the wrangling. Some people seem to believe that even if there are serious economic and social costs it will somehow be worth it to 'get it all finished'.

A recently published report from Derbyshire Dales District Council has shown that the air on Buxton Road Ashbourne has levels of pollution that are on average almost 20% above the suggested safe maximum. The pollutant in question is nitrogen dioxide (sometimes abbreviated to NOx) and is formed in vehicle engines, particularly older diesel engines. It is an internationally recognised hazard with EU legislation making 40ug m-3 the maximum long term exposure limit. It is associated with a variety of health conditions including respiratory diseases.

Both books are worth a read but it is to the rather less leisurely pursuit of trying to cross a busy road in Ashbourne, Derbyshire that this title refers.

All those with concerns about the climate emergency know that we should walk or cycle wherever possible in order to reduce the amount of pollution. However what do you do when to walk means you have to cross a very busy road? To drive would be safer for you and your family but that would make the journey of those who do not have that choice or who simply want to do 'the right thing' so much more dangerous by increasing the amount of traffic.