Leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson said:

"For so many people, the cost of childcare simply makes returning to work impossible. This hurts our economy and deprives our workforce of a vital pool of talent.

"The choice for parents now is simply not good enough. That is why Liberal Democrats are proposing a transformational change to our economy, by providing working parents with free childcare from when their child is 9 months old.

"This will close the gap between the end of paid parental leave and the start of free childcare provision. It will finally give parents more choice about when they return to work and unlock their untapped potential for our economy.

"This is part of our bold plan to build a brighter future and fundamentally reshape our economy."

Responding to confirmation that the Brexit party will not contest seats held by Boris Johnson's Conservative Party, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

"Nigel Farage standing down shows the Conservatives and the Brexit party are now one and the same. Johnson's hard right Brexit takeover of the Tory party has now been endorsed by both Trump and Farage.

"As Nigel Farage has admitted, the Liberal Democrats are the only party at this election that can take seats from the Conservative, stop Brexit and build a brighter future."

Under the headline "I'm leaving the Tories and voting Lib Dem", Matthew Parris writes in The Times on 2 November 2019 "The party I joined 50 years ago and which I've stuck by in good times and bad has been taken over by areckless cult."

"Fifty years ago this autumn your columnist joined the Conservatives, signing up to a Tory ginger-group at university. Ten years later I was the MP for the Derbyshire constituency that remains my home. Leaving parliament more than 30 years ago, my respect for Margaret Thatcher and her party was undimmed, and I never parted company with my local Conservative association. There followed four decades of supporting the Tories through thick and thin, usually with enthusiasm, occasionally through gritted teeth and in recent months beginning to despair utterly.

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.

A General Election is coming soon. What will you do?

The Conservatives have been desperately trying to deliver Brexit as soon as possible, for the sake of the Conservative party. If it means a "No Deal" departure from the EU, that is fine by them, whatever it costs.

• Food and medicine shortages? They don't care.
• Sheep farmers exporting lamb to the EU hit by a tariff rise from zero to 48%? Tough.
• Break the law, break democracy, break up the United Kingdom? Fine by them.
• Exploit Her Majesty the Queen for their own ends? Yes, another line they will cross without a qualm.
• They have thrown out over 20 previously loyal MPs, including Churchill's grandson, who voted with their consciences against the madness of "No Deal".