Surrey’s police and crime commissioner is hiring a new communications officer at the same time as the cash-strapped Surrey Police is losing 22 PCSOs, because “residents don’t know what the police and crime commissioner does”. Surrey’s Conservative PCC Lisa Townsend, who was elected last May and sets the budget for Surrey Police as well as her own office, is increasing her office's operational budget this year by 30 per cent, from £1.12m to £1.45m.

East Surrey’s Liberal Democrats have called on local Conservative MP Claire Coutinho to sack Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak following the revelation that both are to be fined over lockdown-breaking parties at Number 10. Especially after her effusive praise of Sunak in this month's Tandridge Independent.

The Liberal Democrats are also calling for Parliament to be recalled immediately so MPs can hold a vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson as Prime Minister, following the revelation that both he and Rishi Sunak are to be fined over lockdown-breaking parties at Number 10.

Following votes in the House of Commons on the Government’s Nationality and Borders Bill, where Conservative MPs voted to overturn cross-party amendments passed in the Lords, Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron said:

“Priti Patel’s Anti-Refugee Bill is a traffickers’ charter. By voting for it, Conservative MPs have voted for deaths in the Channel.

Following votes in the House of Lords to restore amendments protecting the right to protest, that were overturned by the Government in the Commons last month, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said:

“Today the Liberal Democrats have struck another blow against the Conservatives’ anti-democratic attempts to silence any opposition and trample people’s fundamental rights.