Liberal Democrats for Marlborough have asked for councillors to consider easing restrictions on outdoor spaces for hospitality businesses within the town

They are asking for a simplified application process to help local Marlborough hospitality businesses to apply to make the best use of outdoor space. Permitting them to increase their potential offering of additional chairs and tables, is urgently needed. Marlborough's famous wide high street makes this particularly feasible

( Boris Johnson - my part in his downfall...)

December 13th recedes a little further into the past.

In January there are about 800 people in Antiparos, I'm told by Bob and Sue in Soulatso's. Which seems to be the only place serving beer in this small harbour settlement, where most locals live. La Liga in the corner. Messi looking frustrated. Basketball on another T.V. That's what the locals are interested in. Panathinaikos taking on some German team. 15 or so Greek men watch anxiously. All smoking. Playing cards on their tables. People here aren't wild about Germany, it turns out. Maybe that can wait....... Bob and Sue have just got back from England. West Country folk. Lovely gentle Devon accents. They spend most of their time in Antiparos now. Sue fell in love with it years ago. Bob's more of an I don't care where I live as long as it's warm kind of guy. He goes outside to have a smoke. Obviously English.

Dominic Cummings famously declared that he didn't care about appearances-he'd stuck to the letter of the law and that's all that matters. It sounds like an unsympathetic insurance company wriggling out of a claim but I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt because the real issue, for me, is that appearances do matter. And we'll be able to tell in about a week's time whether I'm right.

The Liberal Democrat gain this week in Scotland was part of the final contests of the year. Which means we can also tally up the net score for each party during 2020. It's the Lib Dems who come out on top:

• Liberal Democrats: net 4 seats gained
• SNP: net 1 seat lost
• Labour: net 2 seats lost
• Conservatives: net 2 seats lost

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 23rd November

Monday 23rd November

The Prime Minister's announcement on Monday did not quite go to plan. After his statement to the House on Coronavirus, delivered virtually from Downing Street, the PM's connection dropped out and the Secretary of State had to stand in his place, fielding questions from around the Chamber.

The coronavirus crisis has shone a new spotlight on the issue of child hunger, with demand for food banks soaring and almost a fifth of households with children unable to access enough food in the first weeks of lockdown.

The Government has repeatedly overlooked the needs of children from low-income families.

Yesterday, on Carers Rights Day, we launched our campaign Stand Up for Carers - calling on the Government to immediately raise Carer's Allowance by £1,000 a year.

After the Chancellor's Spending Review earlier this week, it's more important than ever that we support the incredible work that carers do.

Unpaid carers are doing a remarkable and important job in very difficult circumstances. They deserve our support.

But many carers are facing extreme financial hardship.

900,000 full-time unpaid carers rely on Carer's Allowance - but at just £67.25 a week, it's just not nearly enough.

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