WE KNOW for too many people in Brighton and East Sussex – and across the UK - things aren’t working as they should be.

For too many people working hard and playing by the rules is no longer enough to guarantee a happy, fulfilling and secure life for them and their children.

But the Liberal Democrats have an ambitious plan for the future of our country – where every person, every community, and our planet can thrive.

We will fight to stop Brexit and invest the £50 billion Remain Bonus that is generated through the boost to the economy in public services and tackling inequalities.

We will tackle the climate crisis and produce 80% of our electricity from renewables in the next 10 years.

We will recruit 20,000 more teachers and put £10 billion extra year into our failing schools, at the same time as investing in providing free childcare from the end of paid parental leave.

These are plans that would support Brighton and its vibrant town centre.

If I get the chance when we come down for our party conference, I will again take the opportunity to visit the shops of North Laine and the restaurants and bars of the South Lanes.

It’s these independent and small retailers that make Brighton the welcoming place it is.

But I know that these small businesses, and our High Streets, are put under unnecessary pressures that create an uneven playing field between large online retailers and small independent high street shops.

The Liberal Democrats would replace business rates with a new land value tax on landlords to reduce this outdated and often unbearable cost pressure on our small businesses.

I know how hard our Liberal Democrat councillors in Newhaven have been fighting to support the town centre there and it is great that it will benefit from the future high streets fund. The Liberal Democrats would expand this fund to increase this support and allow more towns to benefit.

But a thriving town centre is nothing without a strong transport system – helping people travel for work, studying, or leisure whether that’s in Brighton or as far afield as London.

Sadly, Southern has failed repeatedly and consistently failed its customers.

The routine overcrowding and delays, not to mention the prolonged period without any services at all, as suffered by the people of Seaford mean that taking the train just hasn’t been a viable option.

Liberal Democrats would increase investment in railways, aiming to transform it into a commuter railway – exploring reopening old lines and opening new ones, as well as reform the way to railways are run to avoid the timetable chaos.

We would also introduce a national bus strategy to reverse the decline in bus services under the Tories and empower local authorities to have more control over public transport.

We also know that the NHS and Social Care services are in a state of crisis – in desperate need of increased funding and staffing.

With our bold plan to invest urgently in the NHS and social care services and deliver equality for mental and physical health, we will transform health services for the future.

This includes protecting existing services threatened with closure, such as the Eastbourne District General Hospital, and ensuring our social care system is equipped for the future.

Liberal Democrats will put a penny in the pound on Income Tax to give the NHS and Social Care Services the additional resources they need.

The failure to treat mental health in the same way as physical health has a huge impact, particularly on younger people.

So we will be investing £11bn over five years to ensure that mental and physical health care treated equally.

And as part of fundamental reforms we will make prescriptions for people with chronic mental health conditions available for free on the NHS, we’ll introduce further mental health maximum waiting time standards, and we will increase mental health services and facilities so that no one is forced to travel unreasonable distances away from home.

Most importantly in this election – more important even than stopping Brexit - we are in the midst of a climate emergency.

Brighton and East Sussex have always been at the forefront of the fight against climate change, including great local initiatives such as Plastic Free groups in Lewes, Seaford, Eastbourne and Brighton & Hove.

We need to take drastic action at a national and international level.

We will place tackling the climate emergency at the heart of government decision-making – investing in renewable energy like we did in government which has made offshore wind the cheapest of all forms of electricity, planting 60 million trees a year, and leading the way in the EU’s path to net zero.

The Liberal Democrats have been working hard for the people of Brighton and East Sussex. Voting for us on Thursday will allow the Liberal Democrats to build on this great work.