From the editor-in-chief Eleni Chalkidou Editor-in-chief elenic@tsi.org.uk Voices for change There are moments in one’s working life when you realise that you’re nally where you are destined to be. One of those moments for me was watching our chief executive, Leon Livermore, give evidence to the House of Lords EU Justice Sub-Committee last month, regarding the potential impact of Brexit on consumer protection rights. I felt proud listening to Leon being the voice for fairer, better informed and safer businesses and communities, as he contributed key points using pragmatic examples of products, laws and examples in a calm, rational and captivating manner. I admit, I also loved that he knows when it is the right moment to ‘plead the 5th Amendment’. It is obvious that, since Brexit negotiations formally began in June, the issue has and will continue to dominate both national headlines and trading standards debates. But this is not all we have been doing on the issue of Brexit; as reported in the July edition of TS Review, we have now formed a CTSI Brexit Think Tank. This will have a considered professional focus on the areas of trading standards enforcement that have been shaped by the EU. A special report on the rst meeting of the think tank is planned for the next edition of TS Review this autumn. On a different issue, it isn’t right that we allow ourselves to learn about safety by accident. This rings particularly true as the country continues to deal with the horror of Grenfell – and we have now learned from a Metropolitan Police announcement that the re started in a Hotpoint fridge freezer. We have asked the government to commit to a number of core points to help reform the UK’s failing product safety system between now and the autumn, when the government is expected to respond formally to the working group’s ndings. Read more about it on our news pages and the new, weekly Policy Diary on our website. CTSI is now getting the rst, clear signals from government that it is prepared to look at more radical reforms to consumer protection in this area. In particular, we welcome a new focus on building the framework for a national body on product safety. We have also written to John Baron, CTSI’s local MP for Basildon and Billericay, who has promised to be a voice in parliament, urging ministers to commit to our core objectives for improving product safety. Finally, it lls me with awe to be surrounded by individuals who are tirelessly working towards making the world a better place. The Conference at Harrogate was a great example of this, with passionate individuals and honest businesses coming together to promote the interests of consumers and to offer advice on the welfare of the vulnerable. I was humbled by the sel essness, the commitment and the tenacity I saw in the people I spoke with. It was a pleasure to meet so many of you. Thank you for making my rst Conference a positive experience and for sharing your thoughts on the profession, and on the challenges and opportunities ahead. I look forward to working with you all in the future. Please look out in this edition of TS Today for the highlights from Harrogate. Thanks for reading. Eleni From the editor-in-chief Eleni Chalkidou Editor-in-chief elenic@tsi.org.uk