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Liberal Democrat Conference

The Liberal Democrat Conference, also known inside the party as the Liberal Democrat Federal Conference, is a twice-per-year political conference of the British Liberal Democrats, the third-largest political party in the UK by the number of votes cast. The Conference is typically held over three days in Spring and four in Autumn, during the party conference season, at a variety of venues (due to COVID-19, between Spring 2020 — Spring 2022 inclusive, as a primarily Online event). It culminates in a speech by the party's Leader.

It is organised by the Federal Conference Committee, an internal body of the Liberal Democrats. Conference is the ultimate decision-making body of the Liberal Democrats, one of the few British political parties to use its annual gathering for voting and policy resolution.

Simon Hughes, former President of the Liberal Democrats, addresses members at the Lib Dem Conference

In contrast to the Labour Party Conference, where 50% of votes are allocated to affiliated organisations (such as trade unions), and in which all voting is restricted to nominated representatives (known as delegates),[1] and the Conservative Party Conference, where votes are traditionally not held,[2] every member of the Liberal Democrats who attends its Conference, either in-person or online,[3] has the right to vote in policy debates, under a one member, one vote system. There are no 'weighted' votes reserved for the party's Elected Representatives, MPs, trade unions or for senior members of the party. A proposal can only become policy if Conference votes for it.[4][5]

Delegate addresses party members during a policy debate

Conference also features speeches from prominent party members and guests and an exhibition.

There are also several fringe events, some of which are run by internal political groups, such as Liberal Reform, Social Liberal Forum and Young Liberals, and a well-established late-evening entertainment review known as the Glee Club.

A fringe event at Conference, organised by the Education Policy Institute

Overview

The Liberal Democrat Conference takes place twice per year, first as the Spring Conference, usually held in March, and then the Autumn Conference, usually in September.[6]

Lib Dem peer Shas Shaheen addressing members in a 2017 environment speech

The first Liberal Democrat Conference was held in Blackpool, in the North West of England, from 25 to 29 September 1988,[6] with the most recent being the 69th Conference, from 17 to 19 March 2023, the first to be held in-person since Autumn 2019, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on 19 September 2022, on which date the Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference was due to be held.[7]

Stands at the Conference Exhibition Hall in 2019

In autumn 2020, the same pandemic caused all three of Britain's largest political parties to hold 'virtual' conferences. During that period, the Liberal Democrats were the only one of the three to hold policy votes at its Conference: the Conservatives traditionally do not hold votes at their Conference,[2] while Labour replaced its Conference with an event titled Labour Connected, at which no votes were held.[8] The Liberal Democrats used electronic cards to enable party members to vote online.[8]

Conference Access Fund

Wheelchair-accessible spaces and staff support enable disabled attendees to access the Conference floor

Among the three largest UK-wide parties, the Liberal Democrats are unique in providing a Conference Access Fund that defrays costs for low-income and disabled Conference attendees.[9]

The Fund offsets the costs of accommodation, childcare and travel for those on low incomes. For example, it provides £50 per night accommodation support on the understanding that the cheapest-available accommodation has been booked. It provides uncapped funding for disabled attendees. Members of the party directly contribute to the fund and are described as having donated "with generosity".[9] The funding is ring-fenced.[10]

Conference locations

Bournemouth International Centre is a regular location for the Conference

Conference is held twice per year, in Spring (usually March) and Autumn (September or early October). It is held in locations across England, Wales and Scotland, with Bournemouth and York being the most frequently used locations in recent years. The duration is usually three to four days.[11] The party's first Conference was held in Blackpool, in September 1988.[12] All locations are accessible on public transport, by rail and road.

Conference processes

The Liberal Democrat Conference is overseen by the Federal Conference Committee (FCC), which also selects motions and amendments for debates, runs Conference sessions and provides drafting advice and liaison. Its members are regularly elected and expected to be objective and fair in their selection of motions and amendments.[13]

From left, Tessa Munt, Lib Dem peer Floella Benjamin and Danny Alexander address the Lib Dem Conference

The Liberal Democrat Conference does not choose the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, who is instead elected by a party-wide ballot of all members in a one member, one vote contest. The system has been in use since the party's inception in 1988, which predates changes to internal party voting rules by both the Labour and the Conservative parties. Neither Liberal Democrat MPs nor any other internal party groups have special voting rights over either party policy or in the election of the party Leader.

Motions

Party members at the Conference voting on a Motion by raising their party cards

A Motion is put forward before each debate, and must be submitted to the party's Federal Conference Committee at least eight weeks before Conference. These are then published in the Conference Agenda.

Any party member can submit a motion, with the support of at least 10 local party members, a local party, Federal Policy Committee or an Associated Organisation (AO). Any party member can also speak either for or against a Motion. The debate ends with a vote, open to all members at Conference. If a Motion is passed, it automatically becomes Lib Dem policy. Emergency Motions can be submitted until a few days before the start of Conference.[4][5]

Federal Conference Committee

Party consultation with Conference attendees in Liverpool

The Liberal Democrat conference agenda is decided by the Federal Conference Committee, a democratically elected body of party members and officials. The current membership, in surname order (other than the Chair and Vice Chair), after the most recent set of elections, in November 2022, is:

Federal Policy Committee

A debate speech on widening the party's one member, one vote system

The Federal Policy Committee researches and develops party policy and oversees its policy-making process. At Conference, it provides policy papers for debate and compiles the election manifestos for both the Westminster and European elections.[14]

The Committee elects a Conference Chair who is responsible for choosing speakers and trying to ensure balance between different viewpoints on the issues to be debated. He or she may also receive speaking requests from Elected Representatives and SAOs.[5]

The current membership, in surname order (other than the Chair and Vice Chairs), after the most recent set of elections, in November 2019, is:[needs update?]

List of Liberal Democrat Conferences (1988 — present)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Labour Party Rule Book 2020 (Chapter 3 - Party Conference — Clause III - Procedural rules for Party Conference)" (PDF). The Labour Party. April 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Party Conferences". Institute for Government. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  3. ^ "Liberal Democrats - Spring Conference Online". Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  4. ^ a b "How is policy decided?". Liberal Democrats. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  5. ^ a b c "Standing orders for Federal Conference - Glossary of terms" (PDF). Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Roger Mortimore and Andrew Blick, Butler's British Political Facts, Palgrave Macmillan 2018, p. 274 & 275
  7. ^ "Lib Dems autumn conference cancelled following Queen's death". BBC News. 10 September 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  8. ^ a b Justin Parkinson and Philip Sim (8 October 2020). "Coronavirus: Party conferences in a Covid world". BBC News. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Why the Conference Access Fund is a good thing". Liberal Democrat Voice. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  10. ^ "Conference Access Fund". Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  11. ^ "Your conference venues for next year are..." Liberal Democrat Voice. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  12. ^ a b c Roger Mortimore and Andrew Blick, Butler's British Political Facts, Palgrave Macmillan 2018, pp. 273, 274
  13. ^ "Federal Conference Committee". Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  14. ^ "Federal Policy Committee". Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  15. ^ O'Grady,Sean (19 September 1999). "It's hard being one man in a two-horse race". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  16. ^ Roger Mortimore and Andrew Blick, Butler's British Political Facts, Palgrave Macmillan 2018, p. 273
  17. ^ Leader's Speech, Liberal Democrat Federal Conference. (Glasgow; 8 March 1992)
  18. ^ "Speech Archive - Leader's speech to the Spring Party Conference, Cardiff 1997 - Paddy Ashdown (Liberal Democrat". britishpoliticalspeech.com. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  19. ^ "Your Favourite Conference Clips - Paddy Ashdown, 1997". BBC Daily Politics. 3 October 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  20. ^ "UK Politics - Paddy Ashdown's speech". BBC News. 21 September 1999. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  21. ^ "Speech Archive - Leader's speech, Harrogate 1999b - Charles Kennedy (Liberal Democrat)". British Political Speeches.org. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  22. ^ "Charles Kennedy's 2003 speech on his party's anti-Iraq war stance". The Guardian. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  23. ^ a b c d Roger Mortimore and Andrew Blick, Butler's British Political Facts, Palgrave Macmillan 2018, pp. 273, 275
  24. ^ "Liberal Democrat conference 2006 - Sir Menzies Campbell's speech". The Guardian. 21 September 2006. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  25. ^ "Nick Clegg - 2008 Speech to Liberal Democrat Party Conference". UKPOL. 23 November 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  26. ^ Roger Mortimore and Andrew Blick, Butler's British Political Facts, Palgrave Macmillan 2018, p. 275
  27. ^ a b Hélène Mulholland (20 September 2010). "Nick Clegg: stick with us and change Britain for good". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  28. ^ "Tim Farron's speech to the Lib Dem conference". The Guardian. September 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  29. ^ Pack, Mark (22 September 2015). "One Member, One Vote: what next?". markpack.org.uk. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  30. ^ Waddington, Sian (26 July 2016). "Autumn Conference 2016 - BRIGHTON, 17th–20th September 2016". Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  31. ^ Dumont, Lydia (20 February 2017). "Spring Conference 2017". Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  32. ^ Everitt, Jack (2 August 2017). "Autumn Conference 2017 BOURNEMOUTH, 16–19 September 2017". Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  33. ^ Kevin Schofield (19 September 2017). "Vince Cable: Brexit will be 'disaster' like Iraq and the financial crash". PoliticsHome. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  34. ^ Brody, Laura (7 February 2018). "Spring Conference 2018". Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  35. ^ Jack Everitt (1 August 2018). "Autumn Conference - Brighton: 15 - 18 September 2018". Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  36. ^ Pack, Mark (22 August 2018). "The new Lib Dem slogan". markpack.org.uk. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  37. ^ Walker,Peter (7 September 2018). "Lib Dems plan to let supporters choose leader without joining fee". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  38. ^ "Read Vince Cable's speech in full". Liberal Democrats. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  39. ^ a b c Peter Walker and Kate Proctor (17 September 2019). "Jo Swinson urges Lib Dems to fight populists 'for heart and soul of Britain'". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  40. ^ Jonathon Reid (12 March 2020). "Lib Dems cancel spring conference over coronavirus fears". The European. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  41. ^ Sleigh, Sophia (20 May 2020). "Liberal Democrat Party Conference moved online due to coronavirus pandemic". Evening Standard. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  42. ^ Ed Davey (25 September 2020). "Lib Dems back universal basic income". Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  43. ^ "Ed Davey promises 'to be the voice of carers'". BBC News. 28 September 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  44. ^ "Spring Conference 2023". Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  45. ^ "Lib Dem conference: Call to scrap Covid laws in pitch for Tory voters". BBC News. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  46. ^ "Spring Conference 2023". Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  47. ^ Elgot, Jessica. "Lib Dems say quarter of property owners fear losing their home". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  48. ^ "Spring Conference 2023". Retrieved 1 September 2023.

External links

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