Halton Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat Party Elections 2010

Under the Constitutional Amendments passed at the Spring Conference in 2006 the Party Committees elected this autumn will serve for a two-year term of office (2011-2012). The provisions of article 2.4 of the Federal Constitution regarding gender balance apply to all of these elections.

The Federal Executive (FE) is responsible for directing, co-ordinating and implementing the work of the Federal Party, including overall strategy, campaigning, organisation and staffing. The Federal Finance and Administration Committee, Campaigns and Communications Committee and International Relations Committee all report to the FE.

The FE has 29 voting members: the Party President (who is the chair) and three Vice Presidents; the Leader and two other MPs; one peer; one MEP; two councillors; three state party reps; and fifteen members directly elected by conference reps.

The Federal Policy Committee (FPC) is responsible for developing policy and overseeing the Federal Party's policy making process. This includes producing policy papers for debate at conference, and drawing up (in consultation with the relevant parliamentary party) the Federal election manifesto for Westminster and European elections.

The FPC has 29 voting members: the Party Leader and four other MPs; the Party President; one peer; one MEP; three councillors; three state party reps; and fifteen members directly elected conference reps. It must be chaired by one of the five MP members, and is currently chaired by the Leader.

The Federal Conference Committee (FCC) is responsible for organising the two Federal Conferences each year. This includes choosing the agenda from amongst the policy and business motions submitted by conference reps, local, regional and state parties, specified associated organisations and Federal committees, and also taking decisions on topics such as venues, registration rates and other administrative and organisational matters. It works with a budget set by the FFAC.

The FCC has 21 voting `members: The Party President: the Chief Whip; three state party reps; two reps from the FE and two from the FPC; and twelve members directly elected by conference reps. It elects its own Chair (currently Andrew Wiseman) who must be one of the directly elected or state party reps.

The International Relations Committee (IRC) of the party is a sub-committee of the Federal Executive. It meets 4 times a year, and acts as the consultative and co-ordinating body of the party regarding its activities on the international stage. Additionally, meetings are called to prepare resolutions for Liberal International and ELDR Committee meetings and Congresses in conjunction with the Party's delegates to these occasions.

The committee consists of representatives of Federal Committees, relevant international bodies, parliamentary representatives and co-opted experts, and is led by a Chairperson elected by the Federal Executive. Five members of the Committee are elected by conference reps.

The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR) is the European Political Party to which the Liberal Democrats belong. Since its beginnings in 1993, the party has grown, with current membership from 48 European Political Parties with common liberal, democratic and reform ideals and is the forum for member parties to develop a co-ordinated policy. Within ELDR, we have 11 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). The membership of the ELDR Party is composed of member parties, affiliate parties and individual members, and also incorporates LYMEC, the youth movement, which brings together more than 170,000 young liberal Europeans.

People are elected to the panel for four years therefore everybody who was elected in 2008 remains a member of the panel until the 2012, also the Federal Executive has extended the term of office of those elected in 2006 until 2012 and therefore both these groups will be ineligible to stand in this election. All former Liberal Democrat members of the House of Commons, European Parliament, Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly are automatically members of the list and shall also be ineligible to stand in this election. Candidates are expected to answer the following questions as part of their election address:

1 How would your experience enable you to fulfil the role of a working Peer?

2 What would you aim to achieve as a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords?

3 To which policy areas would you wish to contribute?

4 How would your work as a Peer help the party in general?

Nomination Papers and further information will be available at Conference from the Membership Services and Information desks and they will be available on the Party Website.

They can be obtained prior to Conference and after 1st September by e-mailing Returning.Officer@libdems.org.uk or calling 020 7227 1339.