Liberal Democrat Federal 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 seats in the House of Commons, and the fourth largest by popular vote after the 2024 general election. 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.

The Liberal Democrat Conference 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.

All-member Conference voting system

Delegate addresses party members in the main Conference Hall, during a policy debateIn contrast to the annual Labour Party Conference, where 50% of votes are allocated to affiliated organisations (such as affiliated trade unions), and in which all voting is restricted to nominated representatives (known as delegates), who must be physically present in the main Conference Hall, and the annual Conservative Party Conference, where votes are traditionally not held, every member of the Liberal Democrats who attends its twice-per-year Conference, either in-person or online, 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.

Conference also features speeches from prominent party members and guests and an exhibition with stands from the public, private and charitable sectors.

Conference Fringe

There are many types of Fringe events, consisting of workshops, debates and seminars, many of which are run by external organisations. Events held by the party's internal political groups, such as Liberal Reform, Social Liberal Forum and Young Liberals, are also a regular feature of the Fringe. There is also a well-established late-evening entertainment review, known as the Glee Club.

Conference Access Fund

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.

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". The funding is ring-fenced.

Conference locations

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. The party's first Conference was held in Blackpool, in September 1988.Roger Mortimore and Andrew Blick, ''Butler's British Political Facts'', Palgrave Macmillan 2018, pp. 273, 274 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.

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.

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.Roger Mortimore and Andrew Blick, ''Butler's British Political Facts'', Palgrave Macmillan 2018, p. 274 & 275

The first Liberal Democrat Conference was held in Blackpool, in the North West of England, from 25 to 29 September 1988, with the most recent being the 72nd Conference, from 14 to 17 September 2024, the first to be held since the party won a historic 72 seats, the highest number in the party's 36-year history.

The party held no in-person conferences after Autumn 2019, until Spring 2023, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on 19 September 2022, on which date the first in-person Autumn Conference was due to resume.

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

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, while Labour replaced its Conference with an event titled ''Labour Connected'', at which no votes were held. The Liberal Democrats used electronic cards to enable party members to vote online.

Motions

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.

Federal Conference Committee

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

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.

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.

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

List of Liberal Democrat Conferences (1988 — present)

See also

* Liberal Reform
* Social Liberal Forum
* Young Liberals
* One member, one vote
* Party conference season
* Conservative Party Conference
* Labour Party Conference

References

External links

Liberal Democrat Conference website
*

Official website of the Liberal Democrats

{{DEFAULTSORT:Liberal Democrat Federal Conference
Annual events in the United Kingdom
Conferences in the United Kingdom
Liberal Democrats (UK)
Organisation of the Liberal Democrats (UK)
Political events in the United Kingdom
Political party assemblies
Recurring events established in 1988