The Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats is a local party of the
Liberal Democrats that operates in
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
. Unlike its counterparts in
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
,
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
and
Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
, the Northern Ireland party is not a state party within the federal Liberal Democrats (though there does exist constitutional provision for it to be established so by conference) but a local party similar to constituency parties in the rest of the UK.
Elections
The Liberal Democrats do not presently contest
elections in Northern Ireland
Elections in Northern Ireland are held on a regular basis to local government in Northern Ireland, local councils, the Northern Ireland Assembly and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
The Northern Ireland Assembly has 90 members, elected ...
but there is a strong history of support to the
Alliance Party.
Members
Several individuals, including former Alliance Party leader
David Ford, hold membership of both the Alliance Party and the Liberal Democrats. Alliance members of the
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...
take the Liberal Democrat
whip
A whip is a blunt weapon or implement used in a striking motion to create sound or pain. Whips can be used for flagellation against humans or animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain, or be used as an audible cue thro ...
on non-Northern Ireland issues.
John Alderdice was leader of Alliance 1987–1998 and has sat as a Lib Dem peer since 1996.
Alliance Party MP
Naomi Long (2010–2015) did not take the Liberal Democrat Whip in the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
as she is not a Liberal Democrat member.
As of 23 January 2016, the Chair of the Northern Ireland local party is Stephen Glenn. The previous chair was John O’Neill.
See also
*
English Liberal Democrats
*
Scottish Liberal Democrats
The Scottish Liberal Democrats () is a liberal, federalist political party in Scotland, part of UK Liberal Democrats. The party holds 5 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament, 6 of the 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons and 86 of 1 ...
*
Welsh Liberal Democrats
The Welsh Liberal Democrats () is a Liberalism, liberal, Federalism, federalist political party in Wales, part of UK Liberal Democrats (UK), Liberal Democrats. The party is led by Jane Dodds, who has served as an Member of the Senedd, MS for Mid ...
References
External links
Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats - official blogNorthern Ireland Liberal Democrats - official Facebook groupLiberal Youth Northern Ireland - Facebook group
Organisation of the Liberal Democrats (UK)
Liberal parties in the United Kingdom
Political parties in Northern Ireland
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