Liberal Democrat Federal Conferences and Members: Explained

The Liberal Democrats currently hold two "Federal" Conferences a year: a short two day conference in the Spring (generally the first or second weekend in March) and a longer 5 day conference in September.

Federal means that it is the whole Party meeting together, England, Scotland, Wales, all the English Regions and even overseas Local Parties. Each nation / region will also have their own conferences during the year.

Federal Conferences are where national Party policies are put forward, debated and agreed, Party committees report back to the membership, and there are a host of keynote speeches from MPs and others, a wide and varied fringe and training meeting schedule, an exhibition to meet other Party bodies (and external exhibitors looking to sell to / lobby Party members) and a lot of opportunities to meet other Party members: often over a drink in the Conference Bar at the end of the day!

Attendance at Federal Conferences varies: the Autumn conference is bigger and a bit busier with a couple of thousand representatives and at least the same number of exhibitors, staff, observers, media and others.

Any member is entitled to attend Federal Conferences, but there are a more limited number of people that can vote and speak in debates at conference.

Announced forthcoming Federal Conference Dates and Venues are:

• Bournemouth (Bournemouth International Centre), 19-23 September 2015
• York (York Barbican) 11-13 March 2016

Each year (generally at their Annual General Meeting in October or November) Local Parties of the Liberal Democrats elects their Federal Conference Representatives for the following calendar year (representatives are elected for the full year, not one conference). Any currently paid up member can stand to be a conference representative, and there are no other criteria to stand, although "willing and able to attend the conferences" is preferred!

A representative is not mandated to vote any way on any subject: they are representatives NOT delegates from their Party. They form their own views on debates and votes and vote according to their own decision on each subject.

The number of representatives from each local party that can have a vote at Federal Conference depeends on the membership of your Local Party. As of Sprint 2014, the consitution currently sets the number of representatives per local party as:

• Membership from 30 to 50: 8 representatives
• 51 to 75: 9
• 76 to 100: 10
• 101 to 150: 11
• 151 to 200: 12
• 201 to 250: 13
• 251 to 300: 14
• 301 to 350: 15
• 351 to 400: 16
• 401 to 450: 17

...together with a further representative for every 100 members (or part thereof) in excess of 450.

Local parties covering multiple constituencies are entitled to the greater of the number of representatives calculated on their total membership and the sum of the number of reps calculated on the membership of each constituency. The latter will always be greater unless some constituencies have less than 30 members so don't qualify for any reps.

Parliamentary Candidates are ex-officio reps from their selection by their local party until the December AFTER the General Election in which they stood. There are some other ex-officio categories notably council group leaders.

Although the positions are elected, it is often the case that Local Parties will have less people standing to be a Federal Representative than available places: if so, all those people who stand are deemed "elected". If a Local Party has not filled its full quota of Federal Conference at an AGM, according to their constitution the Local Party executive committee can appoint co-opted conference representatives, and also appoint substitute representatives for elected representatives unable to attend a specific conference. Any member who is considering attending conference should contact their Local Party to see if there are current vanancies for conference representatives or substitute positions available: there very often are, and being a voting representative at conference is no more expensive than being a non-voting representative.

There is a proposal within the Party that has been accepted in priniciple but not yet enacted to make conference fully "one member, one vote" - ANY paid up member who registers for Federal Conference would be entitled to speak and vote without any requirement for Local Parties to appoint representatives. This proposal is likely to take effect some time in the next couple of years, then rendering must of the above article redundant ;)

Unfortunately, Conference Representatives have to arrange (and pay for!) their own travel, accomodation and subsistence at conference, in addition to paying the conference registration fee (which ranges from £5 for under 18's to £140 for late registering non-claimants for the full week). Claimant rates are available if, at the time of conference, you are receiving state benefits due to being unemployed, the dependent spouse of an unemployed person, on income support, a full time student or if your main source of income is the state pension. Proof of claimant status is required with your application.

There will often be opportunity for car shares etc to go to conference from a Local Party, and most conferences are held in venues with as good supply of nearby accomodation ranging from B&B to quality hotel. The Liberal Democrats will also often offer deals with relevant travel suppliers giving a percentage off train and / or coach travel: these tend to be offered from around 3 months before the conference and are subject to availablility. Booking early (for accommodation and travel) tends to be cheaper than waiting until the last minute.