Brighton Conference Review, Day One - Part Two
Annual Conference - Brighton 15-18 September 2018 Liberal Democrats - DEMAND BETTER
In the second part of the review of the programme and agenda for the forthcoming Brighton Conference, we are looking at the Saturday afternoon and evening events.
DAY ONE - Saturday 15th September, Part 2
Saturday afternoon Conference epitomises what the Liberal Democrats are all about as it opens with three consultative sessions organised by Party Working Groups providing a less formal platform for party reps and members to participate in policy making. The conclusions from these sessions will be taken into account when drawing up the following working group's final recommendations.
Climate Change and the Low-Carbon Economy
Race Equality Policy
Supporters Scheme
The first full-scale debate in the main hall is entitled Power for People and Communities moved by Bath MP Wera Hobhouse, spokesperson on Communities & Local Government.
The Motion places Community at the centre, enabling individuals to cooperate with others and achieve their personal and shared goals, with democratically elected local government as the key public institution and voluntary community action as the essential element. It regrets that English government is highly centralised, micro-managing local decisions and the delivery of services.
The Motion welcomes the Party policy paper on Local Government and Community Empowerment calling for power to be devolved to the lowest practicable level, making local government fit for the future including the introduction of STV and empowering Councils over their own finances and strengthening the community and voluntary sector.
The keynote speech for the afternoon will be eagerly anticipated, featuring the party Spokesperson on Exiting the European Union and International Trade, Rt Hon Tom Brake MP. A packed conference hall is expected to hear Tom take apart the LabCon Brexit and renew calls for a Peoples Vote on the Deal.
The penultimate debates in the afternoon are two Business motions; After Alderdice - Delivering Race Equality in the Liberal Democrats and Reforming the Party's Disciplinary Processes.
The 2018 Alderdice Review asked the Party to review how it can improve, deliver and monitor representation of ethnic minority members throughout the party. This debate sets out the product of Federal Committee discussions following the Review and its plans for embedding race equality in all its actions and addressing how to mainstream race equality throughout the wider party. Included in a wide range of proposals, a Racial Diversity Campaign (RDC) will aim to promote, train, support and mentor BaME members who wish to stand for elected office and the Federal Board also proposes the election of a Vice President BaME from amongst the membership.
The second debate moved by Federal Board member Alice Thomas picks up from the conclusions of MacDonald Review (Ken Macdonald QC, former DPP) into the party's disciplinary processes following the call by the 2016 Autumn Conference. snap election of 2017 resulted in a delay in acting on the Review. This motion sets out the detailed proposals and necessary Party Constitutional changes necessary to fully implement the review.
Training and the Fringe
The Fringe programme on Saturday evening includes:
The ALDC AGM and Election Awards for which our successful Southwold & Reydon Campaign has been entered. Catherine Bearder MEP hosts a rally with voices from both sides of the channel in support of Exit from BREXIT
Liberal Democrat Women host a conversation with Deputy Leader Jo Swinson and the Young Liberals look at Fake News. The Association of Lib Dem Engineers and Scientist and LD Seekers of Sanctuary both hold their AGMs. London and South East Regions of members each host their annual receptions.
There are plenty of options in the schedule training events for later on Saturday.
The programme includes bite size training for all local party officer roles from Chair to Diversity Officer. There is a first part on Election law for Agents, a session on GDPR and a wide range of councillor training sessions.
Finally, if you have had sufficient cerebral exercise, exhausted your debating skills and capacity to take in any more there is the Lib Dem Centenary Disco taking you into the early hours of Sunday with an all-star line up of competing DJs including Sarah Olney, Daisy Benson and MP's Christine Jardine and Layla Moran.
The next part of the Conference Review will feature a busy Sunday at Brighton and a Q & A with Leader Vince Cable.
There is still time to reserve your place -www.libdems.org.uk/conference
END