Liberal Democrats in England
Encyclopedia
The Liberal Democrats in England, informally known as the English Liberal Democrats, is the state party within the Liberal Democrats
that operates in England
. It is a federation
of the eleven regional
parties in England which are further divided into local parties. The party currently holds 43 of the 533 English seats in the UK House of Commons, 3 of the 25 seats in the London Assembly
and 11 of the 59 English seats in the European Parliament
.
Elected office holders in the English party
English party representatives on federal party committees
and South West England
which are each divided into two regional parties. Each regional party is governed by a conference and AGM which takes place in autumn of every year. The conference elects a Regional Executive, led by a Regional Chair. The regional executive includes all Liberal Democrat Members of Parliament with constituencies within the region, all Members of the House of Lords
that are members of the regional party, all Liberal Democrat Members of the European Parliament that represent the region, ordinary party members elected from within the region and additional members co-opted by the executive.
The regional parties within the English party are:
The English Party constitution states that the Liberal Democrats in England "shall determine the policy of the Party on matters affecting England which fall outside the remit of the Federal Party" This can be achieved by structures established by the English Council.
As no policy making structures are currently in place, policy making has been passed up to federal level and English policies discussed at federal party conferences.
Regional parties within England
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
that operates in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is a federation
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
of the eleven regional
Regions of England
In England, the region is the highest tier of sub-national division used by central Government. Between 1994 and 2011, the nine regions had an administrative role in the implementation of UK Government policy, and as the areas covered by elected bodies...
parties in England which are further divided into local parties. The party currently holds 43 of the 533 English seats in the UK House of Commons, 3 of the 25 seats in the London Assembly
London Assembly
The London Assembly is an elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds majority, to amend the mayor's annual budget. The assembly was established in 2000 and is headquartered at City Hall on the south...
and 11 of the 59 English seats in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
.
English Council
The English Council is the sovereign body of the English party. It consists of the chairs of regional parties, representatives elected by regional party members and representative of youth and other interest bodies that operate within the English party. The Council meets twice each year and elects an English Council Executive. A Finance and Administration Sub-Committee which is chaired by a Treasurer manages the finances of the English party.English Council Executive
The English Council Executive consists of 12 members elected by the English Council. The elections to the current English Council Executive took place in November 2010 (apart from the Liberal Youth representative, who is elected in June every year) and its members are as follows:- Nigel Ashton
- Stan Collins (ECE Vice-Chair)
- Dawn Davidson
- Kay Friend
- Anders Hanson
- Sean Hooker
- Sal Jarvis
- Steve Jarvis (Treasurer)
- Brian Orrell (ECE Chair)
- Geoff Payne
- Neil Walton
- Mike Wheatley
- TBA (Liberal Youth England)
Elected office holders in the English party
- Chair of the Liberal Democrats in England: Jonathan DaviesJonathan Davies (politician)Jonathan Maurice Davies is an English lawyer and politician who is currently Chairman of the Liberal Democrats in England, the state party within the federal Liberal Democrats that operates in England. Davies was elected chairman by the English Council in November 2009 and took up office on 1...
- Chair of the English Council Executive: Brian Orrell
- Chair of English Candidates' Committee: Margaret Joachim
English party representatives on federal party committees
- English party representative on the Federal Executive: Brian Orrell
- English party representative on the Federal Policy Committee: Geoff Payne
- English party representative on the Federal Conference Committee: Geoff Payne
Regional parties
The English party a federation of the eleven regional parties which follow the boundaries of the English Regions with the exception of South East EnglandSouth East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
and South West England
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
which are each divided into two regional parties. Each regional party is governed by a conference and AGM which takes place in autumn of every year. The conference elects a Regional Executive, led by a Regional Chair. The regional executive includes all Liberal Democrat Members of Parliament with constituencies within the region, all Members of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
that are members of the regional party, all Liberal Democrat Members of the European Parliament that represent the region, ordinary party members elected from within the region and additional members co-opted by the executive.
The regional parties within the English party are:
- Devon and Cornwall (South WestSouth West EnglandSouth West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
) - East of EnglandEast of EnglandThe East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. It was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Essex has the highest population in the region.Its...
- East MidlandsEast MidlandsThe East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
- Greater LondonGreater LondonGreater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
- North EastNorth East EnglandNorth East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
- North WestNorth West EnglandNorth West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
- South Central (South EastSouth East EnglandSouth East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
) - South East (South EastSouth East EnglandSouth East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
) - Western Counties (South WestSouth West EnglandSouth West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
) - West MidlandsWest Midlands (region)The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
- Yorkshire and the HumberYorkshire and the HumberYorkshire and the Humber is one of the nine regions of England and formally one of the government office regions. It covers most of the historic county of Yorkshire, along with the part of northern Lincolnshire that was, from 1974 to 1996, within the former shire county of Humberside. The...
Policy and functions
The English party has responsibilities for the organisation of local parties, co-ordination of the activities of regional parties, resolution of disputes between regional parties, selection of English representatives to federal bodies and establishing the rules for selection of party candidates.The English Party constitution states that the Liberal Democrats in England "shall determine the policy of the Party on matters affecting England which fall outside the remit of the Federal Party" This can be achieved by structures established by the English Council.
As no policy making structures are currently in place, policy making has been passed up to federal level and English policies discussed at federal party conferences.
See also
- Liberal DemocratsLiberal DemocratsThe Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
- Scottish Liberal DemocratsScottish Liberal DemocratsThe Scottish Liberal Democrats are one of the three state parties within the federal Liberal Democrats; the others being the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats in England...
- Welsh Liberal DemocratsWelsh Liberal DemocratsThe Welsh Liberal Democrats are one of the three state parties of the federal Liberal Democrats and operate within Wales, the others being the Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats in England....
- Northern Ireland Liberal DemocratsNorthern Ireland Liberal DemocratsThe Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats is a local party of the Liberal Democrats that operates in Northern Ireland. Unlike its counterparts in England, Scotland and Wales, the Northern Ireland party is not a state party within the federal Liberal Democrats but a local party, similar to...
External links
Regional parties within England
- Devon and Cornwall regional party
- East of England regional party
- East Midlands regional party
- London regional party
- North East regional party
- North West regional party
- South East regional party
- South Central regional party
- West Midlands regional party
- Western Counties regional party
- Yorkshire and the Humber regional party