We told you about the secret elections earlier, but there’s something else you might want to think about. The deadline for submitting motions for the Spring Conference in Liverpool is less than 8 days away. It’s 1pm on Wednesday 14th January so if you are keen to see a change in policy, now is your chance. Get it drafted and get 10 voting representatives to sign it.
The party website has some tips for writing motions here.
In general a motion is more likely to be selected if it:
- Contains genuinely new and interesting proposals
- Is on a subject where we don’t have much policy and which hasn’t been debated at conference recently
- Is on a subject of high political salience
- Is likely to lead to an interesting debate, with amendments and speakers both for and against
It is less likely to be selected by the Conference Committee if it is:
-
A repeat of old policies with nothing really new
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On a subject which has been debated recently
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On a subject where we expect an official policy paper at the next couple of conferences
-
Unlikely to lead to a good debate, for example if it is so uncontroversial that no one will want to disagree with anything in the motion
Perhaps in the comments some of you can offer some tips of your own for successful motion writing.
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3 Comments
If anyone has such a motion and would like the Calderdale local party to consider supporting it, please contact me via the members forum. Our Policy Group will be meeting on Saturday to decide which motions we will be supporting at Spring Conference – and remember, if a local party is supporting a motion then you don’t have to get individual members to support it (although it helps!).
Is it just me or have we reached the 21st Century ? Do we really need such a long deadline ? Is it best a committee selects what is to be debated rather than for example those motions with most support?
C aracatus asks a good question.
I do not wish to be critical of anyone , especially people who over the years have been excellent volunteers who have helped make the system work.
Caracatus asks if we have reached the 21st Century. Any organisation that has changed little in 30 years may be said to have missed a few opportunities for improvement, especially at a time of rapid technological change. I do it know but from watching the conference on TV in recent years it seems tome that there is a lot that has not changed since 1985.
People talk a lot about the “democratic” policy making in the party. I have listened to people like Nick Clegg say that he values it enormously. He usually says that after spending a week or more with his close colleagues trying to undermine, twist and subvert the democratic process. A clear example was new nuclear power in 2013 and new airport runways in 2014. Clegg is not the first leader to be guilty of this. A major factor is the media, who it was reported along with the lobbyists outnumbered the number of genuine Liberal Democrats at the recent Glasgow Conference.
If during 2015 the media lose interest in the party which has come fourth or fifth in terms of popular vote In the General Election, the Westminster Brigade will no doubt also lose interest in the conference. This could be a great opportunity for party members to seize control of their own conference and reform it’s workings.