Category Archives: Party Presidency

Mark Valladares

How the Party is managed – can you be democratic and efficient?

By Mark Valladares | Mon 27th July 2020 - 11:05 am

As something of a governance geek, and a veteran Party bureaucrat, I tend to take an interest in how my Party is run and led. Policy is interesting yes, but you can tell a lot about any organisation by whether how it operates is in accordance with its declared values.

The “problem” with that is, if your values refer to democracy, transparency and accountability, you might not achieve optimal efficiency, if efficiency is defined as “getting things done”. It is a more pressing concern if you want to change things, and most, if not all, Party Presidents are elected on a mandate of changing things. The catch is that there are very few levers that a President can pull that actually do anything – they rely on people skills to persuade those who actually have operating authority to act as they wish them to.

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Also posted in Op-eds and Party policy and internal matters | Tagged , and | 19 Comments
The Voice

LibLink: Our new President/Co-leader on the surprising number of elections coming up in May

By The Voice | Thu 16th January 2020 - 9:40 am

Embed from Getty Images

Over on his blog, Mark Pack, our new party President and co-leader, gives us a timely warning about the magnitude of voting opportunities this May:

This year’s round of local council elections are only in England and are the smallest round of that cycle of elections. Which may make you think that it’s a small set of elections and one in which many or even most parts of the country will not be voting.

But…

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Also posted in Local government | Tagged , , and | 4 Comments
Roger Hayes

Why I’ve decided to support Mark Pack for President

By Roger Hayes | Tue 24th September 2019 - 5:00 pm

I know, some of you may think that an old troublemaker like me must have had a Johnsonesque exercise – write both a ‘for’ and an ‘against’ piece and then see which one to print, But no, it’s much simpler than that. I want to pick the winner and ensure he carries the full message and excels in the role.

Comms – Some people may find Mark a bit too ubiquitous, but he is the consummate communicator? Complaining you hear too much from Mark Pack is like saying we deliver too many leaflets in a by election!

Strategy – It has taken …

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Also posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 4 Comments
Nick Harvey

Want to get involved in running the Federal and State Parties? The clock’s ticking…

By Nick Harvey | Thu 19th September 2019 - 4:15 pm

There are just eleven days left to get your nominations in for the candidates you’d like to see elected to Party committees.

If you need a reminder of which roles are up for election, here it is:

Top of the bill is Federal President, to take over from Sal Brinton on 1 January and serve for 2020, 2021 and 2022. This is a major role chairing the party’s Federal Board, protecting and representing members, and acting as guardian of the party’s interests. Hustings will be held throughout the country during the two-month campaign, and candidates may raise and spend £20,000 campaigning …

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Also posted in News and Party policy and internal matters | Tagged , and | 3 Comments
Mark Valladares

Party Presidency: the challenges for the incoming President

By Mark Valladares | Mon 4th March 2019 - 12:45 pm

So, we know how to run, we’ve taken a look at the history of the post and, last week, I offered some thoughts as to the skills required. Today, I’d like to dust off the old crystal ball, and look at what might be the possible challenges when candidate X takes over the reins on 1 January.

Party Presidents tend to be most successful when they are either bake to work closely with the Leader, or when the Leader simply allows them to get on with their work without interference. Admittedly, the job of Party management is one that tends to …

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Mark Valladares

So, what might we be looking for in a Party President?

By Mark Valladares | Mon 25th February 2019 - 8:01 am

I rather allowed myself to be distracted last week, but I did promise to offer some thoughts on what skills an incoming President might need.

I’ll start with something rather dull, but critical. The ability to manage meetings is imperative. As President, you’ll be chairing Federal Board, a body which can be fractious at the best of times, and moulding it into an effective decision making entity is critical. You can’t just turn up and go, you need to determine potential flashpoints, decide how you might deal with disagreements.

That in turn will require good communication skills and a sense of empathy. …

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Also posted in Party policy and internal matters | Tagged | 7 Comments
Mark Valladares

So, you want to be Party President?

By Mark Valladares | Mon 11th February 2019 - 3:05 pm

It is easy to forget that, for many of our Party members, Sal Brinton is the only Party President they have ever known. In that sense, they’ve been pretty fortunate, because (at least in my view) she’s been a good one. But all good things come to an end eventually, and Sal is now in her last year before term limits kick in.

Now I’ve heard rumours of possible candidates for the succession, and whilst I wouldn’t want to name names just yet, perhaps it is time to start thinking about what members …

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Also posted in Op-eds and Party policy and internal matters | Tagged | 22 Comments
Tim Farron MP

A farewell from Tim Farron as party president

By Tim Farron MP | Fri 19th December 2014 - 8:29 am

So, it’s a matter of days now before I hang up my boots and pass on the baton to our new president (its important to mix your metaphors at a time like this!). I want to congratulate my friend and colleague Sal Brinton as she takes on the Party Presidency on 1 January and to wish her every success in the role. Sal will be an outstanding President, over the last four years she has been a regular source of wisdom and support to me – and I hope I can return the favour when she takes over.

I also want to pay tribute to both Liz Lynne and Daisy Cooper. They have both ran exciting campaigns which helped to energise the party and raise important challenges.

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12 Comments
Stephen Tall

A chance to say thank you to Tim Farron

By Stephen Tall | Sun 30th November 2014 - 8:45 am

Tim Farron Social Liberal Forum conference Jul 19 2014 Photo by Paul WalterThe Lib Dems now have a President-elect: yesterday it was announced that Sal Brinton had won the only post other than that of party leader subject to an all-member ballot. Congratulations to her; and a big thanks to runner-up Daisy Cooper as well as Liz Lynne for ensuring a healthy debate.

However, this post isn’t about them, it’s about the current President (until 31st December, when the second of his two-year terms expire), Tim Farron.

Tim might not have been party president. Initially he stood for election as the Deputy Leader in June 2010, following Vince Cable’s decision to quit that post when he entered the cabinet. He lost out to Simon Hughes, himself a former president. So when a few months later, Baroness (Ros) Scott unexpectedly decided not to stand for a second term as party president, Tim threw his hat into the ring, and beat off tough competition from Susan Kramer to win. He was elected unopposed for a second term in 2012.

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The Voice

++ And the new President of the Liberal Democrats is…

By The Voice | Sat 29th November 2014 - 5:25 pm

Sal BrintonSAL BRINTON!

Many congratulations to her and well done to all three candidates for competing in an excellent campaign. This post will be updated with fuller details and reaction in due course.

Special thanks also to the staff and volunteers who have been counting in Liberal Democrat HQ since early this morning. It’s been a bit of a marathon with initial problems in getting the votes verified but they’ve all done a great job.

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Stephen Tall

Election for Lib Dem Party President: who will win, according to our exclusive survey

By Stephen Tall | Wed 26th November 2014 - 12:00 pm

libby on the wall3Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum  to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. The survey closed at 10am today. 747 party members responded – thank you – and we’ll be publishing the full results here.

Tim Farron’s four-year stint as Lib Dem Party President finishes at the end of this year. The contest to succeed him was a three-way election between three female candidates: Sal Brinton, Daisy Cooper, and Liz Lynne.

We asked a series of questions about the party presidency in our survey…

91% in our survey say they will vote! (That won’t be the turnout.)

Three candidates are standing for the post of Party President, an election which is being decided by a ballot of all party members. Do you plan to vote in this election?

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Also posted in LDV Members poll | Tagged , , , and | 12 Comments
Stephen Tall

The 3 Lib Dem party president candidates on what they’d do in my “It’s 8th May 2015” scenario

By Stephen Tall | Fri 7th November 2014 - 9:45 am

libby on the wall3A couple of weeks ago I asked all three candidates for the Lib Dem party presidency a deliberately provocative question:

It’s 8th May, 2015. The Lib Dems have lost some MPs but are still a force to be reckoned with in the House of Commons. Nick Clegg announces he will step aside to let a new leader take over. No single party has an overall majority. What will you do in the next 7 days to maximise Lib Dem influence and keep the party united?

As I wrote then:

My guess is all three will be reluctant to be drawn by the premise of the question (Lib Dems losing MPs, Nick quitting). Fair enough, that’s how politics works. You’re not allowed publicly to think through the Plans B, C and D you need to be thinking through, or the media will tear you to shreds. So I’m not necessarily expecting their real answer.

The reason I’m asking it to them is simple. That scenario, above, is the most likely one to play out in six months’ time, and I really want them to be thinking now about how they handle it. Their response will likely determine not only the success of their time as party president, but also how the party handles it.

To their credit, all three answered. Quick snippets from each below, but well worth reading in full what they said, I think.

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Katherine Bavage

Presidential candidates respond to Rock the Boat

By Katherine Bavage | Mon 3rd November 2014 - 5:00 pm

rocktheboatReaders may not all be familiar with ‘Rock the Boat – Lib Dems against sexual harassment’ given our semi-unofficial status within the party. We are not a formal association or SAO and we are mostly organised through networking and a private facebook group.

Launched in early 2013 in response to the first Channel 4 allegations about Lord Rennard’s behaviour, the group was a response from grassroots members to a fervent desire that the issues raised be thoroughly addressed in the party.

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Stephen Tall

Voting for the next Lib Dem party president starts a week today

By Stephen Tall | Wed 22nd October 2014 - 9:05 am

Libby - Some rghts reserved by David SpenderA week today, Wednesday, 29th October, ballot papers will be sent to all c.44,000 Lib Dem members enabling us to vote for the next Party President in succession to Tim Farron, who’s held the post for the past four years. Other than the party leader, the presidency is currently the only other post in the Lib Dems determined by a vote of all its members.

Three candidates successfully secured nomination — click on their names to follow the links to their campaign websites:

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Stephen Tall

A new Lib Dem presidential candidate enters the race

By Stephen Tall | Sat 30th August 2014 - 8:30 am

daisy cooperThis is the text of the email I received this morning from Daisy Cooper:

Today, I’m delighted to announce my candidacy for Liberal Democrat Party President, with the backing of Catherine Bearder MEP, Norman Baker MP, experienced councillors and some of the party’s finest campaigners.

I have huge ambitions for our party. I’m 32 and I’m prepared to spend the next 50 years of my life fighting for our political beliefs. The next few months will be challenging but they also present an unrivalled opportunity for us to lay the foundations for a Liberal Revival.

Our Councillors and grass roots campaigners are the forgotten army on which our future depends – in this party, our place is front and centre.

As President, I would:

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The Voice

Pauline Pearce: “Why I am not running for Lib Dem president”

By The Voice | Sun 17th August 2014 - 8:30 am

Until yesterday, there were four candidates for the post of Party President, which will become vacant later this year when incumbent Tim Farron’s term of office expires: Sal Brinton, Linda Jack, Liz Lynne and Pauline Pearce. However, Pauline has now withdrawn from the race – as she explains in this five-minute video:

Post by Pauline Pearce (Lady P).
Tagged | 48 Comments
Liz Lynne

Liz Lynne to stand for Party President

By Liz Lynne | Thu 29th May 2014 - 11:01 am

image001After being asked by many people from different parts of our party, I have decided to stand to be Party President.

These last four years have been tough and no more so than in the last week. We have seen too many good friends and colleagues defeated as councillors and most recently as MEPs. I know what that feels like. I fought my first parliamentary seat in Harwich for the Liberal/SDP Alliance in 1987 and came second. I then went on to win the seat of Rochdale in 1992. Sadly, I narrowly lost in Tony Blair’s 1997 General Election landslide following boundary changes. I look back with pride on what I achieved in Parliament as our spokesperson on Health and then Social Security, including representing disabled people in the fight for equal rights.

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Also posted in News | 24 Comments
Stephen Tall

Linda Jack to announce Lib Dem party president campaign

By Stephen Tall | Sat 19th April 2014 - 12:00 pm

Linda JackLib Dem activist Linda Jack will shortly announce that she will be a candidate for the post of Party President in the all-member election that will take place this autumn.

To date, two candidates have declared their intention to run: Baroness (Sal) Brinton and Pauline Pearce. I understand Linda will officially throw her hat into the ring after May’s local and European elections.

Linda Jack has twice been a parliamentary candidate for the party: in Luton North in 2005, and in Mid-Bedfordshire (up against Nadine Dorries) in 2010. She also …

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Stephen Tall

First two Lib Dem presidential hopefuls declare themselves

By Stephen Tall | Sat 8th March 2014 - 9:30 am

Party president Tim Farron’s second (and non-renewable) term of office finishes at the end of this year, after four years in the role. He doubtless expected most of the challenges that come from the Lib Dems being in coalition with the Conservatives. He wouldn’t have expected to have to manage the fall-out from the allegations of sexual impropriety made against Lord Rennard a year ago.

The post of party president is the only Lib Dem role other than that of leader elected through an all-member ballot, and it will take place this autumn. This mandate (along with the requirement to deal …

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Mark Valladares

2014 – looking for a dark horse, or a safe pair of hands?

By Mark Valladares | Fri 3rd January 2014 - 10:30 am

I mentioned yesterday that there were two elections that might pass uncommented upon for the most part, one of which was internal to the Liberal Democrats. Yes, we have a Presidential election to look forward to, and given that Tim Farron is term-limited, somebody new is going to be leading the voluntary Party into a potentially tough General Election.

Six years ago, everybody knew that Lembit was going to run for the Presidency, whilst Ros Scott was emerging as a likely opponent. What wasn’t clear was what the Leader’s Office wanted, or who they would back, or whether further viable …

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26 Comments
Stephen Tall

Lib Dems’ internal elections: your guide to where we’re at (UPDATED)

By Stephen Tall | Sun 7th October 2012 - 4:50 pm

Every couple of years the Lib Dems hold internal elections in which conference representatives choose members of key party committees. As one of the seemingly few Lib Dems neither standing for election nor with a vote, I thought our readers might like an update on where we’re at…

Federal Executive

What does it do?
The formal answer: ‘The Federal Executive is an elected committee responsible for directing, co-ordinating and implementing the work of the Federal Party.’ (From the party website.)
The informal answer: What does the Federal Executive do? by Alison Goldsworthy
Who’s standing?
There are 36 candidates (26 men, 10 women) competing for …

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Mark Pack

Nick Clegg: re-elect Tim Farron as Party President

By Mark Pack | Fri 28th September 2012 - 8:50 am

Neither is quite so gauche as to say it explicitly, but you hardly have to peer between the lines to work out what message is meant to be imparted by a piece from Nick Clegg praising Tim Farron’s record as President, especially when it’s contained in a leaflet handed out at conference by Tim’s re-election team and with a form asking people to sign Tim’s nomination papers tucked inside.

It is looking like it will be an uncontested re-election so far, but credit to Tim for still taking it seriously. …

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Mark Valladares

Has Tim Farron got a prayer against the Advertising Standards Authority?

By Mark Valladares | Tue 27th March 2012 - 7:49 am

In a rather unexpected departure from the usual activities of the Party Presidency, Tim Farron, in his role as a Vice Chair of the ‘Christians in Parliament’ group, has co-signed a letter to the Advertising Standards Agency;

Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury
Chairman, Advertising Standards Agency
21st March 2012

We are writing on behalf of the all-party Christians in Parliament group in Westminster and your ruling that the Healing On The Streets ministry in Bath are no longer able to claim, in their advertising, that God can heal people from medical conditions.

We write to express our concern at this decision and to enquire

…

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Helen Duffett

Lib Dem Presidential Contest: Result

By Helen Duffett | Sat 13th November 2010 - 12:19 pm

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Stephen Tall

LDV survey: The qualities members want from the Lib Dem party president (and whose campaign reached most members)

By Stephen Tall | Sat 13th November 2010 - 11:15 am

Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of the contest for the party presidency, the Comprehensive Spending Review, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Almost 600 party members have responded, and we’re currently publishing the full results.

As today is the day the result of the contest to become party president is declared, here’s a Wordle illustrating what party members feel are the most important qualities whoever is successful should bring to the role (click on the image to enlarge)…

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Also posted in LDV Members poll and Online politics | Tagged and | 6 Comments
The Voice

Lib Dem Presidential contest: result due early this afternoon

By The Voice | Sat 13th November 2010 - 10:00 am

The results of the election for president of the Lib Dems will be announced today, soon after 12pm, and Lib Dem Voice’s Helen Duffett will be reporting back live from the count. A reminder, as if you needed one, of the two candidates standing for the post:

  • Tim Farron
  • Susan Kramer

    • If you’re interested in looking back at the coverage of the race that’s appeared here on LDV, then click here.

    The results for the party committee elections and Peers panel are also expected early this afternoon, so watch this space.

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    Stephen Tall

    EXCLUSIVE: Tim Farron set to win contest for party presidency

    By Stephen Tall | Thu 11th November 2010 - 10:15 pm

    Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of the contest for the party presidency, the Comprehensive Spending Review, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Almost 600 party members have responded, and we’re publishing the full results over the next few days.

    First, we asked what party members thought of the campaigns of the two presidential candidates, Tim Farron and Susan Kramer:

    Regardless of how you intend to vote, which of the two candidates do you think has run the best campaign to become party president?

      50% – Tim Farron

    …

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    Also posted in LDV Members poll | Tagged and | 20 Comments
    Helen Duffett

    Last chance to vote in Party Committee Elections 2010 (online voting closes noon today)

    By Helen Duffett | Wed 10th November 2010 - 6:53 am

    Online voting in this year’s Liberal Democrat Committee elections closes at NOON today, so if you’re a Federal Conference Rep who hasn’t yet returned your vote, there’s still time to get online and do so.

    To vote by internet, go to:

    www.votebyinternet.com/partycommittee2010 and follow the online instructions.

    You’ll need to enter your security code, which is printed on your ballot paper.

    The counts for the Party Committee and Presidential elections will take place this Saturday, 13th November.

    To get the results keep an eye on this site – I’ll be at Cowley Street, to bring you the results as soon as they are announced.

    Also posted in Party policy and internal matters | 3 Comments
    Stephen Tall

    Lib Dem party president election: time to make your mind up…

    By Stephen Tall | Sat 6th November 2010 - 7:45 am

    Stll deciding which way to vote in the contest for Lib Dem party president? As Mark Pack reminds us here, the deadline for returning your completed ballot paper is this coming Wednesday, 10th November.

    To help those party members, who (like me) are finding it very hard to decide, here are links to all the posts published on Lib Dem Voice (starting with the most recent) in which the stalls of the two candidates, Tim Farron and Susan Kramer, are explored…

    …

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    9 Comments
    Mark Pack

    Kramer versus Farron: what sort of President does the party want?

    By Mark Pack | Tue 2nd November 2010 - 7:27 am

    Party members are unusually lucky with the current contest for President of the Liberal Democrats. It is rare for there to be two credible, high-profile candidates standing at the same time but this time there is a real choice between two such people.

    Some differences between Susan Kramer and Tim Farron were obvious from the start of the campaign and are swaying some voters, depending on their views on matters such as how important (or not) it is for one of the party’s most prominent posts to be held by a woman, whether an MP has enough time to do the job, whether a current MP from outside London or an ex-MP from London is more outside the Westminster bubble and so on.

    However, two further differences between the candidates have come out clearly during the campaign.

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