8 Comments

• Jonathan Fryer 23rd Jan '11 - 5:59pm

  Thanks, Mark. Do you have the details of who was elected by the FE to be its reps on the Liberal International Executive and ELDR Council?

• Mark Pack 23rd Jan '11 - 6:39pm

  Jonathan: If you take a look in the Member’s Forum, there are further details of the full set of elections.

• Chris Jenkinson 23rd Jan '11 - 6:47pm

  Why are the chairs of these committees key party posts? Just interested.

• Philip Vial 23rd Jan '11 - 6:53pm

  I was going to ask that? Why key? As an ordinary party member how will the affect me?

• John Brace 23rd Jan '11 - 7:57pm

  @Chris Jenkinson

  “Why are the chairs of these committees key party posts? Just interested.”

  I’ll do my best to answer regarding the ones I know.

  Campaign for Gender Balance:-

  The party has in the past generously funded the Campaign for Gender Balance with (last time I remember the figures) at least a 5 figure sum a year. The Chair of the Campaign for Gender Balance would have a say in how this money is spent and how the party’s efforts in encouraging female candidates to come forward, stand and hopefully ultimately win.

  Chair, Campaigns & Communications Committee

  Campaigns & Communications are something the party spends massive amounts of money on, with paid staff at Cowley Street employed. These have special significance during elections (local, General, European, referendum etc) as what the party campaigns on and decides to concentrate its efforts doing has an effect on our vote.

  Chair, International Relations Committee

  At the European level (and wider) the Lib Dems are part of broad coalitions of other parties. Maintaining good relations with our political allies and having input on how things are going in other parts is essential (especially considering our pro-European bias) if we are to be seen as credible on the international stage and to compete (as we do) in these days of globalisation.

  Treasurer

  The party treasurer is responsible for submitting the annual accounts and has roles to do with fundraising. If local parties have questions about how the national bodies spend money, they often do this through the treasurer. There are many, many laws regarding the financing and donations side of political parties and how money is spent and accounted for that need to be followed too.

  Deputy Chair/Chair FFAC

  The first two positions listed are self-explanatory. All these committees have Terms of Reference, but the average party member who hasn’t been a conference rep and heard reports from them there is probably some puzzlement as to what they do and are responsible for.

• Chris Jenkinson 23rd Jan '11 - 11:38pm

  If the Federal Executive is so important why was the page on it on libdems.org.uk last updated in July 2008? http://www.libdems.org.uk/party_organisations_detail.aspx?title=Federal_Executive&pPK=8dae9f78-9643-4cbd-a41e-1d3e37521826

• Simon 24th Jan '11 - 10:02am

  Chair of the Federal Finance and Administration Committee is actually the party’s ‘registered Treasurer’ for PPERA purposes not the Treasurer whose role is to take a lead on big donner fundraising.

• Ed Maxfield 24th Jan '11 - 2:02pm

  “FEC elects people to key posts”

  Do they usually elect aliens?

  😉