Editor’s Note: In November party members will be voting to elect our next Party President. At Lib Dem Voice we welcome posts from each of the candidates – one to launch their candidature plus a maximum of one per week during the actual campaign.

I’ve been around this great party for a few years now, and I’ve done a lot of jobs. Constituency organiser, agent, fundraiser, organiser of regional conferences and part of the team for the federal conferences as well as being a candidate – for far too many times to recall. Alongside other activists I’ve helped out at parliamentary by- elections and seen us at our best. I was elected as a Liberal Democrat on Parish, District and County councils and finally elected three times to the European Parliament,where I famously served on my own for one term, and latterly led a group of 16 fresh and keen MEPs. After the European Parliament, I chaired my region of South Central for 3 years. It’s been quite a journey, but none of it would have been possible without the commitment and support of legions of hard- working and committed members who believe in a Liberal Democrat future for this country, and were willing to give up their time and energy to deliver it. I know where our strength comes from: it’s our members.

Of course, organising our party machine takes leadership and skills and a lot of behind the scenes organisation with a lot of meetings, lots and lots of meetings! (I’ve been to quite a few of those too…) At these, I’ve always been aware that the voice often missing is that of the members. It’s often said, and felt, that the party is too London-centric, but that’s not true, though it does have a tendency to be power-centric. This is why I think we members need to be very sure about what we want our new President to be.

For me, the party President should be the voice of the membership, able to speak truth to power, to be available for the local parties, not only to attend their events but to feed back their concerns to those inevitable committee meetings. But the President also leads the internal processes and line-manages the CEO, so that we remain true to our principles of fairness, equality and democracy. I want to see our new President do that, and do it well.

MPs must answer to the leader in the House of Commons, as do the Peers to their leader in their House. The nations speak for their particular regions and interests, feeding through their regional issues, but too often those who do the work in the local parties don’t have a champion at the top table. The President, elected with a mandate from the members, is able to be that person to challenge and champion the party, to defend our constitution in the face of the demands of publicity and controversy.

So, when I heard that Prue Bray was standing to be our new President, I knew immediately that she would be the perfect voice and champion for the members. I’ve known Prue for many years, she has served on federal, national and regional committees in many varied ways and latterly as chair of ALDC, the organisation of local councillors, and of course she is also an elected and experienced councillor. She knows this party like few others do. She’s always been there to support the smallest party, yet ready to represent us on the top committees; she stands her ground and knows her subjects, be that internal appeals, constitution or candidate selection and support. And she is not subject to the whip, allowing her to speak truth to power.

We aspire to run the country and deliver Liberalism for the nation. In order to do that we must demonstrate we can do that within our own party. The President must make sure the party is ready, willing and above all able to campaign and win elections.  Prue is the candidate able to do that for us all, and that’s why I am supporting her.

* Catherine Bearder was Lib Dem MEP for the South East region from 2009-2020.