Liberal Youth can campaign. Liberal Youth can recruit. Liberal Youth can train.

But Liberal Youth cannot forget our crucial Policy portfolio.

Solid policy forms the backbone for all other work we do; our innovative policies attract new members to our cause, our campaigns endeavour to change policy and we get our candidates elected to implement liberal policy. This is why I am utterly committed to making Liberal Youth policy comprehensive, professional, and engaging; to provide us with strong foundations in the run up to 2015.

Liberal Youth’s policy independence from the federal party is an asset for both. Liberal Youth can stand as critical friends of our elected representatives; working together wherever we can, but not being afraid to hold the leadership to account when necessary.

If elected, I will work to:

• Get Liberal Youth motions back on the federal Conference agenda, by submitting well-structured and well-researched motions, backed by key stakeholders.
• Develop online policy-making, permitting ongoing and responsive policy making for Liberal Youth members around the country.
• Champion LY policies in the Lib Dem manifesto for 2015.
• Lead a full review of Liberal Youth policy, develop a more complete range of LY policy, and build independent LY policy on core youth issues like transport, the environment and maintenance loans.
• Make the LY Policy Book available to all members, not just the Executive.
• Ensure that all LY policy is designed to be ready to campaign on, with set goals and actionable points.
• Spread the word about Liberal Democrat and Liberal Youth policies in schools, universities and other youth communities with mini-manifestos and policy briefings.
• Include representatives from Liberal Youth Scotland, Liberal Youth Northern Ireland, Ieuenctid Rhyddfrydol Cymru, and LY International Committee on LY Policy Committee.
• Increase transparency in LY Policy Committee by making minutes as accessible as possible.

I am experienced at multiple levels of the party. I am Policy Officer with the City of Nottingham Liberal Democrats. I ran the LY branch at the University of Nottingham, which won the Most Improved Branch award 2012 from LY. I am editor of Liberal Youth’s blog, The Libertine (which won the LDV Best New Blog Award in Brighton 2012, thanks for that LDV). I currently sit on LY’s International Committee, where I have responsibility over policy, writing, and advising on motions to LY and LYMEC conferences and am already preparing a motion for Glasgow.

I mention all this for one reason; I am eager to bring this wealth of experience to bear on behalf of Liberal Youth.

The run up to 2015 is crucial, for our party and for Liberal Youth. We need a Policy officer with experience and ambition.

Vote Morgan Griffith-David for Policy Officer to prepare for 2015 with an experienced, ambitious, and pragmatic Policy Officer.

Voting in the Liberal Youth elections opens on Friday 3 May and continues until 12 noon on Wednesday 29th May. All candidates for the contested officer positions have been offered a 500 word piece on Liberal Democrat Voice to be published by the opening of voting. You can find out more about the elections and read all the candidates’ manifestos on the Libertine and if you are a member of  Liberal Youth you can ask them questions on their National Liberal Youth Chatbox on Facebook. Discussion also takes place on the #lyelects tag on Twitter. 

* Morgan Griffith-David is standing for the position of Policy Officer in the 2013 Liberal Youth elections.