Scotland recently held its internal elections to determine the make up of its Party Committees and Office Bearers.

Only one office bearer post was contested, that of Vice Convener (Campaigns and Candidates). That election was won by Katy Gordon, former candidate for Glasgow North and the Glasgow Regional list and Convener of Scottish Women Liberal Democrats.

Office bearers continuing in post are:

Convener: Craig Harrow

President: Malcolm Bruce MP

Deputy Leader: Jo Swinson MP

Vice Convener (Policy): John Edward

Vice Convener (Conference): Shabnum Mustapha

All committee elections except Conference Committee are conducted by all member ballot. Scotland allows all members a vote at Conference, but only those who register in any given year have a vote for the Committee which runs it.

The 12 people elected to the Executive were:

Derek Barrie; Fred Mackintosh; Audrey Findlay; Margaret Smith; Judy Hayman; Sophie Bridger; Fraser Grieve; Kevin Lang; Caron Lindsay; Kristian Chapman; Galen Milne; Cathy McInnes.

New members are key campaigners Fred and Kevin (who will also be the Scottish Party’s rep on the Federal Executive), Margaret Smith, former MSP for Edinburgh West and former presidents of Liberal Youth Scotland Kristian Chapman and Sophie Bridger.

The 5 members of Policy Committee are:

Euan Robson; Hugh Andrew; Alan Blair; Ewan Hoyle; Ruaraidh Dobson.

The slightly worrying thing is that there was an all male field for the Policy Committee. The Party in Scotland is now required to consider gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting in all policy formation following a debate on diversity at our recent Conference. The challenge for the new Committee will be to ensure that it does have a diverse approach to policy making.

The 6 members of Conference Committee are:

Jenni Lang; Fraser Grieve; Mike Falchikov; Sheila Thomson; Jennifer Jamieson-Ball; Callum Leslie

Jenni Lang is also the Scottish Party’s representative on the Federal Conference Committee.