In the next 8 weeks, Liberal Democrat Spring conferences will be held. First up is the Welsh Conference on the weekend of 5-7 February in Cardiff. I suspect the motions deadline has already passed, but we will keep you up to date when the agenda is published. Lynne Featherstone will be a keynote speaker and the event will be an opportunity to showcase Welsh Lib Dems’ achievements and plans ahead of the Assembly elections in May.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats meet in Edinburgh from 26-27 February, half a day shorter than usual. There is still plenty time to submit a motion. If you have an idea for a change in policy, here are the timescales:

Deadlines for motions to conference are as follows:

Policy motions – 15 January at midday
Amendments – 24 February at midday
Topical issues – 25 February at 17.00
Emergency motions – 25 February and 26 February at 17.00

You need to get 25 members to agree your motion, or you can ask a local party or organisation like EMLD, LGBT+ Lib Dems, Scottish Lib Dem Women or Liberal Youth Scotland to submit it for you.

The first Federal Conference to be held under One Member One Vote takes place in York from 11-13 March. You can submit a motion here up until 1pm on 13th January. 10 party members, local, regional and state parties or the Specified Associated Organisations like Lib Dem Women and Liberal Youth, EMLD and LGBT+ Lib Dems can submit these motions.

If you do have a burning idea for a motion and you want to test the water, please feel free to write about it for us. Here are our guidelines for submissions. If you don’t have an active local party in your area, you might like to see if another might submit the motion on your behalf. Calderdale Liberal Democrats are one local party with a very active policy development group who might be willing to consider yours.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social