The International Relations Committee 2012

The Liberal Democrats are an internationalist party, seeking to promote a liberal democratic society worldwide. Working through our international network (Liberal International), our European party (the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party), which is represented in the European Parliament as part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) group) and other relevant bodies, and through our democracy building work using funds from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), we promote liberal democratic policies throughout the world.

The International Relations Committee (IRC) of the party is a sub-committee of the Federal Executive. It meets 4 times a year, and acts as the consultative and co-ordinating body of the party regarding its activities on the international stage. Additional meetings are called to prepare resolutions for Liberal International and ELDR Committee meetings and Congresses in conjunction with the Party's delegates to these meetings.

COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE

The committee consists of representatives of Federal Committees, relevant international bodies, parliamentary representatives and co-opted experts, and is led by a Chairperson elected by the Federal Executive.

The membership of the IRC for 2012 is made up as follows:

• A Chair appointed by the Federal Executive: Robert Woodthorpe Browne
• Federal Executive representatives: David Simmons and Winnie Smith
• 2 Federal Policy Committee representatives: Linda Jack and Peter Price
• Foreign Affairs team Parliamentary representative: Beth Knight
• MEP representative: Sarah Ludford
• LI British Group representative: Julie Smith and Dirk Hazell
• Liberal Democrat European Group representative Phil Bennion
• Student/Youth group representative: Harriet Ainscough and Sam Fisk
• Elected Members: Ed Fordham, Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Gordon Lishman, Jonathan Fryer, Layla Moran
• Representative of the Committee of the Regions: Graham Tope
• Representative of the Brussels and European Liberal Democrats: Philip Mellish
• State Party representatives: Jonathan Webber (England) Jenny Randerson (Wales), TBC (Scotland)
• LI Executive Representative: If not already included
• ELDR Executive Representative- if not already included
• Ex-officio: John Alderdice, David Steel, Charles Kennedy, Sharon Bowles
• International Office: Paul Speller and Natalie Darby
• Women Liberal Democrats representative: Ruth Chenoweth

ROLE AND REMIT

The terms of reference of the IRC, taken from the Strategy Review approved by the Federal Executive in 2001 are as follows:

• To co-ordinate input into and feedback from ELDR and LI
• To co-ordinate relations with overseas parties
• Co-ordination of the work of the European Parliamentary Party, the International Affairs Team, the Leaders' Office, and the Party in relation to our policy and political input to ELDR bodies.
• Liaison with the European Parliamentary Party, feeding and promoting relevant information to the wider Party on issues and activities.
• Links with Party policy making and manifesto development through working groups and reviews and reviews with a view to bringing in the wider network of contacts and expertise to which the Committee has access, including:


 Participation in planning for European elections and specifically:

• the opportunity to review and comment on the Party's manifesto for European Parliament elections
• links with the Election Campaigns Group via a representative

- Participation, with Chairman of the International Relations Committee and the Head of the International Office, in the International Affairs Team meetings
- Responsibility for addressing the general state of international knowledge and commitment throughout the Party with a view to educating and involving members in international matters. This will include creating opportunities, with bodies such as the LDEG and the LI (British Group) to promote discussion and follow up debate.