Make Policy
Find out how our members make our policies
In the Liberal Democrats, our members decide our policy. Your experience and understanding helps ensure we have the very best policies that matter to people. Liberal Democrat members can vote on all policy at our Party Conferences. No proposal can become Lib Dem policy until Conference has voted for it - and our members can put forward their own proposals. You can get involved through writing policy, joining policy working groups, responding to consultations and attending conference.
How is policy decided?
At Party Conference, debates are held to decide party policy. Every party member who is attending has the right to vote in debates.
Party Conference is held twice a year, normally in March and September. Conference is where party policy is made - the only way a proposal can become policy is if it is voted for at Conference. Policies that affect the whole UK or just England are voted on by the Lib Dem Federal Conference, while our Scottish, Welsh and regional Conferences set policy that only affects their own area.
At Conference, debates are held to decide policy. For each debate, a motion is put forward in advance. Members can then speak in favour, or against the motion, or on any amendments that have been submitted. At the end of the debate, a vote is held. Any member can speak or vote on the motion. If a motion is passed, it then becomes Lib Dem policy.
-
You can speak in a debate if you are a member, though if you have only registered for one day of Conference, you are not allowed to speak.
If you wish to speak you must first submit a speaker's card, available from the Speaker’s Table, from the stewards in the Auditorium or at the Information Desk.
Before each debate, the chair and aide select which speakers they will call, ensuring that the speakers reflect a balanced range of views.
There are three key points to remember to maximise your chances of being called:
- Submit your card well in advance. The chair and aide meet well in advance to plan the debate and select speakers, sometimes the previous day. Submitting your card early increases your chance of being called.
- Fill in your card completely. Fill in the two sections on the back of the card as well as the front. These sections are needed for the chair to balance the debate and to make sure that they don’t call a series of people who’ll make the same point.
- Make sure it’s readable. Don't try to cram too many words onto the card, and don’t write illegibly or in green ink. The easier you make it for the chair and aide to read your card, the more likely you will be to be called.
-
Normally around 3-5 minutes - the speaking time limits for each debate are published in the Conference Agenda.
There is a lighting system in the main hall to tell you how long you have left when you're speaking - an amber light goes on when you have one minute left, and a red light goes on when your time is up.
For normal speeches, you will be speaking on the main stage, but some debates also have shorter, one-minute speeches called 'interventions'. For these, you can speak from a microphone, normally in the middle of the hall floor.
-
All party members who attended conference are entitled to vote in debates. You must be sat in the auditorium when a vote is called in order to cast your vote.
-
Motions are submitted to the Federal Conference Committee a few weeks before Conference starts. The Committee then decides which motions are going to be debated and publishes them in the Conference Agenda.
Emergency motions and amendments can be submitted up to a few days before Conference.
-
Any member can write a motion. You will need to get at least 10 party members or your local party to back your motion if you want to submit it to the Federal Conference Committee.
Regional and state parties, as well as certain party organisations, can also submit motions to Conference.
For more information on writing and submitting motions, click here.
Policy Consultations
Policy Working Groups
-
Apply for a New Working Group
-
Manifesto
-
Science, Innovation and Technology
-
The Future of Work
-
Britain and Europe
-
International Security
-
Opportunity, Skills and Training
Federal Policy Committee
Policy Papers
-
156 - Tackling the Nature Crisis (2023) | Motion
155 - Tackling the Housing Crisis (2023) | Motion
154 - Food and Farming (2023) | Motion
153 - For a Fair Deal - Pre-Manifesto (2023) | Motion
152 - A Better Start In Life (2023) | Motion
151 - A More Caring Society (2023) | Motion
150 - Towards A Fairer Society (2023) | Motion
145 - Democracy and Public Debate (2022) | Motion
144 - Rebuilding Trade and Cooperation with Europe (2022) | Motion
143 - A Fairer, Greener, More Caring Society (2021) | Motion
142 - What Liberal Democrats Believe (2021) | Motion
140 - Giving Consumers a Fairer Deal (2021) | Motion
139A - Tackling the Climate Emergency: Proposals for Carbon Pricing (2021) | Motion
-
2019 General Election Manifesto (2019)
139 - Tackling the Climate Emergency (2019) | Motion
138 - United Against Crime (2019) | Motion
137 - Save the NHS and Social Care by Stopping Brexit (2019) | Motion
136 - A Fairer Share for All (2019) | Motion
135 - Eradicating Race Inequality (2019) | Motion
134 - Demand Better: Liberal Democrat Priorities for a Better Britain (2018) | Motion
133 - Good Jobs, Better Businesses, Stronger Communities: Proposals for a new economy that really works for everyone (2018) | Motion
132 - Britain at the Heart of a Changing World (2018) | Motion
131 - A Fair Deal for Everyone: Prosperity and Dignity in Migration (2018) | Motion
130 - Power for People and Communities (2018) | Motion
129 - A Rural Future: Time to Act (2018) | Motion
128 - Every Child Empowered: Education for a Changing World (2018) | Motion
-
2015 General Election Manifesto (2015)
122 - Age Ready Britain: Realising the Potential of an Ageing Society (2014)
121 - Pre-Manifesto - Enabling Every Person to Get On In Life (2014)
120 - Expanding Opportunity, Unlocking Potential (2014)
119 - Protecting Public Services and Making Them Work For You (2014)
118 - Doing What Works to Cut Crime (2014)
117 - Power to the People (2014)
116 - Making Migration Work for Britain (2014)
114 - Stronger Economy in a Fairer Society (2013)
113 - Prosperous, Sustainable and Secure (2013)
112 - Defending the Future (2013)
110 - Learning for Life (2013)
109 - Green Growth and Green Jobs (2013)
108 - A Balanced Working Life (2013)
107 - Tackling Inequality at its Roots (2012)
106 - Mutuals, Employee Ownership and Workplace Democracy (2012)
105 - Sustainable Prosperity and Jobs (2012)
104 - Decent Homes for All (2012)
103 - Giving Young People a Future (2012)
102 - A New Purpose for Politics: Quality of Life (2011)
101 - Preparing the Ground: Stimulating Growth in the Digital Economy (2011)
100 - Facing the Future (2011)
99 - Taking Responsibility (Policies on Youth Justice) (2011)
98 - Community Futures (Policies on the Voluntary Sector and Volunteering) (2011)
-
97 - Accountability to the Poor (Policies on International Development) (2010)
95 - Are We Being Served? (Policies on Accessing Goods and Services) (2009)
94 - A Fresh Start for Britain: Choosing a Different, Better Future (2009)
93 - Our Natural Heritage (Policies on the Natural Environment) (2009)
89 - Equity and Excellence (Policies for 5-19 education in England's schools and colleges) (2009)
87 - Shaping Our World Through a Strong Europe: Reforming the EU’s Policies (2008)
86 - Security and Liberty in a Globalised World (2008)
85 - Fast Track Britain: Building a Transport System for the 21st Century (2008)
84 - Empowerment Fairness and Quality in Health Care (2008)
83 - For the People, By the People (2007)
82 - Zero Carbon Britain – Taking a Global Lead (2007)
81 - Reducing the Burden (2007)
80 - Freedom From Poverty, Opportunity For All (2007)
79 - The Power to be Different (2007)
78 - Together We Can Cut Crime (2007)
77 - Green and Prosperous Communities (Local Regeneration for the 21st Century) (2007)
76 - Trust in People: Make Britain free, fair and green (2006)
75 - Fairer, Simpler, Greener (2006)
74 - Britain's Global Responsibilities: the international rule of law (2006)
-
71 - A Soft Landing: Creating a Sustainable Market in Aviation (Aviation Policy Paper) (2005)
70 - Rights and Responsibilities at Work (Employment and Trade Unions Policy Paper) (2005)
69 - Affordable Homes in Safer, Greener Communities (Housing Policy Paper) (2004)
68 - Healthy Communities, Healthy People (Health Policy Paper) (2004)
67 - Dignity and Security in Retirement (Pensions Policy Paper) (2004)
66 - Personal Best (Policies on Sport and Fitness) (2004)
65 - Wealth for the World (Policies on International Trade and Investment) (2004)
64 - A World Free From Poverty (Policies on International Development) (2004)
63 - Censorship and Freedom of Expression (2004)
62 - Fair Foundations (Policies for Early Years) (2003)
61 - Respecting All Animals (Animal Welfare Policy Paper) (2003)
60 - Promoting Independence, Protecting Individuals (Policies for a Caring Society) (2003)
59 - Setting Business Free (Commerce Policy Paper) (2003)
58 - Conserving the Future (Proposals on Energy Policy) (2003)
55 - Planning for the 21st Century (Proposals for Planning Policy) (2002)
54 - Making IT Work (Policies for Information Technology) (2002)
53 - Quality, Innovation, Choice (The Report of the Public Services Policy Commission) (2002)
51 - Justice and the Community (Proposals on Crime, Policing and the Criminal Justice System) (2002)
50 - It’s About Freedom (The Report of the Liberal Democracy Working Group) (2002)
49 - The Future of Broadcasting (2002)
48 - Defending Democracy (Proposals for Defence Policy) (2002)
-
47 - Honesty, Realism, Responsibility (Proposals for the Reform of Drugs Law) (2001)
46 - Transport for People (2001)
45 - Local Economies, Local Choice (2001)
44 - Protecting Civil Liberties (2001)
43 - An Inclusive Society (A Framework for Tackling Poverty and Social Exclusion) (2000)
42 - Working for Success (Employment and Employability for All) (2000)
41 - A Strategy for Sustainability (2000)
40 - Reforming Governance in the UK (Policies for Constitutional Reform) (2000)
39 - An Age of Opportunity (Policies for Older People) (2000)
37 - Engaging Communities (Proposals for Urban Regeneration in England)
36 - A Clean Bill of Health (Policies on Paying for NHS and Social Care in England and Wales) (2000)
35 - Global Security, Stability and Sustainability
34 - Breaking Down Barriers (Policies on Disability) (1999)
32 - Housing Policy into the 21st Century (1999)
31 - Keeping the Balance (Policies on Genetic Modification) (1999)
28 - Rape Law Reform (Policies for Reform Law on Rape) (1998)
-
26 - Living in the Greenhouse (Policies to Tackle Climate Change) (1997)
25 - A World of Opportunity (Policies for Developmental Co-operation) (1996)
24 - Water (Policies for Affordable, Available and Clean Water in England and Wales) (1996)
23 - A Home of Your Own (Policies for Housing in England and Wales) (1996)
22 - Conserving Tomorrow (Energy Policies for the Future) (1996)
21 - Investing in Excellence (Policies for Education in England and Wales) (1996)
20 - A Parliament for the People (Proposals to Reform the House of Commons) (1996)
19 - Meeting the European Challenge (Proposals for the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference) (1996)
18 - The Key to Lifelong Learning (Proposals for Tertiary Education in England and Wales) (1996)
16 - Investment, Partnership, Sustainability (Policies for the British Economy) (1995)
14 - Building on the Best of the NHS (Proposals to Reform the National Health Service) (1995)
13 - Access for All (Proposals to Promote Equal Opportunities for Disabled People) (1995)
12 - The Balance of Trade (Proposals for Reforming International Trade) (1995)
11 - A Free and Open Society (1994)
10 - Equal Citizens (Proposals to Promote the Equal Treatment of Women) (1994)
09 - Working for Change (Promoting Jobs and Employability) (1994)
08 - Agenda for Sustainability (Tools for Creating a Sustainable Economy and Society) (1994)
07 - Opportunity and Independence for All (Proposals to Improve the Tax and Benefits System) (1994)
06 - Shared Security (Security and Defence in an Uncertain World) (1994)
04 - A New Deal for Northern Ireland (Proposals for the Future of Northern Ireland) (1994)