The Federal Conference Committee (FCC) met on Saturday, 9th July to start its work on the final agenda for Autumn 2022 Conference, which will be taking place in Brighton, with an option for online attendance.
If you haven’t yet registered for Conference, I would recommend doing so here.
At the meeting we discussed several items in relation to future venues and the meeting and motions schedule for 2023 into 2024. As previously reported, we will be returning to York for Spring Conference 17 to 19 March 2023.
The Federal Conference Committee has also continued work with its Working Group on a Hybrid Conference and has put together a technical specifications document which will be used to look at options and software platforms for a future hybrid conference. This was an interesting meeting as we also discussed wider membership engagement at Conference (applicable for in-person and hybrid conference options).
Conference is an excellent way to engage with the membership, to influence the party’s policy and strategy, but also so many other activities. We are looking forward to an exciting fringe programme with a range of different topics and presentations. There will also be the extensive training programme available at Conference – we really do recommend that you look at that. The directory will be published very soon. I am especially looking forward to the return of the Lib Dem Quiz and of course Glee.
The agenda for conference, including the texts of the motions and timings, will be published shortly. As per usual the Conference will include the Leaders Speech, Committee and Parliamentary Reports, the Leaders Q&A and some set-piece speeches; we are also delighted that Kira Rudik, leader of the Ukrainian Holos Party and ALDE Party Vice President, will be joining us at Conference. The further details of these will be announced in due course.
We received 41 policy motions, four business motions, five constitutional amendments and three standing order amendments. As always, unfortunately, time is tight, and we cannot take all the motions submitted.
The FCC wants to extend its thanks to all members to take the time to write and prepare motions; if you are interested in shaping party policy then please do reach out to the FCC via the motions (and/or amendments) drafting service and we will be able to assist you.
From the submitted motions, we selected 18 policy motions, three business motions, four constitutional amendment, and two standing order amendments. There are also slots for two emergency motions.
I have included below the list of motions submitted (please note that some of the naming of the motions may vary between this list and publication of the agenda), who they were submitted by and if not selected, the reason for non-selection. With regards to constitutional and standing order amendments, these are automatically selected; however, ruled either in or out of order.
You may recall from the previous report that we confirmed that there would be a debate on the issue of nuclear weapons at Autumn 2022 Conference, and a nuclear weapons motion has been selected for debate.
Please note that the next set of deadlines are:
Drafting advice deadline (emergency motions and amendments): 22 August at 13.00
Amendments and Emergency Motions deadline and deadline for Appeals against non-selection of motions: 5 September at 13.00
Appeals deadline for Amendments and Emergency Motions: 15 September at 13.00
Name of motion | Submitted by | Selected/Not Selected | Reason for non-selection |
Communities and Local Government | |||
Impact of the energy crisis on swimming pools and the leisure sector | ALDC | Not selected | Eliminated at second round for lack of time |
Homes and Planning | Federal Policy Committee | Not selected | Contradicts a decision from previous conference in last 12 months |
Crime and Justice | |||
Confronting the Spiking Crisis | Young Liberals | Not selected | Eliminated at second round for lack of time |
A Better Alternative to the Rwanda Asylum Plan | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | Eliminated at second round for lack of time |
Culture, Media and Sport Motions | |||
Supporting the creative industries and protecting Channel 4 | 10 (or more) party members | Selected | |
Protecting our Heritage Assets | Eastbourne & Portsmouth | Not selected | Narrow topic |
Reducing Harm in Gambling for Sports | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | Eliminated at second round for lack of time |
Economy and Tax | |||
Stronger rules for non-doms in the economy and public life | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | Eliminated at second round for lack of time |
A Fair Deal for Charities: Supporting Charities with the impacts of COVID-19 and the Cost-of-Living Crisis | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | Required additional drafting support, unintentional creation of loopholes |
Cut VAT to ease the cost-of-living crisis | 10 (or more) party members | Selected | |
Education | |||
Putting Children’s Wellbeing at the Heart of Education | 10 (or more) party members | Selected | To be composited with Health motion (A) ‘Taking a Stand for Mental Health’ |
Delivering quality careers guidance for young people | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | Ongoing Policy Working Group covering this issue |
Energy and Environment | |||
Grid Lock 2050: The Time Is Now for Grid Capacity | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | Good issue but requires drafting support |
The Natural Environment | Federal Policy Committee | Selected | |
Making the Fight Against Climate Change Accessible to Everyone | 10 (or more) party members | Selected | |
Equalities and Civil Liberties | |||
Motion to address the health and well-being of gender-questioning children in schools | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | Issues regarding points of accuracy |
Looking Ahead to Cass | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | Party policy takes account of these issues |
Europe | |||
UK-EU Cooperation on Foreign and Security Policy – rebuilding the framework | Federal Policy Committee | Selected | |
Health and Social Care | |||
Taking a Stand for Mental Health | Young Liberals | Selected | To be composited with Education motion (A) ‘Putting Children’s Wellbeing at Heart of Education’ |
Access to Dental Care For All | 10 (or more) party members | Selected | |
Supporting the Next Generation of Doctors | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | Eliminated at second round for lack of time |
The Big Fat Problem with BMI | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | Eliminated at second round for lack of time |
A More Caring Society | Federal Policy Committee | Selected | |
Against Minimum Alcohol Pricing | 10 (or more) party members | Selected | |
International and Defence | |||
Avoiding Armageddon | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | Motion B taken on same topic |
The UK’s nuclear deterrent | 10 (or more) party members | Selected | |
China: A Strategy for the UK | 10 (or more) party members | Selected | |
Upholding Democracy in Hong Kong | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | Motion C taken which covers some the issues |
Miscellaneous | |||
Pre-Manifesto | Selected | ||
Political and Constitutional Reform | |||
Consequences for Ignoring the Rule of Law | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | Overtaken by events |
Reversing the Centralisation of Power in Whitehall | 10 (or more) party members | Selected | |
Rural Affairs | |||
Standing up for Rural Communities | 10 (or more) party members | Selected | |
Transport | |||
Standing up for Communities – Improving Bus Services | 10 (or more) party members | Selected | |
Reform of Rail Fares | Enfield | Not selected | Eliminated at second round for lack of time |
Active Travel | Young Liberals | Not selected | Eliminated at second round for lack of time |
Liberalising Britains Railways | Young Liberals | Not selected | Motion (B) selected in favour of (D) |
Bus Transport for All | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | Motion (A) selected instead |
Work and Pensions | |||
A Child Maintenance Service That Works for Children | 10 (or more) party members | Selected | |
Scrapping Council Tax Reduction Scheme and restoring the national Council Tax Benefit Scheme | Basingstoke & Deane | Not selected | Required drafting support / potential as amendment to (D) |
Equalisation and increase Child Benefit rates | Basingstoke & Deane | Not selected | Required drafting support / potential as amendment to (D) |
A Fairer Society | Federal Policy Committee | Selected | |
Business Motions | |||
Hold conference at affordable non seaside venues and allow day pass holders to vote and speak | 10 (or more) party members | Not selected | To be covered at FCC future meeting / in FCC Chair report |
Membership Subscription and Federal Levy | Federal Board | Selected | |
Code of conduct for members and registered supporters | Federal Board | Selected | Please note this item is subject to Article 9.7(A) of the constitution and thus for ratification at conference and therefore is not amendable. |
FIRC representation on ALDE and LI Delegations | 10 (or more) party members | Selected | |
Constitutional Amendments | |||
Changes to FIRC voting members due to Brexit | 10 (or more) party members | Selected | |
Better Party Governance | 10 (or more) party members | Not in order | |
One Member, One Vote for Committees | 10 (or more) party members | In order | |
Directly Elected Key Subcommittees | 10 (or more) party members | In order | Part-composite into Constitutional Amendment (C) |
Making our diversity rules more intersectional | 10 (or more) party members | In order | |
Standing Order Amendments | |||
The Selection of Speakers | 10 (or more) party members | In order | |
The selection of policy motions for debate | 10 (or more) party members | In order | |
Increasing Party Accountability at Conference | 10 (or more) party members | Not in order | |
Our Federal Committees are up for elections this Autumn, and whoever we elect will be in post for the next General Election.
The latest from the FCEC.
July report back to party members