Special Conference

NEC, Birmingham 16th May 2010

Conference Extra

Plain text version

Updates to the Conference Agenda and Directory, information from the 
Conference Committee and amendments to the motion.


Published by The Conference Office, Liberal Democrats, 4 Cowley Street, 
London, SW1P 3NB. Design and layout by Mike Cooper, 
mikecooper@mccweb.demon.co.uk

Change That Works For You


Contents

Updates to conference information 

Updates and amendments for the agenda for Sunday 16th May


PDF and plain text versions of this Conference Extra and of the 
Agenda and Directory are available for download online from: 
www.libdems.org.uk/specialconference

Please note that the clearprint and plain text versions of 
Conference Extra do not show the line numbers printed in the 
standard version.


Information Update

Speaking In The Debate

Conference representatives wishing to speak in the debate must complete a 
speaker's card, and Conference representatives wishing to make an 
intervention must complete an intervention card.

Cards can be obtained from the steward overseeing the block of seats in the 
auditorium in which you are sitting, or from the Information Desk from 08.30 
on Sunday 16th May. 

Hand the completed card to the Information Desk (before the auditorium opens) 
or to a steward in the auditorium (after it opens) as early as possible; the earlier 
you hand it in, the greater your chance of being called to speak. 

Interveners will be chosen at random from amongst the intervention cards 
submitted.

Speakers (other than the mover and summator) will have a maximum of 4 
minutes; interventions will have a maximum of one minute.

See speaking in the debate and interventions in the Agenda and Directory. 


Sunday 16th May

13.10	Business Motion

S2	Change that works for you: building a fairer Britain in 
government

Federal Executive
Mover:	(Andrew Stunell MP)
Summation:	(Chris Huhne MP)

Amendment One

14 conference representatives
Mover:	Dr Evan Harris

After line 6 insert:

Conference notes that negotiations with the Labour Party were not fruitful, 
despite the best endeavours and good faith of the Liberal Democrat negotiating 
team, because many in the Labour Party did not wish to participate in a 
coalition with the Liberal Democrats or to continue in government; and that 
therefore it was not possible to form a stable administration with the Labour 
Party. 

Conference further notes that a stable coalition with the Conservatives with a 
clear partnership agreement has significant advantages for the country, for the 
implementation of progressive policies and for the creation of a more 
cooperative style of politics compared to the remaining option of a minority 
Conservative administration.

Amendment Two

15 conference representatives
Mover:	David Grace

After line 26 insert:

Conference recognises that party members in government and in parliament will 
be bound by the usual conventions and by the terms of this agreement but 
declares that the Liberal Democrats remain an independent political party and 
that nothing in this agreement prevents the party from developing new policy 
through its democratic processes.

Amendment Three

23 conference representatives
Mover:	James Graham

At end, add:

Conference calls for Liberal Democrats to work constructively in government to 
ensure that the net income and wealth inequality gap is reduced significantly 
over the course of this parliament. 

Amendment Four

Liberal Youth
Mover:	To be announced

At end, add:

Conference notes that many Liberal Democrat MPs signed the NUS 'vote for 
students' pledge against any real-terms rise in the tuition fee cap. Conference 
calls upon Liberal Democrat ministers and MPs to ensure that on any decision 
made on Lord Browne's report on higher education funding, they above all else 
take into account the impact on student debt. Conference affirms the Liberal 
Democrat objective of scrapping tuition fees.

Amendment Five

10 conference representatives
Mover: 	David Matthewman

At end, add:

Conference urges Liberal Democrat ministers and MPs to take all possible 
steps to ensure the repeal of those sections of the Digital Economy Act 2010 
which are inconsistent with policy motion Freedom, Creativity and the Internet 
passed at the Liberal Democrat spring conference 2010.

Amendment Six

10 conference representatives
Mover:	Jo Shaw

At end, add:

Conference also calls on Liberal Democrat ministers and MPs, in line with the 
Liberal Democrat manifesto commitment to protect the Human Rights Act 
1998, to oppose moves by any party or individual towards repeal of this act.

Amendment Seven

DELGA
Mover:	Dave Page

At end, add:

Conference reaffirms the party's long-standing and unparalleled commitment to 
matters relating to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans equality. 

Amendment Eight

Harlow
Mover:	David Wright

At end, add:

Conference calls on Liberal Democrat ministers and MPs to seek to include 
proportional representation for local government elections in England and 
Wales as part of the political reform programme of the coalition government.
 
Amendment Nine

Newbury
Mover:	David Rendel

At end, add:

Conference regrets that it proved impossible to agree the introduction of a 
system of proportional representation for elections to the House of Commons, 
and reaffirms the party's long-standing commitment to the introduction of such 
a system.