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    • The International Relations Committee 2009

The International Relations Committee 2009

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. Additionally, meetings are called to prepare resolutions for Liberal International and ELDR Committee meetings and Congresses in conjunction with the Party's delegates to these occasions.

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 2009 is made up as follows:

• A Chair appointed by the Federal Executive: Robert Woodthorpe Browne
• Federal Executive representatives: David Simmons, and Gerald Vernon-Jackson
• 2 Federal Policy Committee representatives: Josephine Hayes and Ruth Coleman
  
• Foreign Affairs team Parliamentary representative
• MEP representative: Sarah Ludford
• LI British Group representative: Jonathan Fryer and Olly Wells
• Liberal Democrat European Group representative Phil Bennion
• Student/Youth group representative: Martin Shapland
• Elected Members: Catherine Bearder, Chris LeBreton, Gordon Lishman, Linda Jack
  
• Representative of the Committee of the Regions: Graham Tope
• Representative of the Brussels and European Liberal Democrats: Philip Mellish
• State Party representatives: Brian Orrell (England) Jenny Randerson (Wales), Suzette MacGregor (Scotland)
• LI Executive Representative: Charles Kennedy
• ELDR Executive Representative- if not already included
• Co-opted members: Dirk Hazell, Julie Smith, Marie Louise-Rossi
• Ex-officio: John Alderdice, David Steel, Charles Kennedy, Sharon Bowles, David Griffiths
• International Office staff : Paul Speller and Natalie Darby

ROLE AND REMIT

The International Relations Committee was set up following a report to the FE by Tim Clement Jones, who was the Committee's first Chair. The terms of reference of the IRC have since been expanded, and the expanded terms, taken from the Strategy Review approved by the Federal Executive in 2001 (available from the International Office) are as follows:

• To co-ordinate input into and feedback from ELDR and LI
• To co-ordinate relations with overseas parties
• To oversee the Party's work with Westminster Foundation for Democracy
• 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:

- power to propose issues to other bodies including the FPC and the International Affairs Team for active consideration

- right to review and comment upon the proposed terms of reference and membership of policy groups concerned with European and international affairs

- ability to undertake policy development commissions on the specific request of the FPC and the International Affairs Team

- briefing by Parliamentarians and other policy-makers as a conduit to wider discussion of policy and events in the Party and, in particular, those in the Party interested in international matters

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 the Head of the International Office and Chairman of the International Relations Committee, in the International Affairs Team meetings (this is the current situation.)

-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.