Liberal Democrat Youth and Students

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Liberal Democrat Youth and Students (LDYS) is the youth and student group of the UK Liberal Democrats.

Liberal Democrat party members who are under 26 years old or attending higher education institutions are automatically members of LDYS. Liberal Democrat members between 26 and 29 years old can also join LDYS by paying an additional subscription. The group is financially supported by the Liberal Democrat party and has offices in the party headquarters in Cowley Street, London, but retains total operational control over its internal elections, staffing, and campaigns.

1 Recent history
2 Internal organisation
3 Within the Liberal Democrats
4 International links
5 Current campaigns
6 List of Chairs
7 External links

[edit] Recent history

Liberal Democrat Youth and Students was created in 1993 from a merger of the Student Liberal Democrats and the Young Liberal Democrats of England who shared many resources. The merger talks were overseen by a committee which included Sarah Gurling, now wife of Charles Kennedy.

In 1999, the organisation was restructured into the organisation it is today, the process being overseen by then Secretary of the organisation Jo Swinson. The Scottish Young Liberal Democrats formally integrated themselves into the federal structure in 2002; preivously, the two organisations and their predecessors had been completely separate.

Their most notable forebears are the Young Liberals of the 1960s and 1970s, who were a significant and radical force within the Liberal Party of the time.

[edit] Internal organisation

Since 2000 LDYS has been, like the main party, organised on a federal basis with organisations in different geographical regions having different spheres of influence.

Local branches, which are generally tied to a local party or academic institution such as a university, run local electoral campaigns, conduct community politics and act as auxiliaries to the local party.

The federal organisation of LDYS organise liaisons with other party and international bodies (see below) and represents the organisation to the party and to the public. This comprises the Federal Executive, which operates as the executive committee; the Conference Committee, which operates LDYS conference; the Policy Committee, which examines the policy book and develops policy proposals; and the International Committee, which liaises with foreign organisations.

These committees, barring ex officio members such as representatives from state organisations and delegates from the executive, are elected by the membership of LDYS in an all-member ballot and are responsible to Conference.

[edit] Within the Liberal Democrats

As a Specified Associated Organisation (SAO) of the party, LDYS is autonomous and thus occasionally adopts policies which contradict those of the main party; it is then entitled to submit policy it adopts to the party's federal conference. LDYS is, however, largely financially dependent on the party.

The constitution of the Liberal Democrats grants LDYS at least one position on local party executives, while the federal committees such as the Federal Executive, Federal Policy Committee and International Relations Committee each admit an observer from the federal LDYS organisation.

In addition, LDYS is also granted a number of voting representatives at the Federal Conference of the Liberal Democrat party based on the number of members, as are local parties. This privilege is extended to the separate Scottish and Welsh Conferences, as well as to regional conferences within England and to the party's English Council, the confederal body through which the regional parties of England make joint decisions.

[edit] International links

LDYS is a member of two international youth organisations:

The International Federation of Liberal & Radical Youth (IFLRY), which acts as the youth organisation of Liberal International.
The European Liberal Youth (LYMEC), which acts as the youth organisation of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party.

The conference of LDYS has also voted to establish an organisation by the name of the "Liberal Youth of the Commonwealth".

[edit] Current campaigns

The primary campaign of LDYS for the 2006 Fresher's season is the Homophobia Is Gay campaign, which is proving to be a runaway success, with significant third party and celebrity endorsement. LDYS has been significantly involved in the campaign for green taxes. Additional campaigns include ongoing commitments to campaign for free education across the entire UK, and to reiterate the Liberal Democrat opposition to the position in Iraq.

Following up the success of Homophobia is Gay, LDYS is set to launch a major campaigning initiative in the near future.