Update from Autumn Conference 2024
Last weekend, all four of our city councillors and fellow members from across the city travelled down to Brighton for this year’s annual Autumn Conference. On the back of great local elections across England, and the historic general election victory - which saw the 72 Liberal Democrat MPS elected, the largest ever in the party’s history - we have officially reasserted ourselves as the third largest party in the House of Commons.
Ahead of the conference, the City Centre Team came together to review the proposed motions, consider amendments, and also decide on submitting an emergency motion for debate. We submitted five amendments to motions, four of which were selected, along with an emergency motion on Winter Fuel Allowance. Although our emergency motion wasn’t selected, it gained substantial support. You can read the full motion here and view all motions here.
Like many conferences we saw lots of new speakers, including Councillors Alan Good, Luke Allan, and Chris Northwood, delivering their maiden conference speeches.
F16: National Nature Parks
Luke Allan and Councillor Chris Northwood presented our amendment to F16, which focused on protecting public Rights of Way to ensure national parks remain accessible to everyone. Luke highlighted the alarming decline in the UK’s natural environment, noting that woodland coverage is less than half the European average. He stressed the importance of safeguarding access to green spaces such as the Yorkshire Dales.
Chris further emphasised the need to protect these areas, not just for leisure, but for the well-being of all, particularly for those living in urban settings. The amendment passed with near-unanimous support, gaining endorsements from MPs Tim Farron and Jess Brown-Fuller.
A special thank you to Charles and Maria Turner for drafting the amendment, which saw such dedicated support.
F18: Topical issue discussion
This session focused on Labour’s Economic Policy and the Foundations for Long-Term Prosperity.
Councillor Richard Kilpatrick delivered a passionate critique of Labour's economic policies, accusing them of maintaining austerity measures despite previous promises to end them. He highlighted policy failures, including the refusal to scrap the two-child tax credit cap and cuts to the winter fuel allowance.
Richard argued that Labour’s approach closely mirrors Tory austerity, with "fiscal prudence" masking regressive actions. His speech resonated with widespread dissatisfaction to Labour’s economic strategy.
F33: Tackling the Prisons Crisis
John Bridges led our amendment to F33, advocating for the expansion of restorative justice schemes as a meaningful alternative to short-term custodial sentences. He underscored how crime disproportionately impacts disadvantaged communities and called for greater victim involvement in the justice process.
John highlighted the Liberal Democrats' long-standing support for restorative justice, calling for more resources to be allocated to these schemes. The amendment was passed with strong support, including from the motion's mover, Josh Babarinde MP.
F39: The Clean Water Authority
Councillor Alan Good addressed water pollution, condemning water companies for discharging sewage into our rivers and canals. He pushed to strengthen the motion by proposing measures to tackle pollution at its source and hold companies accountable. Alan also raised concerns about industrial chemical spills and air pollution, calling for stronger protections for water quality.
His amendments ensured the motion covered pollution from multiple sources, and it passed with solid backing.
Interested in drafting policy and amendments for future conferences?
Keep an eye out for upcoming events. As a party, we have two key opportunities each year: Spring Conference and Autumn Conference. Additionally, each region holds its own conferences where motions are also passed.
Federal
Find out more about our federal conferences
Read our policy motions
Regional
Learn more about our North West Regional Conference
Read our North West Region policy motions