September 2019 Newsletter
Welcome to our September 2019 newsletter - a quick round-up of recent happenings and upcoming opportunities especially for our members outside Europe.
Chair's Welcome Message
We have increased Lib Dems Overseas to 350 members and 120 supporters in 40 countries. Welcome to all newcomers! We have a great executive (Exec Team) and are very active both abroad and with our party at home.
We need more activists to further expand our overseas presence and to contribute to our party's fight in the expected 2019 General Election. Write to me directly at gfjcunningham@gmail.com to volunteer for action and see how best to get involved.
Upcoming Events
Lib Dem Autumn Conference
Taking place 14-17 September 2019 in Bournemouth.
At the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Bournemouth on 15 -17 September, Lib Dems Overseas and Lib Dems in Europe will jointly launch their policy paper: “Modernising the relationship between Britain and its citizens living abroad” (https://www.libdemsoverseas.com/policy_paper). The proposals are the first by any political party addressing the needs of Brits living abroad.
They have been endorsed the Liberal Democrats' Federal International Relations Committee. Speakers in support will include Baroness Brinton, President of the Lib Dems party, Lib Dems Overseas Chair George Cunningham, Irina von Weise MEP and Phil Bennion MEP.
ALDE Party Congress
Alliance for Liberals and Democrats (ALDE) have their Party Congress in Athens 24-26 October 2019.
Liberal International ExCom
Liberal International are meeting in Fes, Morocco 22-24 November 2019.
Westminster News
At the time of writing the petition "Do not prorogue Parliament" had over 1.7 million signatures. If you haven't already done so please consider signing it. Any British citizen can sign even if you live abroad.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/269157
On the 27th of August, representatives of Lib Dems, Green Party, Labour, Plaid Cymru, SNP and Independent Group for Change, met at Church House to sign a declaration which said shutting down parliament would be “an undemocratic outrage at such a crucial moment for our country, and a historic constitutional crisis”. Read more at the link below.
Former Conservative MP, Dr Philip Lee, has joined the Liberal Democrats. He said, "After a great deal of thought, I have reached the conclusion that it is no longer possible to serve my constituents and country's best interests as a Conservative MP."
This reduced the government majority to zero (including DUP MPs). After then losing the vote on the bill to stop no-deal the Conservative Party removed the whip from its rebel MPs reducing it's majority even further to minus 43!
Recent Events
ALDE Party Council
Lib Dem Delegates Phil Bennion and Peter Price in discussion at ALDE Party Council
Liberal International Executive
International Network of Liberal Women members with George, Merlene (Chinese Lib Dems in UK) and Hauwa at Liberal International Executive
Visit to Democratic Progressive Party - Taiwan
George Cunningham visited the Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan in July 2019
Research into origins of political parties abroad
Dr Sue Collard of the University of Sussex, who spoke at the Lib Dems Abroad fringe event last autumn, is conducting research into the origins of political parties abroad and would very much like to hear from anyone who was an early member of any group or has any paper records of activities, membership etc. She can be contacted at s.p.collard@sussex.ac.uk
Her latest article in The Political Quarterly is on the politics of overseas voting: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1467-923X.12729
Published and promoted by John Shardlow on behalf of the Lib Dems Overseas
