Your chance to take part in three new Lib Dem policy working groups

Here’s the message from Lib Dem HQ:

The Federal Policy Committee (FPC) is appointing chairs for new working groups that will prepare draft policy papers for the FPC to consider and submit to conference in Autumn 2019. These working groups will develop Liberal Democrat policy in the following areas:

• Climate change and the low-carbon economy
• Crime, policing and justice
• Health and social care

More detail about these working groups can be found on the Policy Working Groups webpage.

The FPC is looking to appoint a chair for each of these groups who will lead 15-20 members to develop policy in each of these areas. FPC will advertise for applications for members of the working groups over the next two months.

These working groups will start work in June 2018, with a view to producing consultation papers for discussion at Spring Conference 2019 and final drafts for the FPC to consider over the period April – June 2019.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing the development of the party’s policy in the relevant area
• Managing a group of volunteers
• Working closely with the party’s spokespeople and parliamentarians on the relevant policy issues
• Engaging with external policy experts
• Running a comprehensive consultation and engagement strategy
• Preparing drafts of the policy paper.

These positions are only open to members of the Liberal Democrats. We are looking for people with:

• Experience in managing policy discussions with parliamentarians and at other senior levels within the party successfully, or equivalent
• Knowledge of the relevant policy issues
• Experience of campaigns, media or communications.

Time commitment: up to 20 days a year (typically 4 hours a week). The positions are voluntary.

Please apply using this link [now closed] by 13.00 Thursday 8th March.

There is a broader question of how the Liberal Democrat policy process should work, on which see Reinventing the Liberal Democrats.