First timer or regular, regional conference has something for everyone - lively policy debate, invaluable training, fantastic networking opportunities and much more.

2024

Spring 2024 Regional Conference was held in Stockport on Saturday 17 February.

Speakers included Lord Storey, Cllr Richard Kemp, Cllr Rebecca Turner and Party President Mark Pack.

Training included best practice at running your local party and how to use the party's new online tools like Targeted Email and Fleet, along with a special briefing for parliamentary candidates. Our Police and Mayoral candidates led a series of county meetings looking ahead to the May elections.

2023

Autumn 2023 Regional Conference was held in Stockport on Saturday 21 October.

Speakers included Helen Morgan MP, Lord Goddard, Lisa Smart, Tom Morrison and Stockport Council leader Mark Hunter.

Policy was passed on HS2 and Trams & Light Rail. We had a policy presentation on Our Industrial Future for the North.

Prue Bray gave the Viv Bingham Lecture.

Spring 2023 Regional Conference was held in Chester on Saturday 4 March.

Speakers included Tim Farron MP, Lord Stunell.

Policy was passed on The Degradation of Health and Social Care Services in England and Green Energy, and Coastal Defence and Levelling up. We had a policy presentation on Air Pollution and the Tram Solution.

Paula Keaveney gave the Tony Greaves Memorial Lecture.

2022

Autumn 2022 Regional Conference was held in Lancaster on Saturday October 22nd.

Speakers were Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland & Lonsdale, to give our House of Commons report, Mike Ross, Leader of Hull Council where the Lib Dems took control from Labour in May, Lord Stunell for the House of Lords report.

Prof George Aggidis of Lancaster University led a policy session on tidal power.

The annual Viv Bingham Memorial Lecture given by Hilary Stephenson.

The President's Award was given to Bruce Fairbanks from Hazel Grove. The Tony Greaves Award was collected by John Potter on behalf of Preston Lib Dems.

Spring 2022 Regional Conference was held online on Saturday 26 February,

Speakers were Alistair Carmichael MP, Wendy Chamberlain MP, Christine Jardine MP, and Jamie Stone MP. Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP joined us - the first time we have had a speaker from the Scottish Parliament. We also had a Lords parliamentary report with Lord Mike Storey. 

Looking to elections ahead we were joined by leading parliamentary candidates Tom Morrison and Lisa Smart. And Tim Farron MP and Cllr Jane Brophy wrapped the day up.

Baroness Pinnock gave the Tony Greaves Memorial Lecture.

Policy debates were on the Fair Game campaign and Rural Housing, Second Homes and Holiday Homes.

2021

Autumn 2021 Regional Conference was held in Lancaster and online, on Saturday 30th October.

Speakers included Ed Davey MP, Layla Moran MP, Lord Stunell, and Party President Mark Pack. The annual Viv Bingham memorial lecture was presented by Bernard Greaves.

Policy debate was on the subject of HS2.

The President's Award was given to Mike Turner from Preston and Annie Mead from Chester. The inaugural Tony Greaves Award went to Lancaster & Morecambe Lib Dems.

Spring 2021 Regional Conference was held online due to COVID on Saturday .

Speakers included Wendy Chamberlain MP, Tim Farron MP, Kirsty Williams MS and former MEP Shaffaq Mohammed. There were Lunchtime fringes from LGBT+ Lib Dems (celebrating LGBT History Month) and Lib Dems for Seekers of Sanctuary (on their work on asylum issues).

No policy motions were passed at this conference.

2020

Autumn 2020 Regional Conference was held online due to COVID on Saturday October 17th.

Speakers included Ed Davey MP, Party Leader. Mark Pack, Party President, Tim Farron MP, Westmorland & Lonsdale - to give the Commons Report. We were also joined by Daisy Cooper MP, Lib Dem Deputy Leader in the House of Commons, Sarah Olney MP for the Green Lib Dem fringe meeting, and Lord Ben Stoneham, to give the Lords Report.

Cllr Flo Clucas gave the annual Viv Bingham Memorial Lecture.

Policy was passed on Defending and Advancing Local Democracy and Beveridge 2.0. A Brighter Future for Health and Social Care.

The President's Award was given to Chris Walker from Hazel Grove, and Roger Putnam & Elizabeth Barraclough both from West Cumbria.

Spring 2020 Regional Conference was held in Southport on February 15th.

Speakers included Lord Newby, leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, and former Liberal Democrat MP for Eddisbury, Antoinette Sandbach. We had a House of Lords report from Lord Stunell. The Lib Dem candidate for Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Kelly, was joined by the candidate for Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor - with the result of the Lib Dem member ballot to select our LCR candidate announced at the conference.

Policy passed on Tackling the Climate Emergency in the North West, Acceptance from an Early Age and Towards a Carbon Neutral North West.

2019

Autumn 2019 Regional Conference was held in Lancaster on Saturday October 19th.

Due to the extraordinary sitting of Parliament that day, we had to rework the programme for the conference on the day with Jane Brophy MEP the only Parliamentarian speaker still able to attend. 

Policy debates were on A Fairer Deal for the North and Travel Cards.

The President's Award was given to Lynne Thompson from Oldham, Barbara Studholme of Westmorland & Lonsdale and Liverpool's Pat Moloney.

Spring 2019 Regional Conference was held in Manchester on Saturday 9th February

Speakers included Sir Nick Harvey, Paula Keaveney, Lord Andrew Stunell, Lord Mike Storey and Lord William Wallace. We had panels on 100 years of women having the vote, and LGBT+ History Month.

2018

Autumn 2018 Regional Conference was held in Lancaster on Saturday October 13th.

Policy motions passed were on Brexit and Keep Pride in the Village.

The President's Award was given to Beryl Cowen of Manchester Gorton and Mary Nuttall of Hazel Grove.

Spring 2018 Regional Conference was held in Liverpool on March 17th.

Speakers included Lord Roger Roberts of Llandudno, and Lord Storey of Childwall.

Policy was agreed on The Leasehold Scandal and Lifting Pensioners Out Of Poverty.

2017

Autumn 2017 Regional Conference was held in Lancaster on Saturday October 21st.

Speakers included Wera Hobhouse MP and Lord Stunell.

Policy debates were on Energy in the North West and Delivering the Northern Powerhouse

The President's Award was given to Allan Brame from Wirral, Mike Turner from Fylde, Keith Hinde from Eddisbury & Weaver Vale, and the Saddleworth Ladies' Luncheon Club.

Spring 2017 Regional Conference was held in Warrington on Saturday 11th February.

Speakers included Copeland byelection candidate Rebecca Hanson, Witney byelection candidate and new Chair of the English Party Liz Leffman, NW Brexit spokesperson Lisa Smart, Lord Andrew Stunell, Mayoral candidates Jane Brophy and Carl Cashman.

2016

Autumn 2016 Regional Conference was held in Lancaster on Saturday October 15th.

Speakers included Tim Farron MP, Baroness Barker, John Pugh MP, Lord Storey and Mark Pack.

The Viv Bingham lecture was given by Baroness (Liz) Barker, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Voluntary Sector and Social Enterprise.

The President's Award was given to Tom Harney from Wirral, John Peaker of Trafford, Kevin Dawson from Oldham and Warrington's Tim Price.

Spring 2016 Regional Conference was held in Heald Green, Cheadle on Saturday 2nd April.

Speakers included Vince Cable, Greg Mulholland MP, Lord Goddard of Stockport and all four of our Police & Crime Comissioner candidates for the North West - Loraine Birchall, Chris Carubia, Neil Lewis and Graham Roach.

Policy debates were on North West State Party and PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis). We held consultation sessions on Welfare Policy (Federal) and Member Engagement in Policy Development

2015

Autumn 2015 Regional Conference was held in Lancaster on Saturday October 22nd.

Speakers included Leader of the Liberal Democrats Tim Farron MP.

Policy debates was on Devolution or Dictatorship

David Howarth, former Cambridge MP, gave our Liberalism lecture.

The President's Award was given to David Mead (Chester), Cliff & Margaret Chapman (Hazel Grove), and Keith Taylor (Oldham).

Spring 2015 Regional Conference was held in Bramhall on February 14th.

Speakers included Party President Baroness Sal Brinton, and conference speakers included Mark Hunter MP, Lisa Smart, John Pugh MP, Gordon Birtwistle MP, Cllr Sue Derbyshire, Lord Goddard, John Leech MP, and Sir Andrew Stunell MP.

Earlier Conferences

Our Autumn 2014 event was held in Lancaster on Saturday, 25th October. This conference included the first Viv Bingham Memorial Lecture. Michael Meadowcroft, former Liberal MP for Leeds North West, presented "A legacy to the future". Policy debates were on Devolution, Cheshire Radio and Young Carers.


Our Spring 2014 gathering was held in Macclesfield on Saturday, 22nd March. Chris Huhne was our keynote speaker, addressing environmental issues in the light of his experience as cabinet minister . Conference also included a Manifesto Consultation session with the team drafting our General Election manifesto for 2015.


Our Autumn 2013 conference was held in Lancaster on Saturday, 19th October. Michael Moore MP was our keynote speaker, looking at the future of the United Kingdom ahead of the Scottish independence referendum, informed by his experience as Secretary of State for Scotland for the past three years.

Our Spring 2013 event was held in Widnes on Saturday, 23rd February at the Ditton Community Centre, Dundalk Road, Widnes WA8 8DF. Key speaker was Simon Hughes MP, Lib Dem deputy leader in the House of Commons - first elected an MP 30 years ago almost to the day. It was our first Spring Conference in the new format with an emphasis on policy and campaign forums in place of narrow motions on specific aspects of policy.

Autumn 2012 conference was at Lancaster at the University of Cumbria, in a venue with an excellent view facing out to the coast. Party President Tim Farron MP and Parliamentary Party Chair Lorely Burt MP were among the speakers.

Our Spring 2012 Conference was in Blackpool on February 25th with keynote speaker Simon Hughes MP, deputy leader of the Lib Dems in the House of Commons - and other notable figures including Andrew Stunell MP, Gordon Birtwistle MP, Chris Davies MEP and many more.

Our Autumn 2011 Conference was held in Runcorn. Speakers included Andrew Stunell MP, Baroness Sal Brinton, and Cllr Richard Kemp, former Lib Dem leader on the LGA. Policy debated included the Localism Bill and on Fracking.

Our Spring 2011 Conference was held in Stockport on 26th February. It's the first time conference has come to Hazel Grove constituency - held by our own Andrew Stunell MP since 1997. He joined us in his new role as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Our Autumn 2010 Conference was at the ACE Centre, Nelson, Lancs, on 16th October. Speakers included Susan Kramer, Tim Farron MP, Gordon Birtwistle MP, Lord Greaves, Baroness Walmsley, Chris Davies MEP and more. The conference included the Annual General Meeting of the North West Liberal Democrats, following which a new executive were elected to lead the work of the regional party in 2011.

Our Spring 2010 North West Lib Dem conference was held in Rochdale on 20 March. Speakers included John Sharkey, Chair of the party's 2010 General Election Campaign, and John Pugh MP, Shadow Treasury Minister.