Personal Statement: 

For the past eight years, it has been an honour to serve as Scottish Conference Convenor. As I step down from that role, I am seeking re-election to the Federal Conference Committee so I can focus fully on strengthening federal conference, championing state-party voices, and helping us continue to modernise.
In Scotland we have delivered genuine reform: reducing costs, introducing a “pay-what-you-can” scheme, pioneering mini-motions to widen participation, and supporting fresh voices to shape debate. I have also focused on broadening the platform, bringing in speakers such as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Ukrainian MP Kira Rudik to challenge us and deepen members’ engagement with global liberalism.
At federal level I have consistently defended Scotland’s interests, from securing commitments to explore viable Scottish venues to overturning the decision not to invite Alex Cole-Hamilton to speak at Federal Conference. My approach has been collegiate and constructive, which is why Welsh Leader Jane Dodds asked me to represent the Welsh Party in federal negotiations, creating a single, united voice for the nations.
With my responsibilities in Scotland now completed, I can commit my full attention to the Federal Conference Committee. I want to support further innovation, improve accessibility and affordability, strengthen the relationship between FCC and the state parties, and ensure that new members and under-represented voices feel empowered to contribute.
I would be grateful for your support to continue this work.

What skills/experience will you bring to the role? 

My experience over the past eight years gives me a strong foundation to continue contributing effectively to the Federal Conference Committee. As Scottish Conference Convenor, I oversaw every aspect of conference, operations, timetabling, training, accessibility, and policy debate, while also driving a programme of continual reform to make conference more open, more reflective of our values, and more empowering for members.
A central skill I bring is effective governance and constitutional confidence. I have rewritten standing orders, modernised processes, and supported members navigating motions, amendments, and debates. This experience enables me to balance fairness, clarity, and practicality, particularly when making decisions that impact how members participate.
I also bring significant negotiation and advocacy experience. I secured commitments on affordability and Scottish venue exploration, challenged decisions where necessary, such as reversing the exclusion of Alex Cole-Hamilton as a keynote speaker from federal conference. I have built strong working relationships with both staff and elected members. My ability to advocate constructively was recognised by Jane Dodds, who invited me to also represent the Welsh Party in federal discussions to ensure the state parties speak with a unified and influential voice.
Innovation has been central to my contribution. I led the introduction of mini-motions, enabling faster, more responsive policymaking and giving members more routes to contribute. I introduced “pay-what-you-can” registration, making Scottish Conference one of the most accessible political events in the UK. I also worked to broaden our platform: bringing speakers such as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Kira Rudik, and others who stimulate debate, challenge assumptions, and enrich our liberal tradition.
My operational experience is substantial. I have trained chairs and aides, strengthened accessibility arrangements, improved safeguarding and risk management, and built systems that allow volunteers and staff to work more effectively together. I understand the pressures on staff and take a solutions-led approach that helps conferences run smoothly while protecting member experience.
Finally, I bring a commitment to inclusion and new voices. As someone who came into the party through grassroots activism and who champions under-represented voices, I know how important it is to create spaces where members feel heard. My work on speaker balance, debate formats, and platform diversity reflects that commitment.
Collectively, these skills equip me to support the Federal Conference Committee in delivering a modern, accessible, and forward-looking conference.

What do you hope to achieve if elected?

If re-elected, my priorities will centre on strengthening federal conference, amplifying the voices of the state parties, and continuing the work of modernisation to ensure conference remains a vibrant, accessible, and democratic space for all our members.
First, I want to embed the innovations we pioneered in Scotland. Mini-motions have refreshed our approach to policy development, allowing members to raise issues quickly, test ideas, and engage more flexibly. I would like to support FCC in adopting a similar mechanism to widen participation and bring more ideas into the policy pipeline. Likewise, the “pay-what-you-can” model has significantly reduced barriers to attendance in Scotland; I want to explore how elements of this approach could inform affordability measures at the federal level.
Second, I want to ensure a strong voice for the state parties. Scotland and Wales each have distinct political and logistical contexts that must be reflected in venue planning, affordability, and speaking opportunities. My track record, securing commitments on Scottish venue exploration ensuring more Scottish Voices are heard including championing speeches for Christine Jardine, Alistair Carmichael and Jamie Greene, demonstrates my commitment to ensuring the nations are heard. If elected, I want to establish clearer channels so state-party concerns are considered from the outset rather than after decisions are made.
Third, I want to broaden participation and platform diversity. Conference should represent the richness of our membership and the breadth of the liberal movement. I want to continue championing fresh voices, both within the party and from outside it. This include from across the world, but also parties closer to home such as the Alliance Party. I want to expand opportunities for first-time contributors, under-represented members, and younger activists to be heard.
Fourth, I want to strengthen transparency and clarity. Members deserve confidence that decisions about agenda setting, speaking rights, and debate formats are fair and accessible. I want to build on the progress already made: clearer guidance for submitters, more supportive pathways for members who are new to policy processes, and consistent, high-quality training for chairs and aides.
Finally, I want to support staff and volunteers. They are essential to delivering a safe, welcoming, and professionally run conference. My experience enables me to anticipate pressures, identify workable solutions, and help build a constructive environment where staff, volunteers, and committee members work together effectively.
I believe I can make a strong contribution to the committee’s work and would be grateful for the opportunity to continue serving.