LOCAL LIB DEMS AT CONFERENCE

9.32.36am GMT Mon 5th Mar 2007

Lib Dems from Scarborough and Whitby at the Spring Conference.

Local Liberal Democrats from Scarborough, Whitby, Sleights and Glaisdale attended the Liberal Democrat's Spring Conference in Harrogate this weekend.

The Conference was a huge success with 2100 delegates attending the International Conference Centre in Harrogate, a 20% increase on last year's Spring Conference.

Local party members took part in a nail biting debate on Trident and the future of nuclear weapons. Delegates debated a motion for Britain's nuclear arsenal to be halved under the Liberal Democrats and the party came together in its desire to see Britain, in the long term, as a nuclear free nation.

Other highlights of the conference included a motion on cutting crime. Sheffield Hallam MP Nick Clegg had unanimous support for his progressive and inspiring plans to cut crime and reform the criminal justice system. Scarborough and Whitby PPC Tania Exley-Moore said "I was inspired by our Shadow Home Affairs Team and their proposals. The Liberal Democrats are the only political party with a truly innovative vision on how to reform our prison system and how to cut crime. In areas with Liberal Democrat Councils like Liverpool and Newcastle, we are already seeing our policies work as crime rates are falling at an incredible pace. It is clear to us that Tony Blair throwing millions at prisons to increase the number of places is criminal in itself. What kind of logic is there in throwing huge amounts of money at a system that is clearly failing. We have the highest rates of recidivism and one of the highest crime rates in Europe after all".

Local Liberal Democrats will be launching the party's new policies on cutting crime in a series of action days across the constituency throughout March and April. If you are interested in helping or finding out more about them, please contact Tania on 01723 865312 or exley-moore@lineone.net