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On December 1st, LDYS London hosted a social and speaker event at party headquarters in Cowley Street, Westminster, for young liberals and liberal students from all over London. The event was themed for World Aids Day, and many guests took ribbons and wristbands in return for donations to the Terence Higgins Trust.



Guests were kept informed and entertained by three excellent speakers. Caroline Pidgeon, a leading Councillor from Southwark, talked about getting involved in local politics and how Lib Dems could make a real and visible difference at a local level.

Rowan Harvey, Campaigns Officer of the Terence Higgins Trust, thanked the Lib Dems for their help so far with policies relating to HIV and AIDS, and passionately encouraged the party and its members to continue campaigning on this vital issue.

Finally Dr Evan Harris, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, kept everyone amused with some great anecdotes from his career as an activist and MP, and encouraged London's young liberals to become 'election addicts' too.



We were also honoured to have present Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton and Wallington, and Irfan Mustafa, recent victor of a Redbridge council by-election. Guests used the opportunity to make new friends in a relaxed, informal environment and ask questions of the various speakers and members of the LDYS London Executive.

On 14th November, around 70 young liberals turned up to the Japanese Embassy in St. James's for "Liberalism and Nationalism: An Anglo-Japanese Perspective" - an event which sought to explore how the United Kingdom and Japan are beacons of liberalism whilst also at times nationalistic in our perceptions of the world.



Members listened to talks from His Excellency Mr Yoshiji Nogami, Ambassador of Japan, the eloquent Minister Tomita from the Japanese Embassy staff, and rising star Julia Goldsworthy, Lib Dem Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury and one of the UK's youngest MPs.



The evening was rounded off with a delicious selection of Japanese food and fine drinks, followed by a well-attended informal after-party at a local bar.