At LDYS Conference in Guildford on Saturday 27th October 2007, LDYS London held its AGM and elections for the posts of Chair and Treasurer.

At the AGM, Stewart Morris (outgoing Chair) summarised the progress of LDYS London during the year and some of the challenges ahead, then answered questions from youth and student members in the audience.

There were two Candidates for Chair - Benjamin Mathis and Christopher Robertson. Benjamin was elected.

There was one candidate (in absentia) for Treasurer - Daniel Snowdon. Daniel was elected.

Re-open nominations (RON) was a candidate in all elections. The returning officer was Alan Muhammed of Guildford Liberal Democrats.

Stewart Morris congratulated the successful candidates and wished them best of luck for the year ahead.

LDYS London will be holding its Annual General Meeting at LDYS Conference in Guildford on the weekend of 27th-28th October.

As part of the AGM, there will be elections for 2 posts - Chair and Treasurer. Whether you're a Lib Dem student or a Lib Dem under the age of 30 (or both!) please consider standing and helping LDYS London to develop and increase its success over the coming year.

If you have any questions about the posts, feel free to contact the current Chair, Stewart Morris (see here for contact details).

Nominations will close immediately before the AGM at conference. Further advice will be sent out shortly.

If you haven't yet signed up for LDYS Conference, please note that due to Gordon Brown's General Election wobbles and the postal strikes, the same low rate of £20, covering food and accommodation, will be available to anyone who signs up, whether at the conference itself (bring your membership card!) or in advance.

There's an excellent programme of events lined up including a Save Darfur discussion with the Aegis Trust, a Campaigns discussion with Ed Davey MP, a "Young, Free and Elected" workshop with Julia Goldsworthy MP, and loads of high-quality training.

The University College London Lib Dems have launched a very smart new website, courtesy of their Publicity Officer Michael Wilkinson.

The Lithuanian Embassy in Gloucester Place played host to an international group of around 50 young liberals on 28th March 2007.

Attendees had a chance to hear from and question the Lithuanian Ambassador, His Excellency Vygaudas Usackas, as well as representatives of British, Lithuanian and international liberal youth groups.



The talks were followed by mingling over Baltic beer and sandwiches, and then an after-party in a nearby pub.

On 30th January, the National Liberal Club entertained around 80 students and young professionals at an event promoted by LDYS London.

We enjoyed free drinks and canapés, and the facilities of the David Lloyd George Room, Smoking Room and bar. Younger members of the club were on hand with guided tours of the club premises.

For more information on the NLC, please see the Club's website.

LDYS London have set up a Facebook group to help members keep in touch with each other, share photos and ideas, and ensure that our members are kept informed of events and campaigns. Sign up here.

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.

On Saturday 4th November, LDYS London members joined thousands of people at the "Stop Climate Chaos!" event in London. We marched with the Campaign Against Climate Change from Russell Square to Trafalgar Square, to link up with the iCount Rally, calling for green taxes and serious government action against the threat of climate change.



Once in Trafalgar Square, we listened to speeches, plus performances by KT Tunstall and Razorlight, and delivered thousands of LDYS climate change leaflets to the assembled crowd. Many Lib Dem MPs attended, including Chris Huhne, Lynne Featherstone, Simon Hughes, Jo Swinson and Ed Davey.



Ed Davey, Liberal Democrat MP for Kingston and Surbiton, said:

"The rally provided thousands from around the country the chance to show the Government that they don't want words, they want action, and now."

"Some think that Climate Change is too big an issue to tackle. Or that it is just alarmist. Yet if we fail to act and the alarmists are right the result will be disaster: I am not prepared to take that chance and neither are the thousands that joined the iCount event at Trafalgar Square."

On 18th October, around 60 members of LDYS gathered at the Hungarian Embassy in London for the "Hungary In Focus" event. Members listened to brief talks from the Hungarian Ambassador, His Excellency Bela Szombarti, and from Jeremy Browne MP.



After a lively Q&A session, we were treated to an excellent Hungarian buffet dinner and some fine Hungarian wine.



It was a great chance for young Lib Dems from across the capital to meet, learn, talk and have fun.



Here at LDYS London we're looking forward to our next Embassy event, this time at the Japanese Embassy. Details coming soon!