The Liberal Democrat Party

Nick Clegg MP, Liberal Democrat Leader

"The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity."

Preamble to the Federal Constitution of the Liberal Democrat Party

But what does that mean?

Liberal Democrats believe in:

• The right of every individual to develop his or her talents to the full, regardless of gender, race, disability, class, sexual orientation or background.

• A free, open and inclusive society that balances our individual freedom with equality of opportunity and with our obligations to other people in our community.

• A strong economy, based on effective worker and shareholder participation and a fair distribution of profits.

• The devolving of power so that decisions concerning our local communities are taken as close to the people affected as possible. A Government that enables this rather than assuming all the power itself.

• The sustainable development of our communities through conservation of our natural resources.

• A foreign policy based on the imperative of peace and recognition of the interdependence of countries. A commitment to aid and better terms of trade for the developing world.

• The need for responsible stewardship of the earth's resources by individuals, governments and commercial organisations.

The Liberal Democrats have won a reputation for fighting for causes that most UK people feel are fair and right. Examples include rights for residents of Hong Kong and for the Gurkhas, opposition to the ID Card scheme, which even the Government admits will do nothing to help national security, and opposition to the war in Iraq, now under scrutiny once again. Vince Cable, Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, has won the respect of the nation for his practical and realistic attitude to managing the economy and safeguarding services during the recession.

These are our fundamental values. See our national website www.libdems.org.uk for more about specific policies, or the stories on our home page here for examples of these policies in action locally.