The Liberal Democrats exist to build 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.
The Liberal Democrats are currently the third largest party in the United Kingdom behind Labour and the Conservatives.
We currently have 55 MPs and 12 MEPs as well as six members in the Welsh Assembly and 17 in Scotland where
we are in coalition government. You can find out about our elected members at www.libdems.org.uk/index.cfm/page.main/section.people.
The next general election will be interesting for the Liberal Democrats. Results in recent by-elections in Brent East,
Leicester South and Birmingham Hodge Hill as well as those in the local and european elections show that the Liberal Democrats
are seen as a real alternative to the two main parties who have dominated for so long. The Liberal Democrat candidate in Basingstoke
is 27 year old Jen Smith, a former President of Swansea University Students Union and a well known figure within the party.
