Libertas United Kingdom

Libertas UK may refer to three political parties in the United Kingdom: two are regional affiliates of Declan Ganley's Libertas Party Limited, one of which, Pro-Democracy: Libertas.eu, contended the 2009 European Parliament elections under a common banner with Libertas Party Limited. The third was formed by an associate of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP).

Pro-Democracy: Libertas.eu

Pro-Democracy: Libertas.eu
LeaderRobin Matthews[1]
Founded10 March 2009[1]
Headquarters52 Grosvenor Gardens, London, SW1 0AU[1]
Ideologyanti-Lisbon Treaty, Euroscepticism
European affiliationLibertas Party Limited
European Parliament groupnone
Coloursblue, gold
Website
www.libertas.eu/uk/

Pro-Democracy: Libertas.eu is the name of the Libertas Party Limited affiliate in Great Britain.

On 10 March 2009, it was reported that Libertas intended to field candidates in the UK.[2] Kevin O’Connell, a former deputy director of Europol, former commander in the London Metropolitan Police, and former employee of Libertas[3] stated in The Sunday Times that "if Libertas would have me as a candidate, I would run”.[3] O’Connell was the first person to indicate a willingness to run for Libertas in Britain. Nigel Farage, leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), criticised Libertas's intention to run in the UK, stating: "I'm a little surprised that Libertas want to stand in the UK as their policy seems almost the same as David Cameron's Conservatives'." Ganley dismissed UKIP's position as "reactionary".[4] Former newspaper editor Bridget Rowe, Nigel Farage's press secretary, then registered Libertas UK with the United Kingdom Electoral Commission,[5] making it unclear whether Ganley's Libertas could field candidates in the UK under that name.[5] On 11 February 2009, Libertas announced the opening of its United Kingdom office[6] at Suite 6.8, 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London, United Kingdom, SW1. Ganley gave a press conference on 10 March 2009, at which the party was launched and he introduced Robin Matthews as its leader.[1][7]

The party originally registered under the name New Dawn for Europe: Libertas.eu, before changing its name to Pro-Democracy: Libertas.eu in April 2009.[8] It is under this name that the party fielded candidates in the June 2009 European Parliamentary elections.[9]

Personnel

Person Position
Robin Matthews Leader[1]
Andrew Jamieson Nominating Officer[1]
Nicholas Coke Treasurer[1]

Candidates

Main article: List of Libertas list candidates at the 2009 European Parliament elections

Results

Main article: Libertas.eu

Libertas NI

Libertas NI
LeaderRobin Matthews[10]
Founded11 March 2009[10]
Headquarters52 Grosvenor Gardens, London, SW1 0AU[10]
Ideologyanti-Lisbon Treaty, Euroscepticism
European affiliationLibertas Party Limited
European Parliament groupnone
Coloursblue, gold
Website
www.libertas.eu/uk/

Libertas NI (abbr. unknown: LNI?) is the name of the Libertas Party Limited affiliate in Northern Ireland. It shared offices and some personnel with the Great Britain affiliate but had a different treasurer. It did not field candidates in the 2009 elections.

Personnel

Person Position
Robin Matthews Leader[10]
Andrew Jamieson Nominating Officer[10]
James Millard Treasurer[10]

Libertas UK

Libertas UK
LeaderBridget Rowe[11]
Founded19 December 2008[11]
Headquarters400 Main Road, Westerham Hill, TN16 2HP.[11]
Ideologyunknown
European affiliationunknown
European Parliament groupnone
Coloursunknown
Website
unknown

Libertas UK (abbr. unknown: LUK?) is the name of a political party that was registered to field candidates in England[11] for the 2009 Euroelections.

On 19 December 2008[11] former newspaper editor Bridget Rowe, a friend of Nigel Farage[5] of UKIP registered Libertas UK with the United Kingdom Electoral Commission,[5] making it unclear whether Ganley's Libertas Party Limited could field candidates in the UK under that name.[5] Rowe's Libertas did not field candidates in the 2009 elections.

Personnel

Person Position
Bridget Rowe Leader[10]
J.M. Greenbough Nominating Officer[11]
Damian Wilson Treasurer[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Electoral Commission->Register of political parties->New Dawn For Europe:Libertas.eu Archived 2009-06-09 at the Wayback Machine"
  2. ^ Waterfield, Bruno (10 December 2008). "Irish anti-treaty campaigners to run candidates in British elections". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  3. ^ a b Oakley, Richard (January 25, 2009). "Ex-Europol bigwig to run for Libertas in Brussels vote". London: The Sunday Times. Retrieved 7 May 2010.[dead link‍]
  4. ^ "Irish EU vote plan 'undemocratic'". BBC News. 11 December 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Libertas faces UK electoral hurdle over party name". Irish Times. January 23, 2009.
  6. ^ "Libertas.eu opens offices in the UK and Poland". Libertas.eu. 11 February 2009. Archived from the original on 7 March 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2009.
  7. ^ "Libertas to contest European Elections in UK Archived 2009-03-12 at the Wayback Machine", 10 March 2009, Libertas Party Website
  8. ^ "The Electoral Commission - Registered Parties". Archived from the original on 2009-06-09.
  9. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated: South East Region" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-27.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g "Electoral Commission->Register of political parties->Libertas NI Archived 2009-06-09 at the Wayback Machine"
  11. ^ a b c d e f g "Electoral Commission->Register of political parties->Libertas UK Archived 2011-02-28 at the Wayback Machine"