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. "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. Oakley, Richard (January 25, 2009). "Ex-Europol bigwig to run for Libertas in Brussels vote". London: The Sunday Times. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  4. "Irish EU vote plan 'undemocratic'". BBC News. 11 December 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  5. "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. "Electoral Commission->Register of political parties->Libertas NI Archived 2009-06-09 at the Wayback Machine"
  11. "Electoral Commission->Register of political parties->Libertas UK Archived 2011-02-28 at the Wayback Machine"
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