Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats

The Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats is a local party of the Liberal [Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats] that operates in Northern Ireland. Unlike its counterparts in England, Scotland and Wales, the Northern Ireland party is not a state party within the federal Liberal Democrats but a local party similar to constituency parties in the rest of the UK. The Liberal Democrats do not contest elections in Northern Ireland due to its alliance with the Alliance Party.

Members

Several individuals, including former Alliance Party leader David Ford, hold membership of both the Alliance Party and the Liberal Democrats. Alliance members of the House of Lords take the Liberal Democrat whip on non-Northern Ireland issues. John [Alderdice, Baron Alderdice|John Alderdice] was leader of Alliance 1987–1998 and has sat as a Lib Dem peer since 1996.
Alliance Party MP Naomi Long did not take the Liberal Democrat Whip in the House of Commons of [the United Kingdom|House of Commons] as she is not a Liberal Democrat member.
In January 2016, the Chair of the Northern Ireland local party was Stephen Glenn. The previous chair was John O’Neill.