SELECTION OF LIBERAL DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES

That this House notes that the Liberal Democrat party changed its rules in March 2006 to stop babies and young children being formally enrolled as party members with voting rights in the selection of Liberal Democrat candidates; further notes that this allowed the corrupt practice of allowing Liberal Democrat local parties to inflate their membership and rig the ballots for councillors and hon. Members; urges all Liberal Democrat hon. Members to publish the number of such young members who voted in their own selections; further notes that despite their recent rule change the Liberal Democrats still allow children as young as 10 to be enrolled to party membership and to exercise voting rights; expresses serious concern that a minimum age of 10 is not sufficient to protect children from being exploited by adult Liberal Democrat members seeking election; and calls on the Liberal Democrat party to raise its minimum membership age to at least 15 with six-months' continuous membership before voting rights are granted since to do otherwise exploits children and leaves all future Liberal Democrat candidate selection processes open to manipulation and question.