Contribute to Liberal Democrat Voice

Absolutely any Liberal Democrat party member is welcome to get involved with Lib Dem Voice, and we especially welcome opinion articles.  We are also happy to publish articles by non-Lib Dem members (at the editor’s discretion), and will ensure this is flagged for readers to avoid confusion or misunderstanding.

The basics

Contributions to the blog should be up to c.750 words – though this is advisory, not mandatory. If your post is too long, readership drops off quite sharply so there is a real advantage to brevity. Submissions must comply with our editorial policy below.

Please send articles to voice@libdemvoice.org.

For guest posts we normally ask that they are original and to be published first on this site, though we are happy for you subsequently to post a copy elsewhere with a link back to the original.

If you refer to organisations, quotes, other online articles or evidence to back up your argument, please do include relevant links in your post.

Please state your affiliation to the Liberal Democrat party – ie, if you’re a member / activist / councillor, etc. and any short description that you would like us to use. This can include a weblink, such as to your own website or blog.

Anonymity

Sometimes contributors to LDV – for reasons of their job, or humour, or other sensitivities – write using a name other than their own. We do not though accept anonymous articles for publication from writers who are unknown to us.

If you are not a Liberal Democrat member

We are happy to publish articles by non-Lib Dem members (at the editor’s discretion), and will ensure this is flagged for readers to avoid confusion or misunderstanding.

How to submit your article

Please submit your article either:

1. As a Word file with the relevant words or phrases made into hotlinks; or
2. As a plain text file (.txt). If you’re happy to do your own HTML markup, adding tags for strong, em, a (links) and blockquote in the correct places is even better. Don’t add other tags though – no need for p, br or body. If this means nothing to you, don’t worry – just send in your article in whichever way you’re happy with.

Please do not submit your post simply as an email, as the line-wrapping often ends up messed-up. Put your suggested title for the piece in the subject line of the email.

Please also make sure you’ve carefully checked your text, especially its spelling and punctuation, before sending it in. Note that we go for one space after a full stop, not two.

Please also include a head and shoulders photo to accompany your article if you are a first-time contributor.

Contributions published on LDV are subject to our copyright policy.

We try to respond to contributors within two working days. If your piece is not urgent or time-sensitive, please do not chase it up before that time has elapsed.

Our Editorial Policy

The blog is edited, so that it remains lively and interesting. We can’t give you a cast-iron promise that if you submit a piece it will be published, but if it can’t be published immediately we’ll usually advise you how you can improve the piece to get it published at a later date.

That said, this is a blog by Lib Dem members, for Lib Dem members, so you don’t have to be Pepys or Shakespeare to be published: just tell us what’s on your mind.

Lib Dem Voice does not belong to any group in the party. It is a neutral platform where the views of all members are welcome, both as articles and comments. The site’s editorial team Includes a diverse range of party members, each of whom is free to put forward their own views while maintaining an overall balance of coverage. As a group, we prize freedom of speech and this includes our editorial freedom.

Nobody, in or out of the party, has a right to be published on LDV. Articles are judged on merit and topicality.

Articles and comments which may contribute harm to marginalised groups will not be published. We will not allow a toxic atmosphere which fosters prejudice and discrimination.

There are occasions when people have to pick a side and we will do so when we consider it necessary to make our small bit of the world a kinder, more progressive place.

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