Nick Clegg revamps Lib Dems' party structure to take control from committees

2.40.32pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 16th Jul 2008

• NICK Clegg is giving himself unprecedented powers over the Liberal Democrats in the most wide-ranging revision of the party since its formation in 1988, The Times has learnt.

[Jul 16] He is determined to overhaul an internal structure that allies say severely curtails the powers of the leader and splits internal controls between a series of committees. Mr Clegg, who became leader in December, plans to turn the party's traditional structure on its head, centralising all decision-making under a new "chief officers group" and diluting the roles of its committees . .

Mr Clegg has already won support for his plan from the party's federal executive, which this week signed up to the plan and sent it out for consultation. The new chief officers group, which will comprise senior members of the party's committees, will be answerable to the federal executive. Sources said that the aim was to introduce the new structure on a "suck it and see" basis, as an interim solution between now and the next general election. That way it can be introduced quickly as opposed to implementing the change via an amendment of the party's underlying constitution. "The new group will decide everything. In one sense, it may be overkill, but the basic thrust of it is right," the source said.

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