Liberal Democrats Independent Complaints Process

Test service

This is a test service. Do not submit a real complaint here. To make a complaint, contact the Standards Office at standardsofficer@libdems.org.uk.

Make a complaint

Use this form to complain about the behaviour of a Liberal Democrat member. Complaints can only be made about people who are members at the time you submit.

Before you start

If you are reporting harassment, abuse, discrimination, threats, or anything that may be a crime, please report it.

Support is available to all members through HealthAssured on 0800 028 0199.

Each complaint is considered by Standards Office staff and by volunteers. This is how a complaint moves through the process.

How a complaint is handled

Volunteers decide at the steps marked in orange.

  1. You submit your complaint

  2. The Standards Office checks it can be accepted

    It must be about the conduct of a current member.

    Staff § 2.1

    • Declined — for example, because it is handled under another process

  3. A Senior Adjudicator decides how it proceeds

    The member you complained about is not told at this stage.

    1 volunteer § 3.3.2

    • Not accepted — a final decision
    • Dismissed, sometimes with a Warning
    • More evidence requested — you have 10 working days to provide it

  4. The member is told, and has 10 working days to respond

    § 4.1

  5. A Complaints Panel of three decides

    3 volunteers § 5.5

    • Dismissed
    • Upheld with a Caution
    • Upheld with a sanction

  6. Either side may appeal, on set grounds

    An Appeals Panel of three considers it. Disagreeing with the outcome is not enough on its own.

    3 volunteers § 6.2

Your complaint

Set out all your evidence now. Under paragraph 1.2 of the procedure, material you do not include when you submit may be excluded from consideration later.

Some complaints are handled elsewhere — complaints about party bodies, about employees acting in their job, about candidate selection, or about elected representatives doing casework. If yours is one of those, the Standards Office will tell you where it goes.

About you

We ask twice because anything sent to a mistyped address goes to someone else.

This sets how your deadlines are counted, because bank holidays differ across the UK.

About the member you are complaining about
What happened

Describe each allegation separately. Each one is considered and decided on its own.

What makes an allegation clear
  • One thing the member did in each box.
  • Who, what, when and where: the date, the place or message thread, and anyone who saw or heard it.
  • What they said or did, quoting words if you remember them, before what you think of it.

Example

“At the Anytown executive meeting on 4 March 2026, Jo Bloggs called the treasurer ‘useless’ in front of about twelve people. Sam Smith was there.”

More on writing a clear complaint

Evidence

Screenshots, emails saved as PDF, photos, or notes you made at the time. Up to 5 files, each under 10 MB: PDF, JPG, PNG, HEIC, Word or text. Keep the originals.

Anonymity

In exceptional circumstances your identifying details can be withheld from the member you are complaining about. You must give your reasons now, under paragraph 1.4. Some of your details will always need to be shared for the complaint to proceed, and a Senior Adjudicator decides whether to grant this.

How we use your information

By submitting, you agree to the Standards Office and the volunteers who handle complaints using what you give us, including anything sensitive about you, to consider your complaint under the procedure. You can withdraw that agreement later by telling the Standards Office. How your information is used and who sees it.