"I'm going to publish a full manifesto after nominations have closed. My ideas have been emerged out of years of working at all levels of the Party as well as my dozens of campaign visits which have given me a really useful insight into the way members are thinking across the country."
"The President's role is to be the voice of the member. I promise that I would work hard to discover, nurture and promote the talents of our members, and I've got plenty of ideas on how to do so. As President my duty would be to ensure our Parliamentary Party, our headquarters and professional staff work together with the members and activists to develop a shared set of political priorities."
Ros has been a grassroots member for 18 years - she cares deeply about the way Liberal Democrats represent and support local communities. Ros has been to visit countless local parties and attended and spoken regularly at regional conferences over the last 8 years since becoming a parliamentarian. She is hugely popular among members, where she is in much demand as a speaker, a campaigner, and a high-profile supporter of local Local Dem activities.
"To keep the party true to its values of Liberalism and localism, Ros understands we need to put members and activists first"
"I promise to dedicate time to do this job properly, and professionally. I'm not an elected Parliamentarian and won't be torn between the important job of being President and standing for re-election anywhere. I stood down from the front bench in order to concentrate on my campaign to become Party President, and pledge not to take on front bench responsibilities if I am elected President. I believe the Party deserves a President whose priority is how to professionally chair our internal party machine during a period of ambitious and exciting reform and to keep in close touch with the members. This would also give me an opportunity to fulfill another important role the President has - to be a good friend to the Leader - supportive in public, candid in private."
Ros has an impressive background in the public and private sector. She's recently been voted one of the top twenty most influential women in public policy (WiPP Magazine Aug 2008). As well as a County Council Leader, she has been an Audit Commissioner, a Non-Executive Board member for various bodies, including the Lloyds Register and is Vice President of the Local Government Association. Ros is used to chairing meetings - taking decisions, and keeping an eye on the fine detail and the paperwork.
"Ros is the perfect combination of charisma to lead and a grasp of detail to succeed"
"I have a raft of ideas about how we can support the local selection efforts of local parties in our constituencies. The Bones Commission work has also reported on much of the technical side of some of the issues - making things more streamlined and appropriate to local circumstances I am keen to balance the reforms necessary to us in order to make progress with the need to keep internal party democracy intact. . As a previous candidate myself in many elections, I know that we are expected to be the jack of all trades in a campaign, and at the same time remember what it is all supposed to be about."
Ros has spent nearly 20 years fighting elections as a grassroots activist, as a councillor, as a candidates in the 1999 European elections, and internally for the Federal Elections. She understands the inside track on how the party operates. Ros wants to promote a slate of candidates who are committed, motivated, and equipped with the tools to do the job.
"I find Ros inspiring as a politician, and hugely supportive of my own personal candidature, and so motivating to my local team when she visited"