Liberal Left

The Liberal Left (Sinistra Liberale, SL) was a minor liberal faction within the Democrats of the Left, an Italian political party.

It was formed basically by former left-wingers of the Italian Liberal Party. Its leaders include Gianfranco Passalacqua, Paolo Colla and Antonio Saitta.

In January 2008 Liberal Left members took part in the foundation of the Liberal PD, a joint faction of all the liberals and social-liberals within the Democratic Party.

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Liberal Left (UK)

Liberal Left is an organised political faction within the British Liberal Democratic Party opposing the party's continued participation in the coalition with the Conservative Party.

Organisational history

Establishment

The establishment of "Liberal Left" was announced in February 2012. According to the organization's head, Linda Jack, the Liberal Left faction was created as an internal pressure group for the influence of government policy.

Writing in The Guardian, Jack stated that

"We are seeking to organise opinion that is currently angry but uncoordinated, and unable to make its voice heard as strongly as is necessary.

Jack noted that the Liberal Left faction emerged due to dismay of Liberal Democratic activists "at just how far our leadership seems to have snuggled up, particularly on policies that fly in the face of our manifesto and our values."

In its founding statement, Liberal Left upbraided Liberal Democrats party leader Nick Clegg for shifting the party to the right and making it "part of a Government which is Eurosceptic, neo-liberal and socially conservative." The statement further called for "overt and public dialogue" between the Liberal Democrats, Labour, Greens, and non-party individuals of the left.