Liberal Democrats Overseas Team

George Cunningham: Honorary President & Ordinary Member (France)

George Cunningham is the immediate past Chair of Lib Dems Abroad (2022-24), the umbrella organisation which coordinates our three local parties (Lib Dems in Europe, Lib Dems in France and Lib Dems Overseas) in support of the rights and interests of British citizens abroad. He is also the immediate past Chair of Lib Dems Overseas (2018-2021 & 2024) and remains on its 2025 executive.

George is an elected member of the party’s Federal International Relations Committee and an elected Lib Dem Council member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE). 

As a former EU diplomat, UN official and British army officer, he is an internationalist, active in the defence of the liberal world order; having served in diplomatic postings in Afghanistan (as deputy EU Ambassador), Cyprus, New Zealand and at the United Nations in New York. His full bio can be found here.

Caroline Voaden: Honorary President, MP for South Devon

Caroline Voaden is the former CEO of Devon Rape Crisis and served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2019-2020. She was the last leader of the Liberal Democrat party in Europe.

Caroline is looking forward to using her experience of international journalism, local business and the third sector to the role of MP for South Devon.

She is interested in championing better mental health services, particularly for young people, and addressing the desperate issue of affordable housing in South Devon, one of the areas of the UK most blighted by second homes and holiday lets.

David Chadwick: Honorary President, MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe

David Chadwick is the Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, having been first elected to serve in the role in the 2024 General Election. David also currently serves as the Liberal Democrat Frontbench Spokesperson for Wales in Parliament and is Liberal Democrats sole MP in Wales.

David was a former member of Liberal Democrats Abroad from 2015 - 2018. 

Terence Champion: Chair (USA)

I grew up in South East England (London,Kent,Hampshire) and graduated from Durham University where I studied Politics, Economics and Law. I live with my wife in Philadelphia and have a married daughter and two grandchildren.

I have spent almost all of my adult life working in South and North America. Since my early thirties I have worked as a Chief Executive with both industrial and trading companies. Most recently, in the last ten to fifteen years, I have worked in a more specialised role as a turnaround for sale CEO.

I first became actively involved with the Liberal Party at university and attended a Party Conference as a delegate. I continue to believe that the Party has a very great deal to offer as it represents decentralization, empowerment, openness and fairness and, in my opinion, needs to deliver its positions with a far steadier hand. There is an immense gap in the centre that the Liberal Democrats must fill. From there it needs to take power not become an important influencer.

I was Vice Chair of Lib Dems Overseas during 2023, Membership Officer in 2024, and now taking a term as LDO Chair in 2025. 

Victoria Bateman: Vice Chair (USA)

The EU referendum made me take stock of my involvement in politics, reigniting my passion to be more actively involved with the Liberal Democrats, support fair votes for all and act to stop the climate crisis. 

I grew up in Dorset and spent my young adult life living in London before moving to North America in 2017 settling in Toronto then moving stateside to Chicago in 2023. I now work in the Advertising Technology industry as a Senior Director of Data. I have been interested in politics since my teens studying Political Science and Philosophy university. Since university I have been a long-term supporter of Liberal Democrat policies.

Nick Lord: Treasurer (Singapore)

I was born and grew up in Lancashire and have since lived in London, Hong Kong and Singapore. Following university I have spent my career in finance. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family, cycling, sailing and hiking.

I joined the Liberal Democrats post the Brexit referendum as they stuck to the centre ground whilst others headed off to the extremes. It is important that the key liberal values of decentralising power, social and environmental justice, internationalism and belief in a market based economy continue to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

I am currently serving my third term as Treasurer of LDO.

John Shardlow: Secretary (Malaysia)

I was born in London and have also lived in East Sussex and Wiltshire. I have been living in Malaysia since 2009 and will probably be staying here for the long term. I work for a US based company that provides software solutions for the telecoms industry. I've been a member of the Liberal Democrat party since June 2016.

I am keen to help represent the unique issues that expatriates face. Most of the policy objectives of the Lib Dems Overseas are things that either affect me personally or will do in the future such as 'frozen pensions'.

Michael Levett - Membership Officer (Canada)

Michael Levett has been a member of the party since June 2020 and has supported local UK Liberal Democrat campaigns from Canada since 2019. From North Dorset to, most recently, Brecon, Radnor, and Cwm-Tawe, Michael has assisted with copy, graphics, and websites, and has helped the party transition to new web technologies.

Michael joined the party because he believes a Liberal Britain is better positioned in an ever-changing, right-leaning world. Aligned with most environmental, social, and economic policies, Michael is enthusiastic about the growing number of Liberal MPs in the House, currently at 72.

Michael moved to Canada in 2016 from the UK and lives in Vancouver, BC, with his wife and daughter.

Colin Bloodworth: Data Officer (Indonesia)

Most of my working life has been overseas (Congo, USA and Indonesia) in oil and financial services. Consequently, I took relatively little interest in British politics. That is, until the Brexit ‘disaster’ which I saw as a retrograde step for my country. That is when I decided to join the Lib-Dems as they were strongly pro-Europe.

I would like to see the party taking stronger initiatives on issues such as immigration, which has a big impact on voter emotions. The present chaos should be replaced with a firm but humane policy but that can be achieved only by co-operation with Europe. The UK cannot resolve the issue on its own.

I have been very much involved in campaigning for some half a million UK retirees overseas whose pensions have been frozen by a quirk of fate and successive unsympathetic governments. After 70 years, the campaign is beginning to gain some traction!

Stephen Yolland: Ordinary Member (Australia)

Stephen Yolland, known professionally and politically by everyone as ‘Yolly’, joined the Liberal Party while still at school. Like many of us, cutting his teeth on local community politics in Bournemouth and Southampton, he progressed steadily through the ranks until he stood as the Liberal-SDP Alliance candidate for Fareham in Hampshire, garnering 32% of the vote.

Yolly moved to Australia in 1987, considering himself (with many others) a refugee from Thatcherism. He always, though, maintained a very active interest in the party, maintaining friendships and regularly communicating with many of those he had met during his active UK-based roles, including Simon Hughes, Paddy Ashdown, Simon Titley, Roger Hayes and many others, and writing for various party journals including Liberator. In recent years he has been active in a number of social media fora.

In Australia he was the brains behind the Australian Democrats federal election campaign in 1983, and advisor to the party leadership, helping to achieve what is still the largest national vote for a third party in modern Australian politics. He coined the notable party slogan “Give A Damn” as a direct response to perceived election weariness in the electorate.

A noted public speaker (formerly the British Public Speaking Champion) and writer, Yolly lives in Melbourne with his wife Jenie, and near his daughter Caitlin.

Hauwa Usman: Ordinary Member with special responsibility for Diversity (Nigeria)

I have over 5 years of experience to offer which was gained from being very active with the Lib Dems UK, Lib Dems in Europe Exec and Brussels & Europe Lib Dems Exec. I joined the UK Lib Dems after being inspired by active members who impressed me with their endless drive and ambition to achieve a better society and country for themselves and their family - a country they can be proud of and want to live in.

I have been politically active since 2014 with the Lib Dems.  I campaigned actively during the 2015 and 2017 UK general elections, and also during the 2016 UK/EU Referendum.

I have attended all Lib Dem conferences in the UK as well as all Alliance of Liberal Democrats in Europe (ALDE) Congresses as a delegate throughout this period. In 2014, I campaigned as a volunteer for the Swedish Liberal Democrats party, Folkepartiet.

Nasreen Davidson: Ordinary Member (USA)

I grew up in Brighton before heading to London to study Business & Finance.  After joining the Student Democrats, my first step into activism was to march against the Tory government of this time, when they replaced student education grants with loans. 

New York City has been my home since 2001, where I live with my husband and two children.  I have worked in Human Resources all my career.

I consider myself a Liberal Democrat as the party has compassionate and practical social policies, is strong on the environment and international affairs. I am truly inspired by the opportunity to engage with fellow Liberals abroad and in the UK. 

I am delighted to see the success of the Liberal Democrats at the general election, and that they continue to represent values of integrity, fairness, and equality at home and abroad. 

Khadija Oum Bachair El Morabit: Ordinary Member (Morocco)

Khadija is a civil society activist who is currently President of the International Network of Liberal Women (INLW), NGO with Special Consultative Status to UN ECOSOC and UN Human Rights Council, and a full member of Liberal International. She is also the Founder of INLW Morocco Chapter and now Liberal International Non-Executive Vice-President.

Khadija has maintained a tight partnership with Lib Dems International office since 2014 when she was elected as the President of the Women’s Wing of a Moroccan Liberal Political Party.

Khadija lived in London for 16 years before moving back to Morocco to set up a family business in Real Estate Development and Hotel Management. She is also an International Consultant with expertise in Business and Project Management in Africa and the MENA Region, Trainer on Political Leadership and Participation, Gender Inclusion, Civic Engagement, Women & Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship.

Read full bio here.

Christopher: Ordinary Member (Hong Kong)

I am one of the 10,000 Hongkongers who has been beaten and arrested by the Hong Kong Police since June 2019.

Many people around the world speak up for Hong Kong. If you are one of them, I am thankful to you. It is important for us to know that friends in international society who believe in liberal and democratic values stand with us. I am also grateful to Lib Dems Overseas connecting us all with each other.

Vince Thompson - Ordinary Member (St. Helena)

Vince was a Liberal Democrat Councillor for twelve years on Milton Keynes Borough Council. He stood down in 1988. Fulfilling a long ambition, he moved in 2006 with his wife to the place of her birth; the magical island of St Helena. Now he is editor and owner of the local newspaper, the St Helena Independent.

St Helena, a British Overseas Territory, has a political structure and culture different from the UK. There are no political parties and the constitutional change to a ministerial system of government occurred three years ago. The situation is one where Liberal Democrat values are promoted and supported through a newspaper rather than a political party. Financially dependent on the UK, HMG is inevitably involved in SHG government expenditure decisions.

Vince was involved with St Helena’s tourism sector interests and is active with the St Helena National Trust and the St Helena Heritage Society.