It’s a Lib Dem-tastic edition of today’s Independent – in addition to Nick Clegg’s article calling for the Queen’s Speech to be cancelled so that Parliament can focus on the big issue of reforming itself, former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy is the focus of the paper’s ‘You Ask The Questions’ feature, in which readers pose their own often sharp and pointy questions. There’s some straight-talking from Charles, along with some discreet evasion on issues such as:
- the circumstances of his forced resignation as leader (“I’ve long since moved on and would continue to advise everyone else to do exactly the same.”);
- his views on Nick’s leadership (“I think Nick is proving an excellent party leader: he thinks ahead and is prepared to take risks, both essential characteristics.”);
- life as a backbencher (“I have much more control these days over my diary and am enjoying focusing on the things I really want to do, rather than the things you’re told you have to do.”);
- whether the Lib Dem shadow cabinet is ‘a bunch of neophytes’ (“On a one-to-one basis they’re every bit as capable and more than their Labour and Conservative opposite numbers.”);
- what he thinks of David Cameron’s ‘liberal Conservative’ positioning (“there’s a world of difference between tactical repositioning and genuine conversion of a political movement to new causes”);
- why the Lib Dems haven’t already pledged to withdraw British troops from Afghanistan (“If the US President can ponder long and hard, then it’s no disgrace for us to be doing the same.”);
- and who is first three guests would be on any televised ‘Chatshow Charlie’ (sidestepping the question, Charles notes he’ll be appearing again on BBC1′s Have I Got News For You in December).
