Author Archives: Andy Crick

In 2007, two key milestones were marked in the Vale of White Horse District Council. First, we celebrated the completion of the 1500th affordable home built in the district since the Liberal Democrats took control in 1995. We also celebrated winning a fourth term in office with a thumping majority. Those in the know might suggest that these two milestones were linked.

The Vale’s original housing stock was sold off by the ruling Conservatives in 1995 at a time when housing development in the district was at a standstill because of the Government’s restrictions on investment in new homes and the Council’s own financial constraints. The housing stock was decreasing in size because of Right to Buy, the waiting list was growing and we could do nothing more than reluctantly support the Tory plan to go for large scale voluntary transfer (LSVT) of the housing stock to private social landlords to wipe out the Council’s debts and gain a significant income.

In the light of the fantastic tailspin the Tories are currently in, is it too ambitious to seek to position the Lib Dems as THE opposition?

Lib Dem blogger ‘Cicero’ comments that we have an impressive array of policies, a clear philosophical underpinning, and a positive glut of sensible debates raging at any time. Armed with these powerful weapons, we could enter the next, febrile period leading up to the election by stating clearly that there is only one party which can claim to be an alternative to Labour, and setting out in annoyingly clear soundbites just why that is.

So …