Author Archives: Dominic Carman

Dominic Carman writes… Why I want to be the Liberal Democrat London mayoral candidate for 2012

By Dominic Carman | Published 23rd March 2011 - 3:23 pm

The Liberal Democrat candidate for London Mayor faces enormous challenges: an uphill task on many fronts. It will be very tough. But I’m used to tough fights, having contested the Barking seat at the general election last year and the Barnsley Central by-election earlier this month. To borrow a phrase, London needs someone with muscular liberalism.

I believe I have the right combination of political commitment, intellectual vigour, business acumen and international experience, which would serve the party and the city well. Some may see me as a usurper, an upstart, an underdog, but I recognise the obvious requirements …

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Posted in London, Op-eds | Tagged | 88 Comments

Dominic Carman – fighting for jobs for Barnsley

By Dominic Carman | Published 28th February 2011 - 4:57 pm

What has pleasantly surprised me in Barnsley is the number of voters who are genuinely open-minded about who they will support. They know that Barnsley needs new jobs and new investment. Barnsley needs an ambitious ambassador, someone who can sell what the town and its people have to offer: a low cost base, a skilled work force, and an excellent geographic location.

I have more than 10 years’ experience of managing international businesses and raising finance for new business ideas from banks in London and New York, creating jobs and investment. As Barnsley’s new MP, I will fight hard to …

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Posted in Parliamentary by-elections | Tagged | 12 Comments

Dominic Carman writes: Barnsley Central – a call to action

By Dominic Carman | Published 14th February 2011 - 11:27 am

Six weeks ago, my son Charlie and I travelled up from London with Simon Hughes – to leaflet on behalf of Elwyn Watkins in the Oldham by-election. The campaign was fantastic: dozens of Lib Dems in a well-equipped campaign office and many more leafleting and campaigning on the streets. It produced an excellent result in difficult circumstances: Elwyn even increased his share of the vote to 31.9%.

On Saturday, I was selected as the PPC for the forthcoming Barnsley Central by-election, to be held on March 3rd. At the 2010 general election, the Lib Dems came second to Labour in …

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Posted in Op-eds, Parliamentary by-elections | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Opinion: Nick Griffin destroyed his parents and failed his family

By Dominic Carman | Published 23rd April 2010 - 2:20 pm

On Wednesday’s Today programme, BNP leader Nick Griffin told the Radio Four audience that “Liberal economics… have utterly bankrupted this country.” It’s laughable. The truth is that Nick Griffin was himself declared bankrupt in 1991. Over several years thereafter, he destroyed his parents financially as well. In this link, Griffin’s parents tell the story of how their son ruined their lives.

It is the story of a man whose gross personal financial incompetence brought significant misery to his entire family. Griffin racked up debts of several hundred thousand pounds through a series of disastrous property investments, which he describes …

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Posted in Op-eds, Opposition watch | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Barking campaign update

By Dominic Carman | Published 20th April 2010 - 1:20 pm

The Barking campaign is remarkable. Most notable have not been the antics, or should that be the absence, of Nick Griffin. Instead, it has been the response of the other main candidates – Margaret Hodge (Labour) and Simon Marcus (Conservative) – to the issue of immigration.

Hodge and Marcus have both rightfully slammed Griffin and the BNP, but then courted BNP voters and potential BNP voters with anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Asked about immigration by Eddie Nestor, host of a BBC Radio London one hour debate on Barking (April 16th), Hodge had not one positive word to say about immigrants. Instead, her analysis was …

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Posted in General Election | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

“You’ll be found dead on the streets” – the message from a BNP supporter

By Dominic Carman | Published 4th April 2010 - 1:25 pm

‘You’ll be found dead on the streets.’ That was the message I received a few weeks ago from an identifiable BNP supporter. Why? Because I was taking a stand against Nick Griffin. When someone writes this to you because you’re fighting as a Lib Dem in a parliamentary campaign against Griffin and the BNP, it makes you think very hard about your political opponent and the campaign they intend to fight. It also makes you think about how you should respond.

I reported the threat immediately to the police. They came to my house and have since referred the matter to …

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Posted in Opposition watch | Tagged , , , , , , | 22 Comments

‘Why I’m standing against Nick Griffin’ – Dominic Carman

By Dominic Carman | Published 12th March 2010 - 11:50 am

There are many different reasons why I’m standing as a Liberal Democrat against Nick Griffin in Barking.

Here is just one of them.

My bus stop on the way home is outside Brixton station, next to Iceland supermarket. Waiting there, I recall what the BNP’s message of hatred can bring. For it was exactly at this spot on Saturday April 17th 1999 that the London nail bomber David Copeland planted his first bomb. The following Saturday, he planted another bomb in Brick Lane. A week later, his final bomb exploded inside a Soho pub, killing three people. Altogether 129 people were injured. …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , , | 13 Comments