Author Archives: Kelly-Marie Blundell

Kelly-Marie Blundell

Conference has invigorated the party!

By Kelly-Marie Blundell | Sat 24th September 2011 - 6:55 pm

Liberal Democrats at grassroots level across the country had been suffering since our landslide defeat in local elections and the defeat of the Alternative Vote referendum in May 2011. This has led, I believe, to a reduction in political engagement across the party at a local and national level.

That is why the autumn conference was both an opportunity to look to the future, and to celebrate Liberal Democratic core values and successes within the Coalition. Phoenixes of a feather flocked together in Birmingham last week, and immediately campaigners felt more at ease and more positive.

Despite valid concerns about levels …

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Posted in Conference | 10 Comments
Kelly-Marie Blundell

Opinion: Putting the Localism Bill in a Social Liberal context

By Kelly-Marie Blundell | Thu 12th May 2011 - 4:15 pm

In embracing principles of The Big Society and Localism, have the Liberal Democrats being railroaded into an erosion of the public state, seemingly by accident?

The initial premise of the Localism Bill appeals greatly to Liberal Democrat in the Conservative-led Coalition. What is there about bringing power to local communities that is not to be liked?

It could be argued that the principles of the Localism Bill were in fact first proposed within the Coalition Agreement, where Page 11 states;

We will promote the radical devolution of power and greater financial autonomy to local government

…

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 12 Comments
Kelly-Marie Blundell

Opinion: Cameron is wrong on AV and dog-tired governments

By Kelly-Marie Blundell | Sun 24th April 2011 - 12:44 pm

Cameron launched a paternalistic attack on potential Yes to AV Voters in The Evening Standard this week. I would have commented earlier but I was incredulous that such arguments could be put across to persuade people against voting for AV in the forthcoming referendum.

The strongest reason Cameron dictated was that FPTP allowed the public to kick out “dog-tired” governments. The irony therein is that the Coalition has created fixed term parliaments.

As a result, a “dog-tired” government can only be removed with a motion of no confidence outside of this period. The last Motion of No Confidence was

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Kelly-Marie Blundell

Lib Dem Coalition IRL

By Kelly-Marie Blundell | Sat 25th September 2010 - 2:16 pm

Since the election it has seemed to me that the Liberal Democrats have been somewhat flagging. The exhaustion of the general election and Clegg Mania, the immediate return of Labour Squeeze in mainstream media and the relentless coalition debate have collectively reduced the Lib Dem enthusiasts.

However, there is nothing like a good Conference to cheer us all up.

This was the first conference I attended alone, but with much awaited enthusiasm due to growing Twitter feeds and Facebook friends.

The conference alone is a daunting and tremendous undertaking to the uninitiated. You are catapulted into fleeting and incredibly intimate friendships with people you may never contact again. Collecting business cards, advising, persuading, debating and challenging on every level.

Flipping from policy motion to speech, from fringe to training, it is a whirlwind of faces you may or may not recognise from those squares of modernity who tweet or chat or debate with alarming ease.

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Recent Comments

  • User AvatarAnthony Hawkes 19th May - 12:31pm
    That was excellent and also quite inspiring to hear fundamental Liberal values so well articulated. I might have to start learning history.
  • User AvatarEddie Sammon 19th May - 11:36am
    I agree with Alisdair, the broad liberal centre ground needs to unite, otherwise we will face perpetual conservative or socialist governments. I think we need...
  • User AvatarStuart Mitchell 19th May - 11:05am
    Dave, given that a higher proportion of Labour MPs voted for equal marriage than did Lib Dem MPs, it really is poor form for you...
  • User AvatarRay Veysey (@rayveys 19th May - 10:58am
    Your opening comments and stories are naive and parochial, and to a large extent can be linked to the reason that UKIP has had success...
  • User Avatarnuclear cockroach 19th May - 10:40am
    This bill merely reflects the wider view of society, a view which has shifted over the past fifty years from a legal bar on practicing...