1

“It is by no means uncommon now for talented young graduates to serve for a few years as researchers or assistants to an MP, then move straight on to a safe seat.”

Certainly not in this party. I can only think of two former researchers on the Lib Dem benches, both of whom are excellent MPs, and one of whom only has a majority of about 500.

And while it might be fun to knock Labour and the Tories, where this is more usually the case, politics is a skill like any other. A good constituency MP is one who knows how to use the political system to benefit their constituents and causes. That can be as useful a skill as any other.

Also, it’s a shame you feel the need to disparage those people who do work hard in research jobs for the party, often for relatively little pay. I daresay this party would be in a pretty bad way without the various “professional” researchers in Parliament, the policy unit, and the Town Halls. They work hard and are sincere in wanting to further the Liberal cause, not cynical power-mad careerists.

2

On the environmental point, I think you’ll find that not all parties share the same environmental concern. Well, if Labour has environmental concerns they involve a lot more runways than mine. It is a party-political issue- with our party being more radical and more involved. Why would we want to come to a consensus with people who don’t share that commitment? The result would be watered-down policies.

In any case, “politics” is a marketplace, indeed a battlefield, of ideas, which throws up new policies and tests ideas to destruction or success. When parties try to out-green each other, it makes the final result more green. That’s a good thing, right? And given your article is about democracy one would think you’d want more choice, not less.

3

Boris’ move to reduce the scale of the congestion charge was good for the environment, as the Western extension zone gave large, wealthy, residential areas special residents’ status to drive around London on the cheap. The GLA Lib Dem rightly support scrapping the WEZ.

The ‘language of politics’ is now so homogenised, so vague and so meaningless as to have precisely the opposite effect from that intended – it bores, distracts and minimises the message.

If the Liberal Democrats REALLY want to make a difference to the engagement of ‘the man on the street’ in modern politics, I believe the starting point is to forget the stifling, stilted language of politics and change the game.

Speak to us in our own language, communicate to us clearly, concisely, with energy and with passion, and make us believe and care again.

D