An email from GMTV’s Sunday Programme pings into my inbox with the transcript of Steve Richards’ interview with Lib Dem leadership contender, Chris Huhne. Here’s a few snippets to whet your appetites. (The full interview will be broadcast this Sunday morning).
On Chris’s comment that the Lib Dems mustn’t become a third Tory party:
CH: What I see in British politics, which I think is very disappointing to a lot of people, is a sudden Gaderene rush towards the same solutions being offered by all of the different political parties, and there will not be a future for the Liberal Democrats unless we’re prepared to stand outside that consensus and say where it’s failing and why the political process is held in such disrespect and disillusion, frankly, by so many people, and I think we’ve got to re-inject into our message that sense of being the anti-establishment party that actually wants to change the whole system, not just change the ministerial faces on the back seat of the limousine, and if we are there as just seen as another potential participant in another consensus government of blancmange, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, we’re not going to make any progress.
On what distinguishes his candidacy from Nick Clegg’s:
CH: Well, I just think that from that point of view we’re both energetic, we’ve both got a lot of verve and vigour, and I think that if you look at the track record, and I think that many, many people have said that the party could do well with either of us, and I certainly think that Nick would make an excellent leader. My position is simply, not this time. So I think that we’ve got great opportunities, but I think that we need to have clear dividing lines from the Tories, clear dividing lines from Labour, and not get sucked into a cosy consensus on things for example like use of market solutions, where they don’t work in public services.
On whether he’s the ‘left-wing’ leadership candidate:
CH: I’m emphasising very clearly the tradition in our party which goes back to the great Edwardian Liberal thinkers like LT Hobhouse and TH Green, which is the social liberal tradition, which actually says it’s not enough just to talk about equality of opportunity, because actually by then it’s too late. Once a child has been born in poverty, and we have 3.8 million children born in poverty and living in poverty in this country today, once that’s happening you’ve basically given them a life sentence in terms of reducing their chances of prospering in future, so you’ve also go to have a fair start as well as the open road, and I think that’s a very important part of our policy message as a party.
On the majority of Lib Dem MPs, including now Simon Hughes, backing Nick as leader:
CH: In fact one of our most successful leaders, Paddy Ashdown, was elected with only a third of the parliamentary party supporting him and with the support of people in the country, and I’m also… I merely point out exactly what Simon said, which is that overwhelmingly MPs who are backing Nick, and me frankly, are saying actually we’d be quite happy with either of you because you’re both very good, so I think the issue of communication is very important.
On whether Chris or Nick is the better communicator:
CH: If you look over the last year, I’ve consistently been ahead in terms of media coverage of my Tory opposite number, and that’s one of the reasons why I think that we’ve done so well in terms of public perception on the environment. Now we’re going to be in a tough old situation over the next few years. We’re going to have some sharp elbows and get into the story. Now if you want somebody who’s been there, done that, 19 years as a journalist, passing the so what test, going to the newsdesk and saying well, hang on, what is the surprise factor in this story? What is actually going to get us noticed with the key Liberal values and Liberal messages we need to get across. Well, I think it’s going to be me.
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15 Comments
Laugh…I nearly choked on my frapaccino
What does Gaderene mean?
Lemming-like; to join a destructive or suicidal stampede; from the Bible where a crowd of people at Gadara were possessed by demons and stampeded off a cliff into the sea
It’s been a long time since I went to Sunday School; I should say that two demon-possessed men and a herd of pigs stampeded off a cliff into the sea
The only reason he gets more coverage than the Tory enviro spokesman is because David Cameron does all the environment stories…
Actually come to think of it that might not be the most fortunate reference in the context of the leadership election
3/4 – Technically there was a demon-possessed man, and Jesus comanded the demons to leave him and enter the pigs, which they did, and the pigs then promptly stempeded into the sea (lake). The man was then cured.
2/3/4/7
Or, for the non Bible scholars among us (Laurence?), try the Dr Who version:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_of_the_Gaderene
Lennon wrote: “3/4 – Technically there was a demon-possessed man, and Jesus comanded the demons to leave him and enter the pigs, which they did, and the pigs then promptly stempeded into the sea (lake). The man was then cured.”
My understanding is that the Gadarene coast of Galilee is prone to landslips. Also, the pig is one of the very few mammals completely unable to swim.
Chris is spot on where he says:
“… and not get sucked into a cosy consensus on things for example like use of market solutions, where they don’t work in public services. ”
We need a critique of market forces – not to abolish them but simply to appreciate that although they work reasonably well in most instances, they are not a panacea.
I would like to see Nick Clegg agree with that, although for now at least I do not know what he does think.
“The man was then cured.”
This, presumably, was to make up for the chronic lack of bacon due to the pigs all going over the cliff?
Yay! At last Chris is gently introducing religion into the debate!
Hmm you learn something new every day
I’ve posted a longer version on my blog, but why, when apparently this election is about who is the better communicator, is Huhne using a rare chance to be on telly to use an adjective like ‘Gadarene’?? Is he barmy?
Snippets of Chris’s interview?
Snippets?
His first answer appears to be a sentence of 150+ words (I gave up counting).
Just what we need – clear, concise public communication.
Remember (when writing FOCUS, or making speeches) :
Some people read the Telegraph, and some people read the Sun.
Those who read the Telegraph can understand what’s in the Sun, but ……