People often ask me how I got involved in politics.
Putting down roots in Suffolk after many years of moving around, it was a revelation to me to see how a community really works. I became increasingly involved as a community activist and saw at first hand the great work done by my local Lib Dem councillor.
All political parties are now talking about localism, but for us is it part of our DNA. We need to ensure that we keep faith with our localist instincts and our natural inclination towards small and accountable decision-making.
I’ve always believed that our members and activists are the ones who define what this party is about. Community politics – sorting out your local play area; being a voice for those who wouldn’t otherwise be heard; even just ringing up your council to report a problem – these are examples of how Liberal Democrats are truly a part of their local area. Many people are either born Labour or Tory – but you have to choose to be a Liberal Democrat. That means we have already made a leap in thinking about what it is we really care about.
What applies to our localities also applies to our Party; we are best when our local parties thrive and the diversity which exists within them is celebrated.
Today I’m asking everyone who reads this to take five minutes to fill out my online survey at www.im4ros.com/survey. (Supporting my campaign is not compulsory of course!)
I’m primarily interested in getting a snapshot of some of the internal Party issues occupying you right now. For example, what should come first: electing MPs or Councillors? How can we win more votes: canvassing or media coverage?
So I would like your perspective – ideas and constructive criticisms – to be fed into this survey. Building on the survey work we did at the Liverpool Conference, I am going to run this on-line throughout July and August. Please send the link to as many people as you want –
Thanks so much!
* Baroness Ros Scott was appointed a life peer in 2000 and sits on the Liberal Democrat benches as Baroness Scott of Needham Market, having been a Liberal Democrat councillor in Suffolk from 1991.
NB: please note, this is not an official party survey.
Editor’s note: Liberal Democrat Voice will, as with all internal party elections, remain neutral in its editorial line, and seek to ensure balanced coverage of all candidates for the position of Party President. Supporters of the candidates – and the candidates themselves! – are encouraged to submit their views to Lib Dem Voice either as an article – find out how here – or comments; but the editor will seek to ensure fair representation on these pages for all candidates.
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17 Comments
Textbook Liberal Democrat campaigning – send out a survey.
What does Ros actually plan to do (differently) as President. I can see where I can sign up as a supporter on her website but I’m not sure what I’m being asked to sign up to!
Would it be very cynical of me to suggest that this (rather vacuous) survey is more about identifying a mailing list than anything else.
“Would it be very cynical of me to suggest that this (rather vacuous) survey is more about identifying a mailing list than anything else.”
Considering that the only two compulsory answers are “Name” and “Email address”, I think you may have something there.
When I looked at the survey, it did ask me to fill in my details, but it did have a separate opt-in to Ros’s email list.
It’s nice to see a candidate for an internal election making an effort. I wish candidates for PPC selection were allowed to campaign effectively as well, unfortunately they are stymied by the rules.
Candidates for President, unliek candidates for Leader, do not get membership lists AFAIK.
Hywel,
So cynical! Actually, Ros really wants to know what you think. This isn’t an exercise in designing questions to obtain answers that agree with her views, it’s a genuine attempt to find out what activists and members see as the priorities for this Party moving forward. The President is, after all, someone who can (and should) represent the views of ordinary members and activists at the highest levels of the Party.
Naturally, she has her own views, which she will expand upon during the campaign, but she does not presume to be the fount of all wisdom.
As for supporters, Ros has been travelling up and down the country, meeting members and activists, and if they want to sign up as supporters, we are delighted to have them on board. Their support is valued but not taken for granted.
If you want to know more about Ros before deciding whether or not to support her, get in touch…
Frankly Mark, I feel very uncomfortable about voting for anyone who wants the job.
In which case, Martin, you can vote for me.
Yes of course she is doing it because she wants to be elected president, but I actually thought it was a good survey.
Although it asked the usual sort of questions it did it in a different way. I’ve never been asked who the most effective person in the party is (I was tempted to put Lembit but resisted) and how to enthuse voters rather than just convert them.
As Chris says it does give you the choice of whether to sign up for news and/or as a supporter.
Anders (still a floating voter)
I voted Cable for that one (which I expect was hardly a unique choice).
I had trouble with that one. I did consider putting Mark but eventually plumped for Rennard to be contrary.
interesting
I really hope we have a wider choice for our next President than Ros or Lembit. Neither enthuses and motivates me which should be the first job of the President…sadly neither has Simon.
The more candidates the better as far as I’m concerned. What I definitely think is that the President should not be an MP.
The President has two roles, touring the country whipping up enthusiasm amongst the faithful, and chairing the Federal Executive Committee (effectively the political head of the Party organisation). MPs have their constituency work as well as their roles as Lib Dem Parliamentarians. No half decent MP could possibly have enough time to do the President’s job properly as well.
Non-MP Presidents, such as Diana Maddock and Navnit Dholakia, have been much better than MP ones such as Simon Hughes and Charles Kennedy, in my opinion.
I think all of us who have met Ros when she has campaigned in our constituencies (and that has been a lot of us – she is a very busy Baroness!) have been greatly enthused by her candidacy. Roll on the election!!
Gosh, you mean there are people who didn’t put Tony Greaves as the most effective Lib Dem ???