Tag Archives: conservatives

David Allen

Opinion: Against liberalism

By David Allen | Mon 31st December 2012 - 2:23 pm

Statue of David Lloyd George - Some rights reserved by GabludlowI am a liberal. I believe in standing up for people and communities against over-powerful vested interests – in business, the State, the media, or the unions. However, I also believe that liberalism alone is an inadequate political philosophy, and an insufficient foundation for this Party.

The problem centres on our determination to play down the significance of Left and Right. We sneer that the concepts are simplistic. We seek to defuse or ignore left-right conflict. The inconvenient truth we deny is that Left and Right do matter, often enough to split our party.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged and | 62 Comments
George Potter

Opinion: We’ve got our strategy the wrong way round

By George Potter | Mon 31st December 2012 - 12:53 pm

Liberal Democrat badge - Some rights reserved by Paul Walter, Newbury, UKLast Friday Lib Dem HQ sent out an email to parliamentarians, PPCs, council group leaders and other office holders about our party’s new message script. The full email, if anyone is interested, can be found herehere, courtesy of the Liberator.

Aside from the immensely catchy wordy message of “the Lib Dems are working to build a stronger economy in a fairer society, enabling every person to get on in life” (complete with an incredible 16 sub messages), a key point was this:

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged and | 41 Comments
Rob Murphy

Opinion: Cameron’s lurch to the right is Clegg’s opportunity

By Rob Murphy | Wed 10th October 2012 - 11:54 am

Party conference seasons are rarely memorable. Apart from Cameron’s “call that election – we will fight, Britain will win” bluff, which prompted Gordon Brown to call off the “election that never was” in 2007. Apart from a few leadership shocks – Ed Miliband’s pipping of his brother to the line on the shoulders of the trade unions in 2010 and the foundering of David Davis’ leaden leadership bid in 2005.

It may be premature to pass judgment on this conference season just yet. But it is a season that will be remembered for three things. Nick

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged , and | 70 Comments



Recent Comments

  • User AvatarMatthew Huntbach 23rd May - 11:06am
    Richard S I know that you don’t self-identify as a Leninist, but is it not the case that you see any significant differences of wealth...
  • User AvatarJen 23rd May - 10:54am
    David Evans asks, "I don’t think any of our MPs hold homphobic views. Do you?" We have, or in recent times have had, Liberal /...
  • User AvatarMatthew Huntbach 23rd May - 10:52am
    Malcolm Todd How on earth Matthew Huntbach can claim, in comment after comment on this site, to have been ‘silenced’ is beyond me. I have...
  • User AvatarMatthew Huntbach 23rd May - 10:47am
    Caron Lindsay It is a valid point that kids in a similar position at school today might, because of legislation like this, have an easier...
  • User AvatarPaul in Twickenham 23rd May - 10:41am
    @Matthew - spot on. I make no apologies for the fact that I keep banging on about this, but it is once again topical to...
Sun 26th May 2013
13:00
Sunday Bistro Lunch
19:00
Liberal Drinks
Tue 28th May 2013
19:30
"Talk Europe"
Wed 29th May 2013
19:30
Pizza & Politics: Whose data is it anyway?
Thu 30th May 2013
Pontypridd TC, Rhondda by-election
Fri 31st May 2013
14:30
Action Afternoon
19:30
York Outer Lib Dems Race Night
Sat 1st Jun 2013
09:30
Queens Park Focus
10:00
Action Day!
10:30
Colchester Regional Action Day - Sat 1 June
11:45
Race Equality: A New Lib Dem Approach
12:00
** NEW DATE **SLF/EMLD conference: Race Equality - a new Liberal Democrat Approach
Mon 3rd Jun 2013
18:30
Liberal Democrat Lawyers AGM
Thu 6th Jun 2013
Crowthorne Parish Council, Crowthorne Ward by-election
Bracknell Town Council, Great Hollands South Ward by-election
Nottingham City Council, Wollaton West by-election
18:00
Tim Garden Lecture
19:00
Early Summer Party with Baroness Kishwer Falkner
19:30
Supper with Alistair Carmichael MP
20:00
Winchester Liberal Drinks
Fri 7th Jun 2013
19:00
'It's the economy, stupid'
Sat 8th Jun 2013
10:00
Bradford East Action Day
19:00
Summer Quiz Night
Sun 9th Jun 2013
16:00
Summer Garden Party
Thu 13th Jun 2013
Kirklees MBC, Liversedge and Gomersal by-election
King's Lynn and West Norfolk BC, Watlington by-election
Sat 15th Jun 2013
10:00
Green Liberal Democrats Conference 2013
10:30
North Cornwall Regonal Action Day - Sat June 15th
Tue 18th Jun 2013
19:00
Politics & a 'pint'
Thu 20th Jun 2013
Edinburgh City Council, Liberton and Gilmerton by-election
Scottish Parliament, Aberdeen Donside by-election