The Presidential Platform (1): why you should pick Öpik
Written by Lembit Opik MP on 7th October 2008 – 12:15 pmLiberal Democrat Voice has offered each of the three candidates for the post of Party President three platforms pieces on LDV during the contest to make their case to party members. How they choose to use these platforms is entirely up to them. Today it’s Lembit Öpik’s turn.
It’s intriguing to stand in an all member ballot. I’m grateful for the very large number of people supporting my campaign, apparently thanks to the work I’ve done countrywide across the last 17 years as an activist, trainer, public speaker and MP.
Then there are those people who appear to devote their time attacking the various candidates! They seem to forget that actually we’re all meant to be in the same Party, attempting to create a country which doesn’t enslave people through prejudice or conformity. So the negativity is up to them. But for me, this Party - and my Presidency - is about the politics of positive campaigning.
I’ve always been clear about my ambition for the Presidency. In 2001 I said I’d stand. In 2004 I did stand, coming second to Simon Hughes. I backed his Presidency and said I’d stand again in 2008. I’m keeping that promise now.
Nobody has more experience to be President. I’ve been on the Executive - the committee the President chairs - for 17 years. No candidate has spent longer travelling the country supporting the Party. My Vauxhall Cavalier has 381,000 miles on the clock – not because I like driving, but because that’s what it takes when you spend week in, week out, every year, supporting local groups and branches, just doing the hard graft. I hope I’ve inspired local activists, and helped motivate local parties to aim higher and bolder.
Nobody is better placed to take over the Presidency when Simon finishes. As Senior Federal Vice President and Deputy Chair of the Executive, I already run the committee when the current President is unavailable. I’ve been on all the major committees, apart from Federal Conference Committee. I’ve been on the inside of the structures and I know how this Party runs.
I’ve also got a national profile. Does this matter? I think so. We need to reach out beyond those who already know us. I do that, and I believe that this has been helpful in putting the Party on the map.
And I’ve got a political narrative for the job: to ensure the Lib Dems are organised and robust enough internally to make it to Government. My Presidency is not about policy making; that’s the Leader’s job. I’m about acting as Chief Engineer – to make sure the internal party structures work well, so we’re capable of making the journeys the Leader envisages. Specifically, I’ll increase the membership by May 2010, create faster policy making processes, represent members’ views to the leadership, and create a Party with the skills to promote our politics in “primary colours” – by which I mean clear, bold easy to understand messages. That way, everyone will know exactly what we stand for.
Inspiration, motivation, organisation and determination coupled with a raised national profile for the Party is what I’m offering you. It’s the politics of primary colours, not pastel shades. If that’s what you want, that’s exactly what you’ll get by voting for Lembit Öpik.
Posted in Party Presidency
7th October 2008 at 12:41 pm
Then there are those people who appear to devote their time attacking the various candidates! They seem to forget that actually we’re all meant to be in the same Party, attempting to create a country which doesn’t enslave people through prejudice or conformity. So the negativity is up to them.
God, I know. Those people are so awful. Accountability? Who needs it>?
Personally though, I’d appreciate it if you would answer the questions I posed a couple of weeks ago.
7th October 2008 at 12:45 pm
I’ve thought about it long and hard and I’ve decided to pick Opik! What do we want - a hard working technocrat or someone who normal members will recognise and who will raise morale? I believe the latter is what we need. Another thing has swayed me. I was chatting to a distant relation (so distant I had never met him before!) on Sunday who wasn’t a party member. He told me of the wonderful work Lembit did for his charity, work which he has never saught publicity for. This is the second such account I have got from people not connected to the party.
Lembit is a character but we need more of them in Politics. Despite all the carping from party members about his profile (and I join in occasionally) he is a good guy and you couldn’t get a more committed Liberal if you tried. He has my vote!
7th October 2008 at 12:55 pm
I am posting my response as a question in http://forum.libdems.org.uk - for now, unless I don’t get an answer.
7th October 2008 at 12:59 pm
It seems to me that what is important is that we have a choice. I have certainly struggled about who to support as I believe both Lembit and Ros are strong candidates. Having agonised about my decision, especially as a woman who bangs on about representation, I have decided to keep my original commitment to support Lembit. Not just because I don’t like breaking promises, but on balance I believe Lembit pips Ros in terms of being able to communicate with non party members. Ros is rightly very much the activists darling, but doesn’t have the profile in the country that Lembit does. Having accompanied him on a shandy run in Henley I saw first hand just how exceptional he is at communicating with people outside the party.
Interestingly my children are divided, my daughter supports Ros, who has been a strong personal inspiration to her, my son on the other hand thinks Lembit great strength is that he is a rarity in the Lib Dems, “a normal bloke” (my son didn’t feel that at home at conference!).
So, I look forward to an interesting campaign - but whilst I appreciate the President does not have responsibility for policy I sincerely hope the candidates will say a little more about where they stand on the policy issues facing us, whether that be around tax, defence, crime, tutition fees et al.
7th October 2008 at 1:37 pm
What does Lembit mean when he says he would create faster policy making processes?
7th October 2008 at 2:57 pm
Cometh the hour, cometh the man! Lembit Opik’s media-tart image, Nick Clegg’s money-grows-on-trees policy - A perfect match!
7th October 2008 at 3:48 pm
What’s this primary vs. pastel business all about?
7th October 2008 at 3:52 pm
I think what he’s getting at is the need to be bold and clear in our approach, but why he’s picking on pastels and not shades of gray, I have no idea.
7th October 2008 at 4:04 pm
Yes, it’s specifically the pastels reference that bothers me, given that pastels are culturally supposed to be more feminine. I’m sure that’s not part of what he’s trying to say, but it’s distracting me from whatever he does mean.
7th October 2008 at 4:48 pm
“Then there are those people who appear to devote their time attacking the various candidates! They seem to forget that actually we’re all meant to be in the same Party, attempting to create a country which doesn’t enslave people through prejudice or conformity. So the negativity is up to them.”
==
Well, yes, quite. Sorry Lembit for daring to be a humble fee paying member of the party expressing my opinions. Oh how I will love to be a party member under your presidency, somehow unable to make the leap from speaking my mind, and enslaving others with ignorance.
7th October 2008 at 5:00 pm
The party has a real opportunity to make itself a public and media laughing stock for the next two years.
Don’t blame me if you all vote for Lembit.
“Oh would some pow’r the giftie gie us
Tae see oorsels as other see us.”
Tony Greaves
7th October 2008 at 5:48 pm
How high profile was Lord Dholakia before he was President? Lembitt already has media profile surely electing a very competent women as President would allow us to get some more media profile for another excellent Liberal Democrat communicator.
7th October 2008 at 5:55 pm
“it’s the politics of primary colours, not pastel shades.”
I find this phrase disturbing. Either it’s as Liz says, a subtly sexist dig at Ros, or it’s referring to the film with John Travolta in, in which an inspiring but essentially fatally flawed guy gets elected president and then cocks it all up… Neither is really appealing to me.
And all the stuff about “I’ve served on the executive for 17 years…” says “If you want more of the same, vote Lembit!” to me. I have a huge amount of respect for Simon Hughes as a speaker and politician, but his presidency has brought none of the benefits we were told it would (better media presence, doubling of membership) and I’m not sure I want more of THAT same…
Sorry.
7th October 2008 at 5:58 pm
it’s referring to the film with John Travolta in, in which an inspiring but essentially fatally flawed guy gets elected president and then cocks it all up…
Oi - that’s my line!
7th October 2008 at 6:02 pm
All’s fair in love and blogging, James!
(I couldn’t remember who said it, or I would have hat-tipped. Sorry.)
7th October 2008 at 6:48 pm
To be honest Lembit, as James says, you dont address my central concern about what you call in passing your ‘national profile’…
I don’t doubt your credentials but for me Ros Scott has credentials without the problems that your profile poses to me…thats why i’m voting for her….
8th October 2008 at 12:07 pm
The problem with Lembit’s national profile which he says is a good thing, is that it has little to do with his housing brief.
I would rather he build up his reputation as a serious politician first before he takes on jobs like these.