Who’s your liberal voice of 2007?
Written by Richard Huzzey on 24th December 2007 – 3:32 pmLib Dem Voice want to find out, and we’ll be running a New Year poll to find the liberal voice in British politics which has most inspired you in the last year. But as a little twist, we want to look outside the Liberal Democrat party – and find the greatest liberal who’s not a member of our party.
So, who would you pick? It could be a member of another party or one of the majority of Britons who belong to no party. It could even be someone who isn’t British themselves, but has had a big impact on liberalism in this country in 2007. And what should qualify as “a liberal”? The shortlisting panel, chaired by Cambridge MP and Lib Dem Shadow Solicitor General David Howarth, will be watching discussion and debates in the comments when deliberating.
Let us know your nominations in the comments - and feel free to start debating different candidates’ merits - and our panel will pick a shortlist for a poll in which readers can choose their Liberal Voice of 2007.
Tags: Liberal Voice 2007
Posted in Liberal Voice, Polls
24th December 2007 at 3:47 pm
Without a doubt Shami Chakrabarti.
24th December 2007 at 3:51 pm
John Stuart Mill? I mean, he’s been dead a while, but he’s still relevant, right? And this year /was/ the 201st anniversary of his birth…
Actually, if I’m permitted a vote, I’m going to vote for Mitch Benn. His thought-provoking and hilarious contributions to The Now Show on radio four always sit better with me than Marcus Brigstocke’s rantings, even thought they often make the same point. He generally leans liberally in his mickey-taking, and he has the most important qualification of all for Liberalism: he’s a massive Doctor Who fan.
O:-)
24th December 2007 at 4:17 pm
Shami Chakrabati - yes, and Ian Hislop. Private Eye is one of the most important upholders of the free press in this country, even if they do have a go at us occasionally (but just for balance, I think).
24th December 2007 at 4:20 pm
Oh please, anyone but Shami Chakrabarti.
I recommend Pat Condell.
24th December 2007 at 4:27 pm
Yes, but Laurence, don’t you regularly proclaim that you’re not a liberal?
But having thought long and hard, I can’t think of anyone except Shami. Can’t really think of any USians I’d class as liberal that are known (a lot that aren’t known but that hardly counts).
So yeah, agree with Shami, and Brigstocke. Mary’s point about Hislop is good though, and he is undoubtedly a liberal.
24th December 2007 at 4:31 pm
Yes, well parsed darling, I did in fact say /not/ Brigstocke…
* rolleyes *
Note to self: let him pay for his own Mitch Benn tickets next time
24th December 2007 at 4:33 pm
Yes, but Laurence, don’t you regularly proclaim that you’re not a liberal?
No. When did I say that? I am emphatically a liberal, and emphatically not a libertarian.
24th December 2007 at 4:40 pm
Shami Chakrabarti without doubt. Poster child of the left and the right, amazing role model and her work is outstanding.
24th December 2007 at 4:54 pm
David Tennant
24th December 2007 at 5:02 pm
Her work is outstanding.
Oh yes, of course. Fighting for liberties that we already possess – that sounds like a great job to me. She is utterly tiresome and self-serving, and I’m dismayed that we can’t see through it.
24th December 2007 at 5:27 pm
@9 - David Tennant is a paid up member of the Labour party unfortunately.
I quite like the Hislop idea. Or Anita Roddick, as a memorial.
24th December 2007 at 5:32 pm
“It could be a member of another party”
Sorry feeling rather argumentative - christmas eve seems to bring that on - must be psychological assoication! ;@)
24th December 2007 at 5:43 pm
Thats Ok, merry xmas:)
24th December 2007 at 5:58 pm
Hmm, I can see it might be useful having a Time Lord on board. Seriously though, I nominate the Pope. Yes, that’s right, the Pope. I don’t know much about the Pope to be honest, but I think it’s safe to assume that he must be a good liberal, seeing as Nick Clegg is committed to raising his children to follow the Pope’s teachings. So yes, the Pope - liberal of the year. It’s a no-brainer.
24th December 2007 at 6:10 pm
He’s not Doctor Who all the time you know. Don’t be silly.
24th December 2007 at 6:11 pm
Since you say we’re allowed people who aren’t even British but have made an impact here, how about Al Gore? His environmentalist film has made a great impact in this country, as elsewhere in the world, and he was even awarded the Nobel Peace Prize recently. His political views seem to me to be thoroughly liberal in both the British and American sense (and he was one of the few top American politicians to oppose the Iraq war from the beginning.)
24th December 2007 at 6:23 pm
13 (well everyone really) - and merry christmas back to you too :@O
24th December 2007 at 6:24 pm
Thanks for the suggestions so far.
I’m intrigued at the nomination of Tennant. Is his nomination for the generally liberal tone of Doctor Who? (In which case Russell T Davies might be the man?)
24th December 2007 at 10:10 pm
No - sorry was just having a bit of fun - obviously I have picked the wrong thread for that - I’ll get my coat…
25th December 2007 at 12:31 am
Partly because he is a radical thinker, and partly because it would annoy him, I nominate Simon Jenkins.
25th December 2007 at 2:07 am
Mr Graham hits the mark again. It’s got to be Simon Jenkins.
25th December 2007 at 2:17 am
“Russell T Davies might be the man?”
O_o
* is hoping that was a subtle joke like Jo’s too *
Please, lack-of-God, that was a joke, right?
25th December 2007 at 8:14 am
Yes, Simon Jenkins. I often find it strange that when he’s discussing issues, he says things which we Liberal Democrats would agree with - and then he slams us and says that we have no purpose.
25th December 2007 at 8:57 am
Jo & Jennie -
25th December 2007 at 10:47 am
I’ve spent the last 24 hours desperately trying not to say Shami.
I have failed. Has to be Shami.
There should be a similar vote on a global level, too.
25th December 2007 at 11:04 am
Dr Robert Watson for his constant quiet, earnest messages on climate change. Listened to him give a short speech at an event in November and was bowled over by the man.
Perhaps to include all the other unsung climate scientists, biologists, geographers and environmental scientists who began ringing the bell - unfashionably - all those years ago while we collectively scoffed and ignored them.
And Ian Hislop.
25th December 2007 at 11:54 am
Richard:
Mark: “all those years ago while we collectively scoffed and ignored them.”
There’s something to be said for having seen Soylent Green at a very young age
25th December 2007 at 2:46 pm
Without doubt it’s got to be Sir Samuel Brittan, who, beside that he has written several inspiring columns in Financial Times, also contributed to Centre Forum’s publication “Globalisation: a liberal response”.
25th December 2007 at 5:19 pm
Ooh, how about Philippe Legrain?
25th December 2007 at 8:49 pm
Why not? Why don’t you nominate him?
25th December 2007 at 10:14 pm
No contest - Chris Huhne!
I think if John Stuart Mill is chosen as default Liberal Voice I think everyone involved should kill themselves.
Merry Christmas.
25th December 2007 at 11:41 pm
I agree with Andy (31). Chris Huhne was the most effective Liberal voice in 2007, and until Nick Clegg cuts the waffle I suspect Chris Huhne will continue to be the most effective Liberal voice well into 2008 as well.
25th December 2007 at 11:50 pm
Hmmm, hate to disagree with Laurence but I am a great fan of Shami, maybe she says what all of us are thinking but at least she is there to say it, who else is?
But, it has to be said, my continuing inspiration is Simon Hughes. He encapsulates for me why I am a Lib Dem, this hasn’t changed over 20 odd years and you know us 50 summats, we are very difficult to shift!
26th December 2007 at 12:01 am
Hmmm… not sure what people mean by nominating Chris Huhne as the most liberal non-party member.
26th December 2007 at 12:39 am
34 - I was thinking about the same thing. I suspect that Andy Higson and Robin Young didn’t read the initial posting careful enough, or then they know something we don’t. John Stuart Mill was also a member of the Liberal Party, doesn’t that disqualify him?
26th December 2007 at 9:01 am
34, 35 - Indeed! Either they didn’t read the rules or this is a *very* clever way of the Membership Department reminding people to renew their subs.
Re: Mill’s membership; I don’t actually know when political parties started collecting subscriptions and enrolling ‘members’. One for Mr. Pack to answer?
26th December 2007 at 9:14 am
Mill, if I can remember right, represented Westminster constituency in the Parliament as a Liberal.
26th December 2007 at 10:36 am
Well unles someone’s picking up his subscription tab, JS Mill is probably an ex-member. So presumably counts.
26th December 2007 at 10:42 am
Sometimes I just can’t help not seeing partisan boundaries - that’s just the kind of Liberal I am.
26th December 2007 at 11:07 am
Mill was a Liberal MP (and a damn fine one by all accounts I’ve read), which was a precursor to but explicitly not the Liberal Democrat party, ergo qualifies by the specific letter of the rules of the competition.
But TBH given the terms of reference and that he won “greatest ever” this year by a large margin, perhaps best if we stuck to living non-members?
Like Shami.
26th December 2007 at 11:19 am
O whoops I didn’t read it properly either! But I will stick with Shami.
26th December 2007 at 11:40 am
37, 38, 40 - Mill may have been a Liberal MP, but my query was whether the modern idea of ‘membership’ of a political party is that old!
26th December 2007 at 2:38 pm
Give Nick some time for heavens sake. He’s been in the job just over a week and, if you actually listen to/read his speeches, particularly on civil liberties, he is the most passionate LIBERAL leader we’ve had in years. Anyway on to the question in hand. I’d say Shami has to get the award for Liberal of the year. My partner thinks Barack Obama deserves it but i think the jury’s out on that one - though he is still my choice for Democratic nomination.
26th December 2007 at 4:32 pm
43 posts to date; it’s a sad reflection on modern Britain that we all seem to be coming up with the same name!
26th December 2007 at 5:09 pm
Come off it! Our navels may be beautiful, but they are nothing to do with Liberal Voice. Contemplate the wider world; Vince Cable may have danced into the nominations, but his words at Prime Minister’s Questions would have delighted John Stuart Mill. However the vote goes, the footnotes of history will remember Vince Cable as the Liberal Voice of 2007
26th December 2007 at 5:15 pm
Not really Martin. I saw the question, answered it in my head without needing to think, and commented.
Could almost certainly list a large number of people from across the spectrum, from other parties, the media and other sources.
But I don’t really need to. The clear winner is Shami.
Ah, actually, Richard wants to run it as a poll. So, well, maybe we should nominate a few others.
Well, Simon Jenkins, obviously, Henry Porter, Charlie Brooker. Controversially (perhaps) Boris Johnson, Bob Marshall-Andrews. Tim Ireland, Justin McKeating, Mitch Benn, Andy Hamilton, Craig Murray, Chris Dillow.
I’d go against Rusty Davies, Dr Who was always liberal with an anarchist streak, several of his statements about conforming to his ideal of a “liberal” norm have at times been distinctly illiberal and in favour of tokenism.
Meh, started to do some digging, but that’ll do for now methinks.
26th December 2007 at 6:38 pm
I would nominate Garton-Ash for a continuing dedication to liberalism and democracy throughout the world. He regularly writes a column that liberals should agree with. Same goes for Martin Kettle and Robert Porter. Samuel Brittain also deserves a shout.
We might get some good press if we nominate someone from the press too!
26th December 2007 at 6:52 pm
Phillipe Legrain is good. A great liberal coming from the left.
Otherwise Shami (not sure what Laurence’s problem with her is…)
27th December 2007 at 12:33 am
“Simon Jenkins, obviously, Henry Porter, Charlie Brooker. Controversially (perhaps) Boris Johnson, Bob Marshall-Andrews. Tim Ireland, Justin McKeating, Mitch Benn, Andy Hamilton, Craig Murray, Chris Dillow.”
Interesting how all the people that leap into my fiance’s mind are men… Sadly, I’m ill-placed to counter, as the women I would vote for that I consider to be true liberals are party members. I’d rather eat my own arse than vote for Chris Dillow, though. Yes, he’s clever, but not nearly as clever as he thinks he is.
27th December 2007 at 1:38 pm
Does he expect you to do the washing up, Jennie?
Right, my nominations (assuming I can have more than one; if not, take the first one):
1. Philippe Legrain
2. Shami Chakrabarti
3. Craig Murray
4. Simon Hoggart
5. Pat Condell (I’d never heard of him before - well played Laurence)
27th December 2007 at 5:33 pm
Whilst I’m aware somewhat more important things (/disasters / tragedies) are occuring right now, someone, somewhere, might want to read my write-up of the above nominations - they can now do so by clicking on my name. Thanks.
28th December 2007 at 12:36 am
I would like to nominate John Gray. He is too independently minded to join the Lib Dems, or any other party, but he puts his case so well, and I decided he is a Liberal as he is a great admirer of Isiah Berlin and JM Keynes.
I also admire Shami, and I have long admired Jonathan Porrit. If I am allowed to propose an American, than Joseph Stiglitz gets my support. Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International I would also like to nominate. I will probably think of more when I wake up!
28th December 2007 at 8:40 pm
52-I am not really sure John Gray can be described as a liberal.
To quote Paul Krugman (who would be a contender for this award if we lived in the states): “He is certainly not a liberal, in either its 19th-century or modern American senses. Instead, he is an old-fashioned conservative - paleoconservative? - in the tradition of Burke, or of modern representatives like James Goldsmith, Edward Luttwak, and once and future U.S. presidential aspirant Pat Buchanan (whose new book The Great Betrayal sounds many of the same themes as False Dawn). What he really wants is a society in which people stay in the neighborhoods in which they were born, stay with their spouses, and stay with their traditional cultures.”
I haven’t read much of his writing but I was under the impression that he has not been a liberal since the eighties (even then he was a classical liberal) and that he has now thrown his lot in with the anti-globalisation left rather than pro-globalisation liberals.
28th December 2007 at 10:19 pm
I suggest you read his work - otherwise how do you know what he is talking about?
None of his work refers to Klein or Chomsky, the usual anti-Globalisation heros. That said, I believe that a large section of the anti-Globalisation movement is a liberal movement. They campaign against third world poverty, excessive materialism and protecting the environment, all good liberal themes.
As far as Gray is concerned, he actually voted Lib Dem at the last general election. You could describe him as an old fashioned conservative given his level of scepticism, but on the other hand he is nothing like an old fasioned conservative in his view of modern Britain. He is very much in favour of multiculturalism and he rejects the old fashioned “bourgeois values” of Thatcher.
His seering critiques of the failed Utopian ideologies of Naziism, Marxism, Neo-Liberalism and Neo-Conservatism are thoroughly liberal.
29th December 2007 at 12:25 am
I have read some of his work. Admitedly not much but enough to confirm that he is not a liberal. The edition of On Liberty I own has an introduction by Gray. In it he argues basically that Mill doesn’t add up and that liberalism does not work as a doctrine.
I got the quote from Krugman from a review he wrote of False Dawn, which can be found at http://www.pkarchive.org/cranks/gray.html
29th December 2007 at 9:18 am
I personally admire JS Mill, but I see nothing wrong in criticising his opinions even from a liberal perspective. As I mentioned before, Gray is an admirer of Isiah Berlin and JM Keynes who were both good liberals.
I do not intend to write much about Krugman’s opinions which I had a look at, except to say I strongly disagree with them. The Economist gave a good review of Gray’s book at the time, and for Krugman to compare Gray with Buchannan is utterly absurd - and says more about him than it does about Gray.
29th December 2007 at 6:58 pm
I have another, very serious suggestion - Terry Pratchett.
His readership in the UK is huge. Those who have read his books will know that underneath all the humour and fantasy is a very liberal philosophy.
There’s too much to mention but, for example, books such as “Equal Rites” and “Monstrous Regiment” have a theme of , well, equal rights for women. The hero of “Small Gods” is an honest priest trying to stay one step ahead of a corrupted fundamentalist religion. One of his best characters , Commander Vimes of the City Watch, is about as non-racist as you can get - he offers jobs to dwarves, werewolves , zombies and even golems. (this may strike non-readers of Pratchett as pretty flippant, but in it’s own context it’s very serious stuff.)
The most famous fantasy books in the last 50 years have been the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I like those books, but Tolkein has a huge amounts of killing, has races such as orcs with no good qualities whatsoever, and a lot of monarchs. Pratchett is on the side of the people.
To quote from Pratchett’s novel “Feet of Clay”:
“You are in favour of the common people?” said Dragon mildly.
“The common people?” said Vimes. “They’re nothing special. They’re no different from the rich and powerful except they’ve got no money or power. But the law should be there to balance things up a bit . So I suppose I’ve got to be on their side”.
Later on in the same book he’s ordered to destroy a golem:
“In order to keep the peace, the golem will have to be destroyed”
“No, sir”
“Allow me to repeat my instruction”
“No, sir”
“I’m sure I just gave you an order Commander. I distinctly felt my lips move.”
“No, sir. He’s alive, sir”
“He’s just made of clay, Vimes”
“Aren’t we all, sir? According to the pamphlets Constable Visit keeps handing out. Anyway he thinks he’s alive, and that’s good enough for me.”
I can think of no individual who has spread a liberal , tolerant philosophy more in the last 20 years than Terry Pratchett. And now would be a very good time to give him some credit for it…
29th December 2007 at 8:50 pm
“They campaign against third world poverty, excessive materialism and protecting the environment, all good liberal themes.”
Since when was “campaigning against excessive materialism” a “good liberal theme”? Where are these campaigns? How do they define “excessive materialism”? How do they want to stop it?
I’d have thought the liberal position would be that each individual is free to be as materialistic or unmaterialistic as they like.
29th December 2007 at 9:47 pm
I think Terry Pratchett is a great suggestion. My only problem would be with the dangerously seductive Liberal Dictator Vetinari. But I would be surprised if anyone else has had good liberal ideas read by as many people.
29th December 2007 at 11:19 pm
At least Vetinari believes in Laissez-faire. Sort of.
29th December 2007 at 11:52 pm
For what it’s worth, Vetenari’s policies on immigration (p224, “Feet of Clay”):
“Ankh-Morpork, alone of all the cities of the plains, had opened its gates to dwarfs and trolls (alloys are stronger, Vetenari had said). It had worked. They made things. Often they made trouble, but mostly they made wealth” “
30th December 2007 at 11:15 am
Does he point out that most dwarfs and trolls are young professionals who have less need for public services such as healthcare?
30th December 2007 at 12:25 pm
Well, not specifically.
30th December 2007 at 2:07 pm
“One of his best characters , Commander Vimes of the City Watch, is about as non-racist as you can get - he offers jobs to dwarves, werewolves , zombies and even golems.”
He’s quite anti-vampire though - I think characterising Vimes as non-racists is over simplistic - his liberal tendencies come because he thinks he ought to be - or because it would dishonour the Watch - not because he believes it to be intrinsically right
And I would hardly characterise the Guild based over regulation of the Vetinari regime as laissez faire or liberal.
Though Pratchett would be a good choice - and also someone who is criminally under-rated as a writer. Probably I’ve always thought because he writes far to many books to be a serious writer.
30th December 2007 at 2:39 pm
Terry Pratchett - YES!
1st January 2008 at 3:02 pm
Nomination for J.K.Rowling.
For creating a new literary world upholding the importance of individual responsibility and initiative, and the importance of personal love and loyalty in the face sometimes of crass offical state meddling.
Check out the Tales of Beedle The Bard on amazon.com especially the tale of the enchanted fountain
1st January 2008 at 3:40 pm
I’m not sure why everyone seems to be nominating Shami Chakrabarti - because although she is head of Liberty and regular pops up on various programmes - I can’t think of anything specific she has campaigned on where she has made a significant difference in awareness.
Whereas Al Gore jointly won the Nobel Peace Price in 2007 and has greatly put the issue of Climate Change as an issue throughout the globe.
25th January 2008 at 5:42 am
Well, Good Morning from the Antipodes!
I am a member of the Australian Democrats - a lonely task, seeing we polled under 2% in November’s federal election.
While distributing how-to-vote cards to HTV volunteers prior to the election, I was struck by a distinctive commonality among party supporters: all had wildly unkempt weedy gardens.
The AD’s are splendidly non-conformist folk, but I dont see that they all have to be non-conformist in the same way - that is a new conformity with its own rules, prohibitions and penalties.
My question is - Are the UK LibDems similarly united?
25th January 2008 at 8:42 am
Samuel Brittan