In just five days the Liberal Democrat Conference will be gearing up to what for some is the highlight of their week. The tradition will again be honoured of singing songs from the history of Liberalism as well as more recent topical and light-hearted offerings. There will be a brand new edition of the Liberator Songbook with new songs, and I’m sure some offerings to mark the return of Liberals to Government.
A further tradition of the Glee Club is that new MPs ‘do a turn’; we know some of them are regular members of the Glee Club, and we look forward to hearing from them!
As part of our preparations, some of us have been wondering what to do with some unsolicited mail we’ve received recently. So in order to honour the traditions of the Glee Club, I’ve sent the following message to the Labour Party, and we look forward to their response……
The General Secretary
Labour Party
C/o The Official Receiver
London SW1A 0AADear Sir or Madam
I am writing as one of the comperes of the Liberal Democrat Conference Glee Club due to be held in Liverpool next week.
As a Trade Union member and a non-payer of the political levy, I have been sent a ballot paper for your leadership election.
A number of members of the Glee Club have contacted me to say that they, too, have been sent ballot papers. Therefore I am writing to request that the candidates present themselves for hustings at the Glee Club.
We can guarantee an audience larger than at many of your other hustings – and livelier too. I’m sure that some of them would appreciate our singing of classics from the Liberator Songbook such as ‘The Pink Flag’ and ‘We shall Overcome’ and especially the song with the chorus that goes ‘Tony Blair Can F*** Off And Die’. Its purchase, at a cost of only £3.50, is highly recommended.
I should however add that the gathering will contain people who are unable to sign the declaration on the ballot paper, and add that the Glee Club takes place outside the secure zone.
If we do not receive a positive response, our plan is therefore to auction the ballot papers to the highest bidder, with all proceeds going to the Fairer Votes campaign.
Yours sincerely
Gareth Epps
Glee Club takes place in the Grace Suite at the Hilton Liverpool from 10pm on Tuesday 21 September.
14 Comments
What’s the point of this? If you’re a Lib Dem you shouldn’t be voting- you can’t very well tick the “I support Labour” box.
Anyway, some suggestions for songs!
Love Me, I’m a Liberal by Phil Ochs.?
How about the old chant Cut, Cut Cut?
http://www.gcu.ac.uk/politicalsong/songs/unknown11.html
Teehee
Mike – the point should be fairly obvious 🙂
I look forward to bidding for the ballot papers – now, how much is 1/11278th of a vote in a Labour Party leadership election worth?
@mike – you brilliantly illustrate the humourlessness of labour trolls
Not having been sent one (Unite seem relatively organised) I don’t know the exact wording, but I’d have been inclined to lie, vote, and see what happens?
I can see that the post is tagged “humour” but there’s nothing funny in it. Nothing even nearly as funny as David Cameron’s favourite pre-election joke.
I’m a member of Unite, opted out of the political fund years ago, but still got a ballot paper. So no, they’re not “relatively organised”.
Shame I threw it in the bin instead of auctioning it off.
Have you seen the Reuters/Mori polls boys? I wouldn’t go upsetting the Labour Party. You might need their members to come to your rescue soon.
Seeing the chorus of the glee club song re Blair confirms my assessment of most political activists that their intelligence and talents are best suited to scribbling on lavatory walls. Unfortunately many of the people they support are little better,which explains why our country is so often in the mire. Still, they say the people get the government they deserve. Morons of the world unite, you’ve nothing to lose re. your brains.
I agree that the Labourites are rather proving their lack of humour from the responses we’ve seen so far. Amusing in its own right.
I have to say, whenever I see anything attempting to be funny about the Lib Dems online, my first response isn’t to jump on and attempt to be funny back in a way which implies that you’re deeply hurt about people being so MEAN about my party. Seriously, man up chaps.
Ballot papers?
They sent me a membership card!
Shame I was a Lib Dem Group Leader at the time.
Still, I used to love waving it around when Full Council got rowdy!
Happy days …
Deary me. Even this obviously funny post has the Labour activists reaching for the hostility bag. Will they ever recover from this condition?
Lib Dems will be singing ” The Land of Make Believe ” and ” Another Bites The Dust ” at the party conference.
It has been confirmed Clegg will be opening with ” The Great Pretender ” ” and ” I’m Sorry, So Sorry ”
The problem for Lib Dems, is that they fail to understand, people are laughing at them, not with them.