I recently applied to join the Liberal Democrats; something that represents something of a political full-circle for me. During the 1992 General Election my Primary School held a mock election and I was part of the team that led the Lib Dems to a resounding victory. After that my political activism drew me into the Labour Party (I was there on that night in ’97) and then leftwards and, finally, after resigning from the Labour Party for a second time over the invasion of Iraq, out of active politics altogether.

Nick Clegg’s recent statement on Britain becoming a ‘Prozac nation’ is what drew me back to the Lib Dems; to me it showed willingness to tackle an issue that politicians rarely tackle, and, if they do, rarely with bold and innovative insight. Also, Barack Obama’s campaign for the Presidential nomination has revitalised my belief in progressive politics. His attempt to build a true progressive coalition between traditional core progressives and disaffected, ‘small-c’ conservatives is something that I believe can be emulated in the United Kingdom, and it is something that I believe the Liberal Democrats are best placed to do.

Change is a powerful idea and this week we have already seen Gordon Brown and David Cameron trying to ape the Obama campaign, Cameron in particular, insisting he is the person to ‘mend broken politics’. However, his party was an integral part of the ‘breaking’ of politics in the first place, and we can easily dismiss his rhetoric as a cynical grab for power. So, what needs to change?

On a world-scale we need to reject decisively the idea that the way progress is delivered is by the bullet and the bomb.

Iraq should have shown us that, but Afghanistan also illustrates the mistaken nature of this approach which in reality pre-dates the Bush/Blair era. People are the agencies of their own progress; sometimes they require measured assistance when the forces ranged against them are so large, but that should be the sole extent of intervention. Security interests have not been well-served by either intervention; in fact especially in the case of Iraq our efforts have been entirely counterproductive.

Of course, progressive politics is concerned to protect the well-being and safety of citizens, but it recognises that this is intrinsically tied to an humane and just foreign policy. Similarly a balanced foreign policy recognises that no nation is beyond being held to account for its actions.

Domestically, it is time to revitalise politics with bold and innovative thinking. Markets must be free, but ultimately made to serve and provide for the people; not the other way around. Social issues need to be tackled with a balanced rigour; balanced between libertarian sensitivity and the state’s duty to serve and protect the people.

Radical reforms devolving power from the central state to people so they can actually take control of their lives have been co-opted into conservative ideology and the interest of private enterprise – but in reality belongs to society as a whole and to progressive politics. I look forward to spending my time with the Liberal Democrats and being part of shaping that agenda.

* Darrell Goodliffe is an applicant member from Peterborough.