Author Archives: Adrian Slade

Political breakaways are no easy option – a reminder of how the last one played out…

In 1981 and 1982 the Alliance between the two parties, under the leadership of Roy Jenkins and David Steel, was seen to be the perfect answer to Mrs Thatcher’s highly controversial first government, then two years old. Polls suggested that the Alliance could win power ‘if there was an election tomorrow’ as the polls liked to say, but, as many will remember, there wasn’t an election tomorrow. Instead there was the Falklands War, which Mrs Thatcher led us all into and won, thereby turning round many public perceptions of her. The Tories won the 1983 election comfortably, in the …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 20 Comments

Political breakaways are no easy option

Whichever way any sensible person thinks about Brexit, a disaster looms at the end of March. Nearly three years on from the Referendum and the decision to trigger Article 50 Parliament and the country are no clearer as to what they want from leaving Europe, and why they want it, than they were in 2016. Division is everywhere. Unhappiness, uncertainty and disillusionment are as rife today among electors as they are across the political spectrum.

When asked by the pollsters, a significant majority of UK electors now say they favour not leaving at all. That does not necessarily mean they would …

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 12 Comments
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Recent Comments

  • John Armah
    This article is to be welcomed. A fair and honest policy on immigration regular or otherwise needs to start with some honesty. Reform/Restore and some parts of ...
  • Nigel Jones
    I think this is an important article, the key point being the kind of message we give people about immigration. Too many people think mistakenly our policy is t...
  • Neil Sandison
    "Clear Liberal Objective" Is that not in the preamble of our constitution ? Is that not the bedrock of The Liberal Democrats as a social liberal party ? We ha...
  • William Wallace
    sarah; rebalancing our economy is a positive sum game both for london and the rest of the country. the south-east is short of water and electricity, and short ...
  • Peter Wrigley
    @ Chloe. I'm sorry you haven't noted any benefits from migration in your area. Be contrast, in my area, the old Heavy Woollen District of Yorkshire, immigrant...