Author Archives: Joanne Ferguson

Joanne Ferguson

The Libertine strikes back!

By Joanne Ferguson | Wed 23rd December 2015 - 9:27 am

The Libertine is back!

For those of you who don’t know, The Libertine is Liberal Youth’s online blogging platform. It is quite similar to LDV in that its articles are written by Libdem members, its youth members. This means that we, like LDV, are always looking for new submissions and fresh topics for discussion.

As the title suggests, The Libertine has fallen out of use for a significant period of time. The LY exec asked for applications for the positions of co-editor, and selected myself and Tom Davies. We can be found at [email protected] or [email protected]. If you have any submissions please send them here.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 15 Comments
Joanne Ferguson

How to Beat the SNP

By Joanne Ferguson | Tue 18th August 2015 - 10:33 am

 

I don’t know when the SNP will be toppled, but I am confident it will happen eventually. I also seriously doubt people will flock en masse back to Labour, a party that took Scotland for granted for years and, in my opinion, doesn’t deserve the return of unwavering support. There will be a gap that we could perceivably fill, but we have to earn the right of that space, not make Labour’s mistake of taking it as a given.

Here are some things I have been trying to keep in mind over the past few months talking to SNP voters:

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 71 Comments
Joanne Ferguson

Opinion: My problem with Scotland’s “Named Person” plan

By Joanne Ferguson | Fri 17th July 2015 - 12:00 pm

The other day I commented on a Facebook post about areas we share with the SNP, mentioning my concerns about the SNPs plans for every child in Scotland to have a “named person” who is their point of contact with the social services. Caron Lindsay mentioned that Euan Davidson had written for this site in support of the measures, and invited me to post a response. I made sure I had the facts right (some of which I had to be corrected on but didn’t change my overall view) and got started. To the best of my understanding, the named person would be someone the child could contact if they had a problem that they needed confidential help from. It could also be to obtain information on subjects that may be either too sensitive or too awkward to discuss with parents. I agree with what is trying to be achieved here, but I don’t think this is the way to do it. Here is why.

On May 15th 2015, I finished my final secondary school exam. I was finished school. I was an adult? I would never have a teacher again. Lecturers, sure, but I would never again be in the situation where I would have to ask someone if I was allowed to go to the bathroom. Some of my teachers I would miss more than others because I had grown to trust them enough to act in the same way around them as I would around my friends. Some teachers I still showed restraint around, as if I was an employee of theirs. You would think that my guidance teacher, whom I was supposed to approach with any problems, would belong to the first category. This was far from the case.
Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 15 Comments
Joanne Ferguson

Opinion: Why I would follow Tim

By Joanne Ferguson | Mon 8th June 2015 - 11:38 am

 

I joined the Liberal Democrats a couple of weeks ago. For the most part I joined because of Nick Clegg, whose eloquence and calmness intrigued me and piqued my interest in the moderate course. I had decided before the general election that I was going to join after my exams and I was distraught when I realised I would never be following Nick.

I wanted to follow Nick because he was genuine, he could be funny, and he was gracious. I could also tell he was a very smart man who understood his party’s policies and was dedicated to the principles of liberalism. From watching Tim on ‘Question Time’, I could tell he was genuine, funny and gracious, possibly more so than Nick. What I was worried about was the second part of what I admired in Nick.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 96 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Peter Martin
    Gerard, Sarah Olney may well be a "practising Roman Catholic " but do we know this was her sole reason for opposing the Assisted Dying Bill? There's usually...
  • Gerard
    Sarah Olney placed her own personal religious beliefs over the potential needs of her constituents today. I refer of course to the Assisted Dying Bill. Needless...
  • David Raw
    @ Jack I'm afraid you fail to accept it was a free vote on a non party issue and was a matter of personal conscience, Jack. No less than fifteen Liberal Democ...
  • David Raw
    @ Jack. It was a perfectly reasonable question, Jack, and I’m afraid you haven’t answered it....
  • George Thomas
    It follows the position of what I believe is a majority of UK population of supporting Israel but being against these unlawful settlements. Maybe not brave in t...