Author Archives: Ricky Treadwell

As a committed Liberal Democrat, I was disappointed by our recent “Buy British” video. It sends the wrong message about who we are—and worse, it risks alienating the very voters we need to attract.

In this article, I want to explain why the video undermines our liberal values, explore the political motivations I fear may lie behind it, and argue that it hurts us more than it helps.

Animal welfare or economic nationalism?

Our last manifesto mentions animal welfare five times. It promises an Animal Welfare Bill, a ban on selling animal products produced to lower standards than those allowed in the UK, and a commitment to meet or exceed the EU’s stricter rules on antibiotics in farming.

But what are these policies really for? Are they motivated by genuine concern for animal suffering—or are they more about shielding UK farmers from cheaper competition abroad?

When Ed Davey encourages people to “buy British” even when it means buying factory-farmed meat, it starts to feel like the latter. So who are we making policy for? The country as a whole—or the older rural communities that currently vote for us?

Environmentalism isn’t about borders

Look at our stated values. Under the “Liberal Democrat Values” section of our website, we call ourselves environmentalists. We commit to “environmentally sustainable means of production and consumption.”

But when it comes to food, it’s what we eat — not where it was made — that has the biggest environmental impact. Our World in Data makes this point clearly.

I’m not saying we should tell people they have to be vegan. But if we’re going to start recommending foods, those recommendations should align with our environmental values. Otherwise, we risk appearing tone-deaf — especially to younger environmentalist members and voters.

Are we serious about tackling climate change and inspiring the next generation, or are we focused on keeping favour with older, rural voters? It’s a fair question — one that also applies to the debate around the so-called “family farm tax.”

A proudly internationalist party — so why the protectionist message?

Here’s another quote from our values statement:

“Liberal Democrats are proud internationalists. We believe that our country and our people thrive when we are open and outward-looking.”

Why, then, are we adopting the anti-globalist, Trump-style rhetoric of the “Buy British” campaign?