Author Archives: Tom Paul

Tom Paul

Opinion: Liberal Democrats should stop using the word ‘progressive’

By Tom Paul | Wed 12th January 2011 - 2:18 pm

The decline of Labour as a coherent intellectual force is one of the defining features of recent British politics. No doubt the next few years will see a healthy process within Labour to seek to heal the wounds and to re-focus. I suggest that under the banner of ‘progressivism’ this process has started.

2010 saw commentators for the first time in the UK judging political propositions on the basis of whether they are ‘progressive’ or not. Ed Miliband’s own analysis is that in government Labour “…lost that sense of progressive mission.” But what on earth does progressive mean? What kind of …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 31 Comments
Tom Paul

Opinion: Do the media now ‘get’ Liberal Democrat conference?

By Tom Paul | Wed 22nd September 2010 - 4:31 pm

Recent years have seen a consistent stream of conference reports on ‘splits’ within the party. With Coalition, and more interest in the party than ever before, has the media finally learned how to read our public disagreements? Do the media now ‘get’ conference?

Whilst Labour and Tory conferences are stage-managed affairs, with policy arguments taking place behind closed doors, the liberal approach is to discuss and debate in the open. The way Liberal Democrats make policy – and the power we members have to shape our movement – is reflective our commitment both to transparency and to democracy.

But public debates …

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Posted in Conference and Op-eds | Tagged | 12 Comments
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  • Ruth Bright
    David you have got to write about some of these things. Can you do a pamphlet? Or am I showing my age here? Maybe a podcast 💛...
  • David Evans
    ... and in addition. Sorry David (Raw). It is all far too late now to stop it. It's too late even for us to make a noticeable national protest about it, so...
  • David Evans
    Hi Steve, Nah, Just one consistent purpose - Labour party advantage. David...
  • Sandy Walkington
    Man is born free and everywhere s/he is in chains… Michal you are an outstanding mayor, proud to have you as my first citizen....
  • Jana
    “ There is no offence of using the wrong lavatory and there never has been” This is correct - an offence would only be committed if there were some malicio...