It ended up being buried by this week’s news from Scotland and the Royal Baby – but the Lib Dem pre-manifesto was launched this week. You can read Stephen Tall’s initial take on it here and watch Nick Clegg hail it as “a manifesto for the next generation” in this video:
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Nick Clegg is at his best when he outlines his vision for liberalism. However, sometimes I worry about his tendency to go down radical populist paths. People shouldn’t just pander to the public, but public concerns shouldn’t be ignored either.
Regards.
The next generation? So he doesn’t expect Lds to be anywhere near government for 30 years?
This was the manifesto launch that was delayed because the international situation was such that the Manifesto would not get much coverage in the media.
So it was delayed but still it got very little coverage in the media..
LDV tells us this was down to the possibility of a Royal baby and “news from Scotland’.
Could a more rational explanation be that it was not newsworthy because there are no big ideas, nothing much radical or distinctively Liberal and it had mostly been announced already?
And why would the media be that interested in a party with the opinion poll ratings as bad as ours have been for the last couple of years? The Green Party suffered a media blackout of their conference. The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition TUSC has not had much coverage either.
Nick Clegg’s leadership has reduced us to fringe party status, smashed in every local election every May, lost deposits in so many parliamentary byelections the media have lost count, with one where our candidates in 8th place, smashed in the EP elections losing all but one of our MEPs.
I am no defender of the media but this time they may have a point.
Since the Party will be competing for 5th or 6th place in most constituencies in May – here is the current lead policy of our main rival – for comparison purposes:
We propose, in order to keep everyone happy, Scotland will be independent, every other year. Simple, Easy, Effective
http://www.omrlp.com/