Category Archives: Party Presidency

Liberal Democrat Voice has offered each of the three candidates for the post of Party President three platforms pieces on LDV during the contest to make their case to party members. How they choose to use these platforms is entirely up to them. Today it’s Lembit Öpik’s turn.

It’s intriguing to stand in an all member ballot. I’m grateful for the very large number of people supporting my campaign, apparently thanks to the work I’ve done countrywide across the last 17 years as an activist, trainer, public speaker and MP.

Then there are those people who appear to devote their time attacking the various candidates! They seem to forget that actually we’re all meant to be in the same Party, attempting to create a country which doesn’t enslave people through prejudice or conformity. So the negativity is up to them. But for me, this Party – and my Presidency – is about the politics of positive campaigning.

I’ve always been clear about my ambition for the Presidency. In 2001 I said I’d stand. In 2004 I did stand, coming second to Simon Hughes. I backed his Presidency and said I’d stand again in 2008. I’m keeping that promise now.

Nobody has more experience to be President. I’ve been on the Executive – the committee the President chairs – for 17 years. No candidate has spent longer travelling the country supporting the Party. My Vauxhall Cavalier has 381,000 miles on the clock – not because I like driving, but because that’s what it takes when you spend week in, week out, every year, supporting local groups and branches, just doing the hard graft. I hope I’ve inspired local activists, and helped motivate local parties to aim higher and bolder.

Nobody is better placed to take over the Presidency when Simon finishes. As Senior Federal Vice President and Deputy Chair of the Executive, I already run the committee when the current President is unavailable. I’ve been on all the major committees, apart from Federal Conference Committee. I’ve been on the inside of the structures and I know how this Party runs.

I’ve also got a national profile. Does this matter? I think so. We need to reach out beyond those who already know us. I do that, and I believe that this has been helpful in putting the Party on the map.

And I’ve got a political narrative for the job: to ensure the Lib Dems are organised and robust enough internally to make it to Government. My Presidency is not about policy making; that’s the Leader’s job. I’m about acting as Chief Engineer – to make sure the internal party structures work well, so we’re capable of making the journeys the Leader envisages. Specifically, I’ll increase the membership by May 2010, create faster policy making processes, represent members’ views to the leadership, and create a Party with the skills to promote our politics in “primary colours” – by which I mean clear, bold easy to understand messages. That way, everyone will know exactly what we stand for.