Going to Conference? then please Take a Cheque for Tim.
We need to wake up to the fact that if we don’t start funding the Party now, right this minute, then Tim and our colleagues are going to be working on the fightback as if with one hand tied behind their backs. Take a cheque (your own or a Local Party cheque, a cheque from a wealthy donor if you know one…., any cheque will do) to conference and we can make a big statement of our intent to make sure Tim has the funds he needs. I plan to take a small cheque to Tim and I hope and that you will too.
When Tim spoke on his election as our leader he was clear that, amongst other things, he would be asking us for our money. We all know that if we are to be able to compete with the other big spenders then we have to find a great deal of money from somewhere and without it we will struggle to get our liberal message across. We also know that we don’t have the support of big business, Trade Unions nor to my knowledge, a gaggle (or whatever the collective noun should be) of eccentric millionaires waiting to give us a million or two at the drop of a hat! That along with the Labour and Conservative Parties ensuring that any talk of ‘Fair Funding’ of elections is not acceptable as it would be to their detriment, that route will not lead to a level financial playing field.
So that is where you and I come in. Locally I often have been heard to say “If we don’t fund the Party who will?” and that is why I am taking this opportunity to point out what you already know. We members and supporters need to fund our campaigns more than ever before. Your help has never been more needed or so important so please help if you can. Don’t break the bank but take a cheque or, if you are a very model of a modern person for whom a cheque book is consigned to history, make a donation on the website, thrust a Twenty into a collection bucket but however you do it, make a donation to Tim in any way you can and ensure that he leaves Conference with a lot more money with which to fund the fightback we elected him to deliver.
* David Garlick is a member of the Liberal Democats in Northampton. He is a previous local party officer and councillor.
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10 Comments
Already miffed enough at the suggestion that were all so dripping with spare cash that we can afford conference tickets, accommodation and travel, but to suggest we start paying even more of our “spare money” to the party is further alienating! This isn’t the 50s Liberal party that was a home for alienated moderate (and rich) Tories, but this is a party with a strong base in the poor, and the “squeezed middle” that oft used to be mentioned. My own pay packet has been frozen for seven years now. I’m sure that’s the case for many.
The real calls should be for those who couldn’t dream of affording a trip to conference to be able to vote on policies electronically. Make the speeches available and let those of us who can’t afford to be there physically have our say too!
Yellow buckets. Yellow buckets at every event.
I’ve made the joke twice at local party meetings and they’ve not got the message yet. 🙂
What a cheek. Why aren’t the MP’s turning up for debates in Parliament. Tim Farron couldn’t be bothered to turn up for Fridays debate and is now being mocked by other MP’s. Clegg is off on his speaking tours earning himself a little nest egg
Surely, no taxation without representation! Stephen (above) is spot on. As is Phil about our invisible MPs, to be honest.
Phil Thomas
Why would it be important for Liberal Democrat MPs to attend meaningless debates in the the Westminster Bubble?
Which speaking tour is Clegg on ? How much has he earned?
I am no defender of Clegg but my guess is that he does not like turning up in The House of Commons because he is suffering from the political equivalent “the bends”. Having spent 5 years as a very, very important person he is now merely the backbench member for Hallam. No surprise then that he does not want to the 30 minute tube journey from Putney to Westminster on the District Line when he has spent the last 5 years being chauffeur-driven in the DPM ‘s limousine. Clegg was born into a rich family, the idea that he has to go on a speaking tour to earn some extra cash is preposterous.
Who has cheque books these days for goodress sake. Most retailers stopped taking the years ago. Even I at 60+ expect to make payments via my phone. A small but symbolic example of how far party thinking is behind most other organisations
Phil Thomas…………zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
John Tilley
But MPs are paid to be at Parliament defending the interests of their constituents aren’t they? Or is it the rule that the far flung ones head back to their constituencies for a long weekend? I’m just not seeing much of what Tim and the other Lib Dems MPs are doing. Perhaps they could write a ” a week in the life of … Tim Farron’ type articles for LDV.
Nick Clegg is certainly putting his energy into constituency work. I suspect the “speaking tour” story was made up as usual.
‘Take a Cheque for Tim’ was never intended to be interpreted as a literal ‘Cheque’ but ‘donate on line or over the phone for Tim’ etc did not have the same ring to it! The ‘only do what you can’ message seems to have been ignored/missed. I am suggesting that we who can, do give a little more. Nothing else. I don’t have lots of money. I gave what was right for me. Hopefully others will too.
Closing in on 70 so well into all electronic forms of payment……….
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz o