We wanted to honour those Liberal Democrats that our readers felt were true stars of 2013. We sought out nominations and now have a rather impressive list that we’ve been publishing in instalments during this week. Here is the penultimate part. Their names come with the comments made about the contribution they have made. Some are parliamentarians, some are councillors, most are grassroots activists. Let’s celebrate them and the many others who are fighting for Liberal Democrat values and victory. These are our Liberal Democrat stars of 2013.
You can read part 1 here, part 2 here part 3 here and part 4 here.
Dave Page
First of all, his blog, Jazz Hands, Serious Businesss always has sensible comments to make on the issues of the day and on internal party stuff. He has also developed LGBT+’s online presence, including making it possible to join online. He’s led the way in developing good practice which other S/AOs can learn from. He and others, most notably Holly Matthies have travelled the length and breadth of the country to make sure there’s an LGBT+ presence at state and regional conferences. It was fabulous to see them in Dundee in March. Also, while many of us were whinging on social media about a horrendous conference motion on tackling internet pornography and its just-as-bad amendment, he took our concerns and made them into a snazzy leaflet for the #talknottech campaign, all from his Glasgow hotel room.
Austin Rathe
for turning the Liberal Democrats into a growing party through his belief that it was possible and enacting massive changes to the party’s procedures to put membership back on local parties’ rada
Willie Rennie MSP
For carving out a distinctive voice for the party in Scotland and for his tireless enthusiasm north of the border
Jezz Palmer
the Lib Dem activist from Winchester who got up at the Lib Dem conference to speak bravely, passionately and intelligently against flawed auto-filtering designed to protect kids from seeing online pornography. There is no way you can stop children from seeing pornography: restricting magazines on the top-shelf didn’t do it, and nor will filtering – all it will do is offer parents false confidence that they’ve sorted the problem. Speaker after speaker got up to point out the flaws in the motion and to urge its rejection, but the stand-out speech was from Jezz – I named her that week’s Liberal Hero – for urging parents and carers to talk to kids, not at them.
Lord Roger Roberts
who has stood up for many unpopular but Liberal causes both behind the scenes, and in the questions he inundates ministers with.
Shaun Roberts
A campaigner who knows how to win seats
Naomi Smith
For work as co-chair of the Social Liberal Forum