LibLink | David Laws: The Lib Dems must serve not as the government’s brake, but as its engine

Over at the Guardian, Yeovil MP David Laws sets out his hopes for how the Coalition will be remembered by 2015 — as a movement for fixing the economy and promoting economic change with the Lib Dems in the vanguard of both. Here’s an excerpt:

We must use our precious years in government constructively, to reshape Britain – to sort out the economic mess, tackle Britain’s unfair and broken society, and clean up our environment. Securing growth and reducing bloated borrowing remain top priorities. We helped create “Plan A”, and we will stick with it. Now is not the time for Plan B, C or D – an alphabet soup of muddle. But when we say we will stick with our plans, this doesn’t mean sitting around drinking tea for four years, hoping for things to get better. …

Economic recovery is not the only priority. The coalition will have failed unless we can show progress on social recovery, too. It is intolerable that Britain remains a society of such unequal opportunity. Lib Dems have a duty to transform our schools, colleges and early years. We must continue to lead the policy agenda in this area, and contribute positively to the other crucial agendas of welfare reform, pensions and the environment.

We have weathered the storms of the past 12 months. Let us be champions of this coalition, not merely its apologists. When this parliament is complete, I want to know that we used every moment to deliver a fairer, freer Britain. Our opportunity is not as this government’s brake, but as its engine.

You can read David’s article in full here.

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