David Steel has written in the Guardian about why he backed Tim Farron and what he thinks he’ll bring to the party:
That level of deep commitment which Farron obviously has, combined with his organisational skills and northern public persona, has all the ingredients of a successful leadership. I speak as one who sat in a gloomy Commons party of six after the 1970 election debacle, three of us clinging to majorities under 1000. It took time, but we turned that round, and went on both to increase our numbers and form the significant Alliance with the SDP and eventually the new united party, which at elections under Paddy Ashdown, Charles Kennedy and Clegg reached new heights of public support. The same can happen again.
A colleague said to me during this contest: “But isn’t Farron a bit risky?” I responded that that may be so, but what the party needs at this time is a risk-taker, not afraid to revisit more traditional Liberal policies – on Trident, on Europe, on industrial democracy, on land value taxation, on the pursuit of a more just society, and on the need for a federal constitution including a new upper house.
It will be a long and at times painful journey, but with Tim Farron inspiring and leading it I see grounds for real hope and optimism.
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2 Comments
When Paddy Ashdown was elected leader Judy Steel wrote a full page advice to Jane Ashdown, commenting. for instance, on photographers.
Will that happen again? or will someone else do it?
Tim has spoken out on Trident and Europe I hope he will take David Steel’s advice and add Industrial Democracy,
profit sharing and employee ownership to his list. These were the signature policies of the Grimond revival. We desperately need these radical policies updating to make them fresh and relevant to C 21st