From a Party news release:
Liberal Democrat MP for Cheltenham, Martin Horwood has been appointed as the Chair of the Liberal Democrat 2013 Local Election Campaign.
Commenting, Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg said:
I am delighted that Martin will be heading our 2013 local election campaign.
With Martin’s wealth of local government and campaigning experience, I know he will do an excellent job.
I look forward to working with him to deliver the results our hard-working councillors and activists deserve.
Commenting further, Martin Horwood said:
I’m honoured and a little daunted to be asked to take on this role. It’s no secret that we have taken some hits at local level since the Coalition began.
I know from my own experience in Cheltenham – and from colleagues across the country – that where we fight with confidence and determination, we can win.
I want May 2013 to be a turning point.
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8 Comments
Interesting.
Did anyone ‘chair’ the 2011 and 2012 campaigns?
32 weeks to go……..some of us started work for 2013 ages ago.
@Tony Dawson
Andrew Stunell had been the chair of the local election campaign for some years.
Good choice. We could all do with knowing what the secret of Cheltenham’s success is (and I suspect it’s a bit more than fighting with confidence and determination – there’s been plenty of that in stuff I’ve been involved in and we still get wiped out!)
Genuine question (and not intended as a comment on either Andrew or Martin) but what does the Chair of the local election campaign actually do?
There is usually a “local election manifesto launch” which I never found of much relevant when running local campaigns – and is a bit ironic for a party of devolution and local decision making.
I voted for Martin Horwood and will do so again, if I can. He speaks well. I have only sent him a couple of emails over the last two years: shame both were unacknowledged.
@Hywel:
“what what does the Chair of the local election campaign actually do?”
That was the point of my original question. Having been part of a winning local campaign team during this time, I did not see anything much co-ordinated centrally to either ‘incorporate’ or ‘reject’ in/from our local plans.
Good choice, MH impresses as an LD MP who who actually speaks well*. The LD MPs have a boffinish tendency to know their briefs but to get knocked about by rough interviewers and panellists from other parties, so important to put good communicators in the shop front. Important to accept that even with good communication, results may be disappointing given the prevailing media climate, so good luck to Martin and a fair wind in his sails, but no blame if the boat doesn’t make harbour.
*Impressions of the Conference – from what I saw on TV:
Jo Swinson is, as always, a good speaker. I really appreciated her speech about how important it is to harness the talents of all our people in hard economic times (not just pale able-bodied men from posh schools) and particularly appreciated her statement of the concrete steps she will undertake as a Minister. (Confession. I also appreciated the recent reminder of some of Theresa May’s actions towards further equality in the workplace for women, can’t remember exactly what, nor the exact source. She has a tendency as a Conservative Home Secretary to set my teeth on edge, but good to hear of actual progress by the government, nevertheless.)
Lorely Burt, outstanding when she gave that BBC journotwerp a thick ear, “stick that in yer ball box,” when pointing out the party’s unity behind Nick Clegg. She always leaves the impression of being up for the fight, when some of the men sound a bit drippy sometimes. Just another instance.
Tessa Munt, idem ditto. She always sound rather posh, so it’s always delightful to hear her give some hapless journo two barrels of the demotic.
Three cheers for the “Lady Dems”. Basically.