Since 10pm on election night I have been in utter despair. I joined the party five years ago at the age of 10 and I was told that the Lib Dems would never be in Government. I was overjoyed when Nick Clegg walked into Downing Street in 2010. By contrast, I was in tears when Nick resigned. Since then I have been thinking about how the party can learn from mistakes and move on.
My starting point is what Nick said in his resignation speech, ‘Fear and grievance have won, and liberalism has lost.’ The first thing the party has to do is to rehabilitate the concept of liberalism because it has been stolen by parties of other persuasions. This can only be done by defining our core voter base. Our liberalism was not differentiated from the politics of austerity and the scare tactics of the Tories. The Tories evoked a Hobbesian scenario which seems to have worked. Nick is absolutely right in saying that liberalism is not faring well against the politics of fear.
Liberalism is strongly linked to democracy which Tories have no clue about. They are about to redraw the boundaries which will wipe away 25 seats from Labour. Only liberalism can act as an antidote to the harsh policies that the Tories will introduce in the next five years.
So we need to consider where our inspiration for liberalism will come from. I know that there are lots of theories about liberalism but for me I believe we need to be a voice for those who engage in protest politics. Those who campaigned for disability rights, the bedroom tax, food banks and public sector cuts need support. For the last five years the party’s official line has been that it was ‘grown up’ politics to support the austerity cuts. People on the left, like Social Liberal Forum, were side lined. Where then was the party’s link with its motto, “Liberty, Equality and Community”? I am not suggesting that we take to the streets. I am not suggesting that we become a party of protest again. I am suggesting that protest politics is ‘grown up’ politics too. These hundred and thousands of people are actually practising their democracy through protest and we need to tap into that. A people-based narrative of liberalism will be a powerful weapon to bludgeon Cameron with.
At the next election I will finally be able to vote. Many people have told me that I am wasting my child hood on a party that’s going nowhere. I even received texts post election ridiculing my party membership. I want to spend the next five years helping to rebuild the party in a way which reflects the reality of people’s hardships.
* Maelo Manning is a 15 year old Lib Dem member. She blogs as Lib Dem Child.
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22 Comments
Maelo – sorry to use you as an agony aunt but I have an eight year-old who adored the election and I truly do not know what to do with his enthusiasm (especially as a politically burnt-out 48 year-old). Please advise.
Hi Maelo: wonderful to hear about your political drive, enthusiasm and thinking. Do not be overtly worried and do dry your tears. The world changes remarkably quickly and when you are down the only way is up. It will change again, I have experienced this situation twice in my lifetime and when 12 can just recall 1955. People said the party was dead and just will not lie down. Yet 2 years later they won a by election in Torrington and started a slow march back. So cheer up and follow your thinking and analysis. Roll on votes at 16, then you can mark your cross next year.
Thank you Maelo – great read!!!!!
Great post! Farsighted idealists the world over have to get used to getting kicked in the teeth while the rest of the population pays catch up …
A great post which reflects the new political mood, as the new reality dawns. I joined after the 1992 election, for similar reason to many of those joining now. We are much better equipped in 2015 to work with and inspire those who like us will be opposing Tory attacks on human rights, the most vulnerable in society and European co-operation to name three things at random.
That is where I slightly disagree – we should mourn the losses, but that is not a need in itself to despair.
Maelo – I wish I had possessed your wisdom and insight when I was 15!
“Where then was the party’s link with its motto, ‘Liberty, Equality and Community’? Quite right – and it needs to be reinstated on our website and our new members literature ASAP.
Great post 🙂 Thank you!
“I am suggesting that protest politics is ‘grown up’ politics too.”
Hell yeah 🙂 Maelo. One thing I’ve always remembered about my councillor training from party people is the importance of ALWAYS being a protest party, ESPECIALLY when you’re in power. You’re not there to make life comfortable for the council chief exec (or the cabinet secretary, or whoever) and keep things ticking along as is. You’re there to listen to the protests of the people you represent – and want to represent in future – and to demand that things are improved.
Maelo: “I joined the party five years ago at the age of 10 and I was told that the Lib Dems would never be in Government.”
When I was 30 years of age, I was told that I was an idiot to support Blackpool Football Club. I was told they’ll never be in the Premiership. But for a year, Blackpool played up there with Arsenal and Chelsea and Man U.
My club went down a division and has been descending ever since. As an armchair fan, there is nothing that I can do about Blackpool’s descent.
But if you are an armchair liberal, you can help stop the descent.
Maelo:
From the other end of the age spectrum, I share your despair, however most expressions of optimism as a result of a catastrophic election result seem to me to invoke a scorched earth which I find singularly unhelpful. I am glad you preface your “protest politics is ‘grown up’ politics too” with “I am not suggesting that we become a party of protest again” because there is a real danger that we could become an alternative Green party, lacking a consistent narrative. Unfortunately, participation in government has undermined our narrative, we have to recognise that practical experience nearly always does have this effect, however one reaction was to emphasise a form of centrism that seemed to detach ourselves from our Liberal roots.
Let me applaud a couple of phrases:
The first thing the party has to do is to rehabilitate the concept of liberalism
and
Many people have told me that I am wasting my child hood on a party that’s going nowhere. I even received texts post election ridiculing my party membership. I want to spend the next five years helping to rebuild the party in a way which reflects the reality of people’s hardships
Contrary to the assertions of countless cynical naysayers, no one joins our party in the expectation of high office. That the likes of Vince Cable, Norman Lamb, Ed Davey Nick Clegg, Steve Webb and others acquitted themselves ably as ministers is greatly to their credit, when clearly if their primary objective had been high office they would have sought preferment within the Labour or Conservative parties. You are following in their footpath: the road is not smooth and you cannot know the destination, but you do know why you are taking this path. I wish you well. I recall a Lib Dem campaigner, a girl of similar age as yourself , who was thrilled to meet Nick Clegg a couple of weeks ago. She too will be devastated, but I hope that she and others like her may be inspired by your writing: you are the future.
If I may take issue with you on one point: we have no copyright on Liberalism; we should encourage manifestations of Liberalism in other parties. After all we do live, more or less in a Liberal democracy, to this extent Liberalism has been successful and expropriated by others.
There are, however, grave threats to Liberalism that are, I believe, endemic in dominant sectors of all other major UK parties. This is why you are completely right to reassert, even rediscover the principles of Liberalism that can sustain our party.
.
Philip writes, “Hell yeah 🙂 Maelo. One thing I’ve always remembered about my councillor training from party people is the importance of ALWAYS being a protest party, ESPECIALLY when you’re in power. You’re not there to make life comfortable for the council chief exec (or the cabinet secretary, or whoever) and keep things ticking along as is. You’re there to listen to the protests of the people you represent – and want to represent in future – and to demand that things are improved.”
If only you had been a SpAd for the last 5 years – You have the secret of Liberal politics in 56 words! [don’t bother to count, I guessed 😉 ]
I think that people were scared of Labour/SNP so much that they voted conservative. I wasn’t alive in 1992 but this election sounds like a carbon copy. And we all know what happened to the Tories after that election.
Dylan: “I wasn’t alive in 1992 but this election sounds like a carbon copy”
No. John Major is a decent human being. David Cameron incorrectly thinks he ought to be one.
Excellent.
Music to my ears.
An example to all those who want to rebuild the party. Jo Grimond used to say – “There is so much to protest about!”
“….So we need to consider where our inspiration for liberalism will come from.
… I believe we need to be a voice for those who engage in protest politics. Those who campaigned for disability rights, the bedroom tax, food banks and public sector cuts need support.
Where then was the party’s link with its motto, “Liberty, Equality and Community”?
I am suggesting that protest politics is ‘grown up’ politics too.
These hundreds and thousands of people are actually practising their democracy through protest and we need to tap into that.
A people-based narrative of liberalism will be a powerful weapon to bludgeon Cameron with.”
Excellent stuff!
I was at a Libdem party/wake yesterday & lots of people said they had cried after Nicks speech, my daughter cried & shes 25. I am not sure if it has really hit me yet.
Of course we must always be a Party of Opposition but Protest has 2 big dangers – that one drifts into self-indulgence like the “occupy” movement or worse, that anger curdles into hate. Ive done a lot of hating in my time in Politics & I regret it all.
A HUGE thank you to everyone who has left lovely comments. I apologise for replying so late in the day. I am sitting GCSEs and it’s been a tough day.
Ruth – I am excited by your eight year old’s interest in politics. My mother always took me to demonstrations and public rallies and Lib Dem conferences which is what generated my interest. Please email me at [email protected] because I would love to help.
Theakes – I take comfort from your words that the only way is up and your own experience.
Bill le Breton – I am thrilled to receive your approval.
Nicola Wilson – you are so right.
Gareth – Yes, we are better equipped in 2015 and I will try and stop despairing.
Stephen- the motto ought to be readvertised as you suggest. It has been forgotten.
Phil – I love your comment about “the importance of ALWAYS being a protest party, ESPECIALLY when you’re in power. ” I think the party in coalition didn’t do that.
Phil Beesley- I loved your analogy with football and the comment about ‘armchair liberals’. David Cameron is a Bullingdon privileged buffoon whose members burnt £50 notes in front of homeless people as an initiation process.
Martin – “There are, however, grave threats to Liberalism that are, I believe, endemic in dominant sectors of all other major UK parties” is what worries me. Liberalism is being turned into a self-serving party political interest which I hate.
Dylan – I really hope that your prediction comes true.
John Tilley – “Jo Grimond used to say – “There is so much to protest about!”” I didn’t know he said that. Wow! Thank you for telling me.
Paul Barker – I don’t know if this is the right thing to say but I take comfort from knowing that others cried too. I was active at Occupy and it inspired me to think about ‘protest’ politics and the power for change. I do take your two points also.
Thank you 🙂
Maelo
Wonderful post. Wish we could collect together all such youthful enthusiasts – to grill all potential party leaders at every level – and give us the feed-back. It will not happen in reality but could be done online – and woe betide those elected who don’t keep promises. Do write more for us, Maelo.
A wonderful post Mealo, very positive . I joined the Liberals strait after I left School in 1977, not the best time for us then. It is never easy for us, like others have said you would not have joined us if you wanted higher office only. Being a Liberal is not just the politics, its something that’s in side you. Enjoy your politics have fun, but all I say do others things as well.
Thanks so much Maelo – good luck with the exams (though I’m sure you won’t need it). See you in Bournemouth?
thanks for sharing your thoughts Maelo. Incisive and thoughtful as ever.
first of all. allow yourelf to cry, even scream, and grieving is a natural and important part of healing. You have lost your MP, lost your dream.
But then it is the time to build, not bounce. you are absolutely right that we need to rebuild Liberalism into our ideas, actions, policies and everything we do, including how we are governed. A party of protest where needed – and the need is certainly going to increase rapidly with the unbridled tory government. we build alliances where we have common ground, we partake constructively in ways of achieving change, but we belong to nobody else but our communities and each other.
When I have recovered I am picking up the asylum issues and using whatever means we can, and with whoever we can, am determined to do what I, and we as a party through Liberal Democrats for Seekers of Sanctuary, can to ensure that those most vulnerable in our society, those seeking sancutary, are given the understanding. respect and justice that they deserve, and should have in liberal society.
You and your generation are our hope and inspiration for the future – but it is up to us oldies to keep things going on hte right track for you to come along with us and then after us.
Hey Suzanne, thank you too for your posts on facebook etc. You are always ahead of me with your ‘shotgun’ of information. [I also post on Barnet LGBT in North London].
Hi Tony, thanks, cannot find you on fb – can you inbox me, or request friend ?
Maelo, I cried too. There’s been much in the news about VE Day recently so just keep on remembering this is our Dunkirk.