10 Comments

• Richard Huzzey 27th Dec '10 - 9:54am

  Great news to have Mark V writing, especially on this topic. This sort of column would be invaluable to helping disaffected supporters and members feel that they were part of a process rather than the victims of it — and even more so if it prompts new ways of enaging with them, as Mark P suggested in a recent post.

• Grant Williams 27th Dec '10 - 11:42am

  Mark V is definitely a “good egg” – looking forward to some sensible Glasnost 🙂

• Nick (not Clegg) 27th Dec '10 - 1:56pm

  Given the repeated press speculation that some in the Tory Party are advocating a continuance of the coalition into and beyond the next general election with some kind of electoral pact for that election, please can we have some discussion on that: preferably a clear statement from the party leadership to the effect that it ain’t gonna happen?

• Mike(The Labour one) 27th Dec '10 - 2:00pm

  If the Lib Dems do provide a ‘clear statement’ that they won’t have an electoral pact I’d start stocking up on blue ribbons. Lib Dems say what they think people want to hear and then do what they want regardless.

  Can you get a statement clearer than ‘I pledge to vote against any increase in fees’? A statement clearer than ‘We think that merrily slashing now is an act of economic masochism. If anyone had to rely on our support, and we were involved in government, of course we would say no’?

• Ecojon 27th Dec '10 - 2:38pm

  I’ve actually posted on ‘The Liberal Democrat Challenges for 2011: recap’ which I now think should actually have been posted here but I won’t repost in case I fall foul of the dreaded mod 🙂

  But you may care to have a look as it appears that plans are well under way to extend the coalition in policy areas as far as Letwin states and he should be in a position to know.

  I’ll post the link to his comments which I think should be OK: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/dec/22/conservative-lib-dem-policy-drive

  Another very interesting blog can be found at: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/2010/12/09/do-turkeys-vote-for-christmas-yes-when-it-comes-to-liberal-democrat-mps-and-the-boundary-review-for-westminster-constituencies-nick-clegg%E2%80%99s-party-will-lose-a-fifth-of-all-its-mps/

  If the stats are in any way accurate then it could be, if the AV referendum is lost, that the other bit of the hastily cobbled-together Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill could be very toxic for the LibDems in electoral terms.

• Dara 27th Dec '10 - 7:51pm

  Mark – I have a topic I’d be interested in your views on; it is a subject that the Lib Dems have not really said much on and it is one that other parties have found somewhat divisive.

  Do you think that there is anything in the argument that a generation of people – commonly known as the baby boomers (an imperfect description, but the only one I have) – have had a very cosseted lifestyle that will need to be paid for by future generations?

  I would like to be clear – I make no value judgment on individuals here. I would however be interested in a Lib Dem perspective on the wider debate.

• Mark Valladares 27th Dec '10 - 9:02pm

  Hi All,

  Firstly, thank you for those welcoming comments. My hope is to provide a route map for those who want to take part in the debate about the Party’s future direction, and to report on some of the more ‘obscure’ areas of party activity. And for those who want to be candidates, I’ll try to provide some guidance as to what to do, and when.

  For Nick, Mike and EcoJon, you might be disappointed if you’re hoping that my column can provide a definitive answer on a question of Party strategy. None of the key players on Lib Dem Voice have that sort of authority, although my new colleagues will doubtless cover anything that emerges.

  And for Dara, it’s certainly an interesting topic. But again, not really the aim of my column. If I’m tempted to respond, it’ll be through my own blog…

• Ecojon 27th Dec '10 - 9:40pm

  Mark – I very much doubt that there will be any definitive answers on key party strategy for a while as there is such flux at the moment from the maoist perpetual revolution that is underway 🙂

  When In the sea of the people swim like a fish or tap-dance like Vince

• paul barker 27th Dec '10 - 11:21pm

  Nick, Mike, Ecojon. Theres no discussion of ideas like Merger or joint candidates because no one is interested except some eccentric Tories & a few “Journalists” looking for imaginary scoops.
  The Letwin article Ecojon refers to makes it quite clear the Two Coalition Parties will fight the next Election seperately but, hopefully with a bit more mutual respect.

• Robert Wootton 29th Dec '10 - 8:38pm

  I hope Mark Valladares will research the use of science and technology to dismantle bureaucracy and design a political system that has liberty, fairness and justice as its output. A Liberty Machine,
  It is clear that our three hundred + yearsold bureaucracy produces extremes of poverty and wealth as its output and cannot possibly cope with the fast moving conditions of the 21st century.