Tag Archives: engagement

Caron Lindsay

Josh Babarinde asks The Question in Parliament

By Caron Lindsay | Mon 17th November 2025 - 7:31 pm

Every week Lib Dem MPs ask questions in Parliament, aiming to hold the Government to account.

But last week proved to be busier than usual for newly elected President Josh Babarinde.

He asked The Question of his partner Connor in the House of Commons chamber, with the permission of the Speaker and the help of fellow MP Jess Brown-Fuller. And our Earl Russell was on hand to take these beautiful photos.

We think Josh is the first MP to actually propose in the Chamber itself, though photos of that private moment can’t be published.

How cute is this?

Josh said on Twitter:

Last Thursday, I asked a very special question in Commons after official business had finished for the day – not to the Prime Minister, but to my partner Connor (on his birthday!)

…and his answer was YES! 🤩

We marked it with a photo just outside the chamber afterwards.

🙏Thank you to Mr Speaker
@CommonsSpeaker, his team, the Sergeant-at-arms, the doorkeepers, events team and all those who helped make this surprise happen.

And a huge thanks to one of my top pals, @JessBrownFuller, for being my wingwoman in helping me plan this and pull this off over the last few weeks and months!

Connor and I couldn’t be happier and we will never forget it 🙏

📸: Lib Dem member of the House of Lords (and pro photographer)
@EarlRussellLD – thank you John!

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Posted in News | Also tagged , and | 1 Comment
Michal Siewniak

Ways To Successful Residents’ Engagement

By Michal Siewniak | Sun 26th June 2022 - 2:46 pm

I remember when I was first elected as a Councillor in 2014, I used to attend our monthly Councillor Surgeries. Although most of the time, they were not well attended, I often found it useful as it gave me an opportunity to talk to my fellow Councillors and discuss many issues, which needed to be addressed.

So much has changed since 2014. It almost feels like we are living in a very different world. We had (and still have!) Brexit, the health pandemic with often no social interaction, and more recently the war in Ukraine. More importantly in this context, the whole digital world has progressed at an incredibly fast pace.

Although many Councillors decided to “ditch” their Surgeries, when I was elected in May 2022, I was really keen to ensure that the dialogue with residents continuously grows. It was clear to me that we can’t only rely on virtual reality. My role as a Councillor, first and foremost, is to be accessible and visible to my community. Equally, I wondered what would be the best and most effective way to ensure effective communication with residents. The “old days” of waiting for people to turn up to a Surgery are long gone. We all have busy lives and therefore elected representatives need to be a lot wiser regarding residents’ engagement. Yes, it is so easy today to pick up a phone, email, or even get in touch via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, however nothing, in my view, will ever replace real human interaction.

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Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged and | 2 Comments
David Hopps

In protecting the liberal age, the charge of elitism must be avoided

By David Hopps | Fri 22nd July 2016 - 3:59 pm

There is a sense that if an election happens at any time in the next year, it will be fought out as much on values as economic policy. The argument is no longer just about fairness and equality. It is also about a philosophy of life.

Fears that the liberal age is now under threat both from Right and Left has the potential to galvanise those who have previously taken our liberal traditions for granted. The #libdemfightback has the potential to happen.

Identifying the 48% Remain voters as fertile ground for the Liberal Democrats was a fast and valid response, not just a sound political gambit for a party polling so low but one that was true to the party’s internationalist values.

Remain voters are desperate to embrace a coherent narrative and the liberal attitudes held by many of them will only turn into Lib Dem votes if that narrative is provided.

But that should only be the beginning. The Lib Dems must also respond powerfully and clearly to the illiberal, isolationist and anti-elite sentiment that lay behind Brexit.

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Posted in News | Also tagged , , , and | 23 Comments

Opinion: No social media identity? Be very afraid

By Andy Boddington | Wed 23rd January 2013 - 11:45 am

Twitter logoYesterday the government chief scientist issued a thoughtful Foresight report on social media and social identity. It has important implications for political campaigning. For those in a hurry, here is the main message in a tweet:

@andybodders No online identity? You will fade out of existence #beveryafraid

The report uses rather more eloquent words to express this:

As people have become accustomed to switching seamlessly between the

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Posted in Online politics and Op-eds | Also tagged and | 15 Comments
Alex Foster

Hames, Swinson to wed

By Alex Foster | Sun 20th June 2010 - 9:13 am

I had hoped not to write this story immediately after the last, less happy one, but sometimes, them’s the breaks.

Not since Baroness Scott and the Lib Dem’s bureaucrat of choice Mark Valladares changed their facebook statuses to “engaged” has the Lib Dem online world been so charged with romance.

Now Jo Swinson and Duncan Hames used the medium of Twitter to tell the world of their engagement, to cheers of encouragement all round.

Every congratulation and wish for happiness from all your friends at t’Voice.

Posted in News | Also tagged , , , and | 8 Comments
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