Tag Archives: naked rambler

Opinion: The Naked Rambler: a response to David Allen

By Andrew Emmerson | Sat 13th July 2013 - 9:58 am

David Allen recently wrote that supporting Stephen Gough, known as the Naked Rambler was a cause for “fundementalist liberals”. This isn’t a case of moderates versus fundementalists, it’s a case that all good liberals should support.

As liberals most of us will accept some degree of the Harm Principle, that people should roughly be able to do what they want as long as they don’t hurt others. Taking this basic principle into consideration there is no possible harm that anyone can do simply by the act of being nude within public. If we want to shed our clothes and our …

Posted in News | Also tagged civil liberties and liberalism | 32 Comments

Opinion: Against Liberal fundamentalism

By David Allen | Fri 12th July 2013 - 10:41 am

Centre Forum recently chose the “Naked Rambler” as “Liberal Hero of the Week”. The Naked Rambler is a man who fights for his freedom to walk naked in public wherever he chooses. Lib Dem Voice also carried an article robustly asserting that liberals should oppose interference with that freedom.

Many fundamentalist liberals wrote in to applaud. More moderate respondents pointed out that young children might well be upset or even traumatised, while their parents could reasonably fear that a naked stranger might be a paedophile.

Steve Way explained that the police offered the Naked Rambler three options – change direction …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged edward snowden | 65 Comments

Are we seriously going to lock up the Naked Rambler for the rest of his life?

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 20th June 2013 - 3:56 pm

I read with despair the BBC’s report about Stephen Gough, known as the Naked Rambler, embarking on yet another prison sentence. He was sentenced to 11 months in Hampshire yesterday, having spent six years in prison in Scotland as well. His crime? Refusing to wear clothes in public. He’s not harming anyone. He’s just walking.

I also thought that people were remanded in custody before trial only for the most serious offences, if they were likely to jump bail or be a danger to the public.

Posted in News | Also tagged anthony hook, greg foxsmith, julian huppert and stephen gough | 36 Comments

Eastleigh by-election: your essential round-up of the latest campaign news (12 Feb)

By Stephen Tall | Tue 12th February 2013 - 8:20 pm

Here’s a round-up of news from the past 24 hours in the Eastleigh by-election…

Nick Clegg offered Lib Dem candidate Mike Thornton his full backing on a visit to Eastleigh on Monday. Here‘s the Guardian report:

“I am confident we will keep hold of this seat but not because I say so but because the people of Eastleigh are telling us that,” said Clegg. Focusing on the party’s local dominance – it is the only place in the country where every councillor at district and county level is a Liberal Democrat – he said voters would focus on its “record of action” and said the party had “to be quite clear where our differences lie”. … Speaking after meeting students at the local college, Clegg said: “Cutting council tax, promoting more apprenticeships, creating jobs, protecting green spaces – those are things that Liberal Democrats haven’t just talked about, they are things they have actually done and it’s a record of which we are tremendously proud.”

It’s not just Nick Clegg who’s been doing his Eastleigh stint, though. Pictured above (with thanks to Jon Aylwin) is North Devon MP Nick Harvey out canvassing with Mike and some of his supporters.

Fantastic day of campaigning here with @eastleighlibdem. Thanks to the 100’s of you who turned out to help canvass, deliver, stuff envelopes

— Mike Thornton (@Mike4Eastleigh) February 12, 2013

Want to join the hundreds of Lib Dems who are doing their bit to help get Mike elected as the next Lib Dem MP for Eastleigh on 28th February? Here’s a reminder of how YOU can make a difference:

Volunteer to help in Eastleigh itself

Make phone calls for the party if you can’t get there in person

Give a donation to help fund the campaign.