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Paul Reynolds

Reform the Reformers – Part 3, The Search for a ‘Big Idea’

By Paul Reynolds | Mon 30th July 2018 - 12:19 pm

Liberal Democrat activists will be familiar with two apparently contradictory refrains.

One is that Liberal Democrats should pursue what is morally right for the country, regardless of public opinion. The other is that ‘no-one ever voted Lib Dem because of our policy on (… insert obscure policy…)’.

The point of the latter refrain is that the public’s problem-solving priorities should dominate policymaking effort.

There is another, potentially reconciling, refrain; that liberal democracy in the UK needs a new popular ‘big idea’. Opposition to the Iraq war is a common reference point, a major contributor to Liberal Democrats having 60+ MPs in the Commons. …

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Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged and | 11 Comments
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Recent Comments

  • Steve Trevethan
    Might it be that the U. K is not a true democracy but, in reality, a polyarchy dominated by two groups which are significantly more powerful and cohesive than a...
  • David Evans
    Indeed Jana, I am sad to point out that any party that proposes that they should be funded by public money, will soon find out how quickly the electorate make i...
  • Jana
    The 2 big parties - Labour and Conservative - spent almost £55 Million between them during the 2024 General election while ReformUK could only afford to spend ...
  • Steve Trevethan
    Thanks for a most relevant and interesting article! Might the following policies be liberal in their content and democratic in their practices? 1) Univers...
  • Owen Driscoll
    The party needs to ditch fairness and the veil of ignorance. And focus more on Mills harm principles instead of Rawls. Rawls is deontological, Mill is consequen...