One of the main messages to come out of what has been an absolutely fantastic conference in Brighton, is that it is time to look forward, time to make the second half of this Parliament count, time to prepare for the 2015 election campaign.
Yesterday, Nick made an announcement that has shown the world just how serious we are about the fight to 2015 – he has appointed Paddy Ashdown to lead the General Election campaign team.
Now anyone who knows Paddy knows about his campaigning prowess. There is no one quite like him when it comes to an election. He is a campaigning whirlwind with a hugely impressive personal record, turning a traditionally safe Tory seat in Yeovil to the core of a Liberal Democrat heartland in Somerset.
As leader, Paddy took our party on an incredible journey, but by the time he stood down the Liberal Democrats were challenging for power locally and nationally, with a record number of councillors and MPs.
Paddy has a fantastic variety of talents and skills built up over many years from with the marines, the 11 years he spent as our Party leader and through his highly respected role as the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has a life time of experience that makes him an ominous opponent and will hopefully come in handy for getting everyone in our party pointing in the same direction.
The 2015 General Election is not going to be an easy fight: it will be tough, it will be long and it will require each and every one of us to dig deep and refuse to give up. But one thing I know for sure is that there is nobody I’d rather have planning that fight than Paddy.
* Tim Farron is Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Agriculture and MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale.
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5 Comments
Well said Tim.
Like me you will remember the post merger period when it was the combination of Paddy’s energy and determination and Chris Rennard’s tactical brilliance that ensured first the very survival and then the growth and success of our party.
Tim, you had a good conference especially at the Independent fringe. It is a pity that you spoiled it by intervening in the economy debate by claiming that an ammendment to promote economic growth was “crackers” . Perhaps you should have added that conference should , like you, continue to support George Osborne. Sadly it did.
“an absolutely fantastic conference” – am I the only person who finds Tim Farron’s Panglossian outlook a bit tiring after a time?
The appointment of Paddy was certainly one thing to cheer IMHO. I do hope though that the meeages are well thought out, coherent and consistent. (OK with some flexibility).
The general faffing about is in my view harmful, take for instance Council Tax – the Lib Dems had a policy, Axe the Tax, and replace it with local income tax – whether one thought that was good, bad or OK, it was clear. The endless variations of the “mansion tax” leave people not knowing what the policy is, let alone how to sell it.
The message has been muddled by coucnil tax freezes and council tax benefit reform – when the Party ought to be sendinga clear message on Land Valuation Tax – and yes you can explain how it works without endless detail. the point is to get over the concept or difference not the technical stuff.
@Nigel – Yes it is just you. I thought Tim was fab at conference.