* taps microphone *

Is this thing on?

* taps microphone a bit harder *

Right, yes, now where was I?…

Good morning, and welcome to another Monday, here at Liberal Democrat Voice, the online home of liberal comment on the questions that face us all.

So, the Government is still an utter shambles, with the possible exception of the Ministry of Defence, pursuing what the Economist describes as “the rise of unpopulism”, pursuing causes that don’t resonate beyond the Westminster bubble – the BBC, the National Trust – are contrary to their promises – NIC rises – or simply spouting slogans without any apparent intent to make them come true – levelling up.

And yet they’re still there. In Bolivia, they’d be preparing the lampposts by now…

But that’s the thing, isn’t it? In this country, we prefer sticking leaflets through doors suggesting that Conservative ineptitude can only be challenged by voting them out locally. If only they weren’t doing everything in their power to prevent anyone doing that…

Happily, Samuel Jackson offers an interesting elegant alternative this morning, addressing Conservative attempts to jury-rig our democracy in their favour.

But it does feel a bit better to be a Liberal Democrat, with our vote up in local by-election after local by-election, and new councillors celebrating gains. And with local elections just eighty days away, the possibility of gains is higher than it has been for two decades – bear in mind we lost seats in 2010, 2014 and 2018, following a net gain of just 2 in 2006.

Elsewhere, Chris Perry follows up his criticism of the Government’s Health and Social Care Bill with an alternative prospectus. It even comes with some meaningful outcomes supported by delivery mechanisms, something that the blue rosette mob could usefully learn from.

Meanwhile, Leon Duveen reports on a new initiative in the Israel/Palestine conflict.
After so much suffering, it would be nice to see some progress in this never ending tragedy, and maybe a new initiative brings new hope.

What else might readers expect? Well, that’s to some extent up to you. Got something you want to see debated? Why not write something for us?…

And with that, I’d better get back to the editorial frontline…

* Mark Valladares is the Monday Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice. He’s got a dinner reservation for this evening, so all is well…