Campbell, the Lib Dems and me
I just read Ming Campbell’s Conference speech:
A principled liberal alternative has never been more needed than when there are people being abused and held without trial at Guantanamo Bay. The Prime Minister calls it “an anomaly”.Let me address him directly; Prime Minister, this is not an anomaly - This is an outrage.
But under this government, the “anomalies” are becoming the norm. schemes to keep citizens under house arrest; Identity cards; A Labour party member – a Labour party member - Walter Wolfgang arrested as a terror suspect for daring to heckle at the Labour Party Conference; taken into custody for shouting ‘Rubbish’ at the Foreign Secretary. I hope they don’t introduce that in the House of Commons? otherwise I will be joining him.
And members of the public like Maya Evans arrested outside Downing Street just for reading out the names of British soldiers killed in Iraq; Who knows what this government would have done with Siegfried Sassoon, or Wilfred Owen, if it had been in office during the First World War.
Once Westminster was the cradle of democracy; Under this government it is becoming the graveyard of democracy.
It was going to happen eventually. Membership renewed. I am now, once again a Liberal Democrat.
Not going to change the way I write about stuff though; there remain policies I disagree with, naturally. But, while I like the sounds Dave is making, I’m not convinced it’s anything more than spin. I know where I stand with the Lib Dems. On the issues I set the blog up to write about, I pretty much agree with them.
Paul, naturally, remains a separate person, last we spoke about it, he doesn’t do partizan. I don’t, really. But it’s time to stand up and be counted I guess.
We need to get the current Government out of power. To do that, we need to support those parties in a position to do so, and work with those politicians on the right side of the debate. Each of us in our different ways. I’ve chosen my way (or at least part of it).
Now, I guess, make contact with the local party (rather than just the local MP), and see what needs doing. A decent website would be a good start.
I want them out, but please don’t ask me to vote Tory, or do anything that might, even inadvertantly, help their cause. I.Just.Can’t
Comment by lareinagal | March 6, 2006
“A decent website would be a good start.”
Well,this is a start, at least.
Comment by Anonymous | March 6, 2006
Cool, and it’s already top of Google; the old domain is second though; getting hold of that and getting a redirect would be useful if possible.
Comment by MatGB | March 6, 2006
You could hint the webmaster while you are contacting the local party.
Comment by Anonymous | March 6, 2006
Have I mentioned how moniker less anon comments make keeping track of who you’re talking to annoying?
But a) have done so and b) are you (assuming same person each time) also local?
Comment by MatGB | March 6, 2006
I prefer to stay anonymous, if it annoys you, I can stop commenting.
I’m not a local, just thought that you hadn’t noticed the website. For the record, most of the local Lib Dem parties with a website can easily be found here, under the “Local Parties and Branches”.
Comment by Anonymous | March 7, 2006
Anonymous,
You can still be anonymous without using the pseudonym “Anonymous”.
When leaving a comment just click ‘Other’ under the “Choose an Identity” heading and use some random moniker.. ‘XYZ’ would do.
If 2 or more comments are left under “Anonymous” then it’s impossible to figure out how many people are actually having a discussion.
Comment by Biodun | March 7, 2006
[…] September MatGB02:26 amAdd comment When I started writing at NLE, I wasn’t a member of any particular party; I was fairly disillusioned with the whole process of party politics generally and partizan sniping as a specific. Far too often, politics and politicians seemed to be about what you were opposed to, not what you were in favour of. The more I wrote, and read the thoughts and opinions of others, the more my views and opinions were refined. Eventually, after the tipping point last February, and then the Lib Dem leadership election, I joined the Liberal Democrats. I said at the time that I would continue to write in the same way; yes, I’m a party member, that doesn’t make me a partizan sniper, there remain issues I disagree with the party line on, and issues that I like either the Tory or the Govt line. And, of course, issues that I dislike all three main parties on. […]
Pingback by Great Repeal Act and New Tory Labour - Voting TaKtiX | September 23, 2006