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.
When we set up here, we decided we’d avoid foreign policy. Partially because we wanted to focus on domestic + EU, partially because, well, quagmire. Especially when our Government seems intent on invading the entire Muslim world and supporting Israel regardless of circumstance. Generally, I agree with Garry (as usual). Specifically, I agree with Ming Campbell.On domestic policy, I still have disagreements with the Lib Dems. On foreign policy, I’ve been broadly in agreement for as long as I can remember.
To get close is impressive, to take it to recount? Looks like Labour lose their deposit there as well. Blair’s odds of lasting the year out look slimmer. And if Bromley is as close as reported then I wouldn’t want to be Dave in the morning. Shot in the arm for Ming though.
On the “we’re screwed” thing, it’s looking like the only chance we’ve got is an incredibly strong Lib Dem performance next few years. Damnit, I hate being partizan! Dave’s crap, Labour is falling to peices, Ming’s our best hope. We really are screwed.
G’night all…
Neill wins Bromley for the Tories, with a majority of just 646. From what I’ve seen of the campaigning there though, I agree with James, not the sort of politics I like to see, anywhere, from any party.
Well, Alex has finally got it working. Labour Home is launched, to compete with Conservative Home and Liberal Review. It looks ok, and it’s something I thought was lacking awhileback (even mentioned it’s lack in a thread at B4L). He’s also got a team of writers lined up. Shame that one of them seems to have both a poor grasp of economics and a very weird definition of liberalism.
The times, they are a changin’. Awhileback, I reviewed the campaign sites for the LibDem leadership contenders. Like in the election itself, Ming Campbell won. Well, he’s taking that impetus further. Two specific areas. Firstly, he’s been interviewed by some prominent Lib Dem bloggers, each of whom has written up their meeting with him in a different style. Secondly?
I’ve never liked negative campaigns. The demonisation of the opponents, the personal attacks, etc. I prefer to see debates on the issues, genuine engagement, open discussion. Of course, that’s not to say that negative posters, etc don’t have a place, but the over-emphasis of them in recent years has, to my mind, been part of the degradation of political discourse that has lead to the widespread apathy that we’re all aware of.
Scottish electoral mechanics are always interesting to watch. South of the border, most seats are either safe or two-way marginals. Three-way marginals are rare, and tend to disappear over the course of a few elections, the third party squeeze / ratchet effect caused by Duverger’s Law means that it becomes “irrational” as the economists put it to vote for the third place or below candidate. Yet in Scotland? They not only still have three way marginals, they also have some 4 way marginals.
Remember when I said this?
on 80% of the issues that matter to me, I’m pretty close to the Lib Dems
Well, some people took that to mean I agreed with the LibDems 80% of the time. Not true. On the ‘big’ issues (is the ones I write about here), the Lib Dems are the most sound. On others? Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear oh dear:
Do you think that if we ran a publicity campaign to let people know that the left/right distinction is French, then we could rely on latent British Francophobia to finally abort the distinction?
Well, something has to. “The Lib Dems move Right”, “That’s a left-wing policy”. Um, no. It’s neither. left vs right is and ill-defined, misunderstood term that is abused by the commentariat (especially in the MSM) who show little understanding of the history.
This from Ken at Militant Moderate is a nice analysis of the way blogging could be used by politicians and their supporters in the future. I think, overall, I agree with him; blogging is at its best when talking through policy and ideas rather than personality and gossip (although, let’s face it, the latter can be fun(ny) at times). Huhne was very popular amongst the LibDem bloggers precisely because he engaged the policy debate strongly, and has done his future prospects a world of good by running I think.
Also, this on the Snow in Summer. The GOD corporation has a record of its discussions with Tony, but they’re protected by client priviledge. Definately worth a read through.
At the beginning of the Lib Dem leadership contest, I wrote a review (well, more of a rant) about the websites of the respective campaigns. I still get a few people reading it, (mostly coming from the Campbell Campaign blog) so I thought I’d do a follow up, as there has been a remarkable improvement in many ways.
Update: changed a few misleading titles, nothing deleted, for honesty’s sake.
So, James and Joe ask a very important question and raise some valid concerns; what is the campaign for. By defining it as purely against Labour, James is correct when he says:
If there is to be a “coalition of the willing” on civil liberties issues, then let it be for real civil liberties, not a handful that Conservatives have deemed electorally useful to cherry-pick. Let it concentrate on individual candidates and politicians, tactically opposing any candidate who doesn’t sign up to X, Y, Z rather than letting individuals off the hook and supporting “best fit” political parties who subsequently will be under no pressure whatsoever to carry out their reforms.
We have to be careful to be in favour of something, not just against something. We need to be campaigning for liberty and reform, not just against the current government, we need to be a positive force, not a negative force.
OK, Unity of Talk Politics has already registered a domain, so part 2 is in progress, completely independently. Link to follow, naturally, when there’s something to link to. He’s also said he’ll post more on the subject over the weekend on his blog, so watch that space as well. Initially, I was put off the name by connotations in modern politics, but then Nosemonkey reminded us all of the title of J.S. Mill’s seminal work, On Liberty.
Well, that’s stage one complete, get peoples attention. Thanks to all the links people.
Anyone would think Chris Huhne had been reading this blog:
The new divide in British politics is between “civil liberties” and “authoritarianism”, Chris Huhne, a Liberal Democrat leadership contender, said last night. Mr Huhne attacked Tony Blair for being “illiberal”, and the Tories for being unreliable defenders of liberty.
I know, it’s not just me saying these things, but it’s definately the sort of thing I want to hear from a candidate and potential Prime Minister.
For the record, I issued the challenge and never updated; I didn’t join the LibDems within the deadline, but I strongly suspect I will before too long. The reason I didn’t was purely personal and financial. It may only be 6 quid, but when you’re at the edge of the overdraft and the credit card is maxed out, 6 quid is a lot.
However, I do know who I want to see as Lib Dem leader, and more specifically, who I don’t. Huhne, despite his public school/journalism background, wins. Hands down. He’s a great writer, and more importantly, he takes the importance of policy and ideas seriously. I hope he does well, and I’d love to see him win. More. I’d love to see him in Number 10. He’s genuine, he believes in freedoms and liberties.
Failing that, I suspect Ming Campbell will take the spot. At first, I was opposed, too old, too Scottish, too patrician. He’s turned me around on that one, he can speak well, he can put the case, and I think he genuinely believes in what he says. He may be another two Jags, but they’re a hobby, he’s not likely to use one to drive a few hundred metres down the promenade bacause his wife’s new hairdo may get blown about a bit.
Simon? The furore over his ‘outing’ didn’t change my views. The way he handled it (badly) didn’t change my views. I like the guy. He’s honest (he Did Not Lie, if you believe he did, look up the meaning of bisexual and compare it to homosexual/gay), but, essentially, he’s an activists candidate, a doorstepper. All parties need them, and he’s one of the best. But as leader? No. Nice bloke, but not Prime Minister material. If the Lid Dems are serious, they need someone you can see on the steps of Number 10.
That’s not Simon Hughes.
So, I hope Huhne wins. If not, Campbell is pretty much a shoe in from what I can see. If Hughes wins, the party will continue, and continue to pick up Labour defectors, etc. But he’s not the leader to make the breakthrough the LibDems need. And, as the only solidly liberal/libertarian party, the country needs the Lib Dems to be strong, Huhne’s right:
He also attacked the Conservatives as “fair-weather friends” of British liberty and said as party leader he would step up the campaign to defend liberty. “If we, as Liberal Democrats, did not speak up for civil liberties,” he asked, “who would?”
The New Labour project started as a method of making Labour electable again, by bringing under control their less, shall we say, thoughtful, elements. In government, it has taken that controlling tendency further. It is taking control of our lives.
It looks like talk of the death of the Lib Dems might have come too soon. On a total swing of 12800 votes, Willie Rennie and the Lib Dems have yet again dealt a massive blow to Labour.
Oh look, Simon’s outed himself. Anyone care? OK, maybe the misleading interview he gave saying he “wasn’t gay” (true) was a little badly thought through, but as pointed out in the comments on Jonny’s Blog, he didn’t actually lie. He’s bisexual. So what?
So, Mark Oaten resigns in a rent boy scandal after being confronted by the News of the World. First website to break the story? BBC? ITV? Sky? Nope, Iain Dale’s blog.
Linklog