Preparing the ground for conference
James Forsyth 10:45am
Nick Clegg has been taking advantage of his week in charge to do a series of high
profile events. But at nearly every one — his speech in London, his town-halls in Newcastle and Bristol — he has encountered Lib Dems wanting to express their anger about the coalition
and its policies. As I say in the Mail on Sunday, the worry for the Lib Dem
leadership has to be that this is a preview of what they could face at conference. This danger has been compounded by the fact that Clegg will leave it early to attend the UN summit in New York,
Cameron will be staying at home as he and Samantha’s baby is due then.
Knowing what we know about how the coalition works and Cameron’s sensitivity to Clegg’s needs, we can expect some Liberal Democrat wins in the mini session of parliament that precedes Lib Dem conference. The leadership will have a much easier time if it can show activists some recent examples of how the party is achieving its aims in government.
Being a junior coalition partner is a difficult job; the government will always reflect more the policies of the larger party. But Clegg has, generally, played his cards well - the Lib Dems are punching well above their weight. His party should be patient with Clegg as he performs this role.
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Chazza46
August 22nd, 2010 11:32am Report this commentYes, of course they *should* be patient, but LibDemmery is in significant part about the enormous opportunities for self-righteousness afforded by pemanent political irrelevance at the national level. Add to that the well-known LibDem taste for dirty vicious street-fighting at local level and the omens aren't good. Fingers crossed though - I would have voted specifically for this coalition if it had been an option on the ballot paper!
paulg
August 22nd, 2010 4:10pm Report this commentNice piece in the mail J.F. What we need to do if push the difference in the liberals and labour.
Labour are authoritarian statists - whilst the liberals we hope espouse English liberalism: decentralising the state, civil liberties, etc. This is the dividing line and this is the reason why we can work with them.
The conservatives must let the liberals take ownership of this and hammer the statists for all they are worth.
Carswell and Hannan should be drafted in to push this agenda with the Liberals, it will help them talk the same language and get the message across, this is the where they need to fight and they need liberal conservatives to help them.
It will mean anyone who wants to defect from the Liberal party are not liberals and are statists to the bone.
Tim W
August 22nd, 2010 4:29pm Report this commentTo be fair to Nick Clegg I think he's done pretty well in keeping all sides happy in what is a hopeless position for his party. The fact that he has to leave his conference early will benefit him as Lib Dems will see that Lib Dems are actually doing things which matter for once.
As for their crackpot ideas of previous conferences, this one may be closer to reality or at least should be. They should realise now how unrealistic most of their policies were.
The Bellman
August 23rd, 2010 1:05pm Report this commentWhy '... for conference'? Why not '... for *the* conference'?
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