While working at home this afternoon I have had the LibDem Make it Happen Debate on the Parliamentary Channel. I found myself thinking that it was about time Conservative conferences had a few more of these substantive debates. Conferences nowadays have become rallies rather than conferences and far too dominated by presentational requirements. Ordinary party members get too little opportunity to contribute.
The LibDem debate wasn't particularly profound, but somehow it was quite addictive, with some rather good speeches, particularly from Duncan Brack, Simon Hughes and Evan Harris. Harris made a particualry good joke about putting Clegg out to stud if he lost the vote. It was a shame the cameras didn't get his reaction!
Clegg is the king of Cock-up's, so it would be a logical area for him to slip into!
ReplyDeleteDid you see Guido's link at weekend to a currant Bun photo - fature on Lib-Dem luscious lovelies Jo Swinson, Lynne Featherstone and Julia Goldsworthy.
ReplyDeleteNot sure about the latter but the others are potential winners of the male vote (you'll just have to trust me on this Iain but in the "exerience" stakes I leave shagger Clegg trailing by a few lengths)
It just shows Jaqui Smiths whinge about women in politics not being taken seriously enough was not justified.
LD's for socialist spending:
ReplyDeletehttp://timesonline.typepad.com/politics/2008/09/would-vince-cab.html?cid=130774650#comment-130774650
Glad you made it home Ian and survived the mind numbing experience of a liberal conference.
ReplyDeleteMartin, you naughty boy, Get back to PB.com RIGHT NOW!
ReplyDeletei wonder if you've seen this iain:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/sep/13/conservatives
kinda ties into the blogpost as it's lib dum related :P
I thought the whole idea of stallions at stud was that their offspring would win races? Has this proposal been thought through? I forgot, Liberals.......
ReplyDeleteMartin!
ReplyDeleteCome back to pb.com! We are missing you!!!!
All rather sad for the LibDums at the mo.
ReplyDeleteAnyone picked up Newmania's prediction that Norman Baker MP will probably not stand next time in Lewes and move off and bag loads more lolly in Europe ??
Newmania is a Conservative from Lewes , he seems to have a personal issue with his LibDem MP Norman Baker and often posts untruths about him . As with other of his postings this one is false .
ReplyDeletePolitical parties (well, at least the relevant two) are there to attain Government and implement policies, not just to appease their members who, almost by definition, will be more right- or left-wing than the population as a whole or even their own Party's voters.
ReplyDeleteSo a debate like this in any of the two parties would be much like the Labour conferences in the 80s, speakers getting up to denounce the leadership for being wishy-washy.
What then is the point, except to show the unacceptable face of one's party, as represented by ordinary members unimportant in the grand scheme of things, and tarring the more important leaders with their views in the eyes of Joe Public?
@anon, 7.24pm... yes, those mind-numbing LibDem conferences where there is actual debate on policies and votes and stuff... and even, as Iain illustrates here, MPs speaking out against policies proposed by their leader. Yes, democratic policy-making by party members is so dull, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI am sure the Tory conference is going to be intellectual champagne by comparison. Or maybe, as always, newspapers will carry lots of photos of old duffers falling asleep in the conference hall.