tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post3924709405013806413..comments2024-03-04T17:54:32.559+00:00Comments on Iain Dale's Diary: Why are There No LibDem Columnists?Iain Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-28380532148591421792007-06-11T08:25:00.000+01:002007-06-11T08:25:00.000+01:00sandra gidleymark oatenjo swinson could have a col...sandra gidley<BR/>mark oaten<BR/>jo swinson could have a column when she can do joined up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-64069185953837438142007-06-11T00:16:00.000+01:002007-06-11T00:16:00.000+01:00Dr Vincent Cable MP, nominally the mere "Deputy" L...Dr Vincent Cable MP, nominally the mere "Deputy" Leader of the Liberal Democrats, now seems to turn up whenever that party wishes to pass anything remotely resembling an authoritative comment on anything.<BR/><BR/>But then, he was a contributor to The Orange Book, which, along with The Henry Jackson Society and the Euston Manifesto, completes the circle that is Britain's neoconservative party within the parties, organising (very effectively) to impose its members as MPs for safe seats across the board.<BR/><BR/>So do not take your eye off him.David Lindsayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06839882674758833524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-10870210338932573282007-06-10T15:01:00.000+01:002007-06-10T15:01:00.000+01:00PJ's comments are plain daft. He states that becau...PJ's comments are plain daft. He states that because the Tories ahve adopted a Lib Dem policy, this means the Lib Dems stand for nothing anymore, Surely it works for the Tories too, The fact that they have to to adopt Lib Dem policy means that the Tories have no distinctive values of their own.Nich Starlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04237390959601973501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-4274693356905678132007-06-10T09:10:00.000+01:002007-06-10T09:10:00.000+01:00Lembit Öpik used to have a column in Wales on Sund...Lembit Öpik used to have a column in Wales on Sunday. His strapline was: 'The MP with a personality'.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Si%C3%A2n_Lloyd" REL="nofollow">Siân Lloyd</A>, BBC weathergirl and certified Welsh National Treasure, called him <A HREF="http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/tm_objectid=14203271&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=sian-and-lembit-to-wed-name_page.html" REL="nofollow">'the most fascinating man I've ever met'</A>. That was before he dumped her in favour of something cheekier.<BR/><BR/>(P.S. An ex-girlfriend of mine is a LibDem councillor in Swansea. When she was standing for election, in Summer 2004, I challenged her to outline the party's policy on any single major issue of the day. Needless to say, she couldn't.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-86377465052513145552007-06-10T08:18:00.000+01:002007-06-10T08:18:00.000+01:00Are there that many columnists offering a Conserva...Are there that many columnists offering a Conservative/Labour <I>party political</I> perspective?<BR/><BR/>Most of the Conservative columnists spend most of their time attacking their own side!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-15723761961651865392007-06-10T03:35:00.000+01:002007-06-10T03:35:00.000+01:00Bring back the News Chronicle!Bring back the News Chronicle!Manfaranghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16672026288937285646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-23690632973611063002007-06-09T23:02:00.000+01:002007-06-09T23:02:00.000+01:00There may be a few Tory columnists here and there ...There may be a few Tory columnists here and there and thank God for the priceless Mathew Parris, but do we have, now, the support of a single national newspaper?<BR/>We know Dacre's infatuated with Brown (yuk), so goodbye Daily Mail, but have you seen the fawning two-page spread on the bogey-picker in the Telegraph this morning? Have Will Lewis and Patience Wheatcroft been got at?<BR/>I can only hope that their readership figures will go over a cliff.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-69826584006126442902007-06-09T18:34:00.000+01:002007-06-09T18:34:00.000+01:00Hmm.. I'm not sure anything Jasper Gerrard says is...Hmm.. I'm not sure anything Jasper Gerrard says is worth the paper it's written on. Don't you read Private Eye ??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-60566752216272664522007-06-09T18:12:00.000+01:002007-06-09T18:12:00.000+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-4410721797254991142007-06-09T17:21:00.000+01:002007-06-09T17:21:00.000+01:00Damn, the link is on my blog (taken from Hatfield ...Damn, the link is on my blog (taken from Hatfield Girl's blog if you prefer an intelligent read)lilithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05011676751221508167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-19286229333512241162007-06-09T17:19:00.000+01:002007-06-09T17:19:00.000+01:00Yes indeed, the Lib Dems have no policies...they a...Yes indeed, the Lib Dems have no policies...they are cosying up to John Reid over his new terror proposals...<BR/><BR/>http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/craig_murray/2007/06/reids_new_best_friends.html <BR/><BR/>How "Liberal" of themlilithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05011676751221508167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-36595018252176612032007-06-09T16:03:00.000+01:002007-06-09T16:03:00.000+01:00That should have been "let's imagine", of course. ...That should have been "let's imagine", of course. I certainly wouldn't choose a fat-faced loser like Gerard, who fills his column week after week with drivel that suggest he Knows Something about the editor who patronises him, or that the editor is crap.<BR/><BR/>There are no Lib Dem columnists for a more fundamental reason. There is no such thing as 'liberal democracy'. I don't understand (pace your Norfolk experience) why you even mention them so often. Chris Paul says it all. And he's some sort of socialist, no?Graeme Archerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13995457637445873579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-16842637905336575652007-06-09T15:50:00.000+01:002007-06-09T15:50:00.000+01:00The Lib Dems are an irrelevance in UK politics at ...The Lib Dems are an irrelevance in UK politics at the moment (at a national level at least) because they don;t actually have a philosophy which underpins them.<BR/><BR/>The Labour party have a mix of European style social democracy, and the Tories are developing their own post-Thatcherite social liberalism. Essentially, both require the support of the centre and therefore the centre ground is now swamped. <BR/><BR/>So unless Cameron moves to the right or Brown to the left (or both), half the Lib Dems should slink-off to the Tory Party, and the other half join Labour.<BR/><BR/>Then they would be able to spark discussion from within two parties which actually have a hope of achieving power.<BR/><BR/>Ming Campbell doesn't help!Scipiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06514885826616402615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-10894578041365995072007-06-09T15:33:00.000+01:002007-06-09T15:33:00.000+01:00The Lib Dems don't have any politics, so how can t...The Lib Dems don't have any politics, so how can they have a political commentator? I'd suggest Mr JG gave himeself away at first by being an altogther shoddy, confused and unlikeable Armando Lite (in the very same paper) but has settled down a bit. Clearly fairly right wing.Chris Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15679067503215414300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-75470007156225391282007-06-09T15:00:00.000+01:002007-06-09T15:00:00.000+01:00That's not exactly saying a lot!That's not exactly saying a lot!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-47036496454725863392007-06-09T14:54:00.000+01:002007-06-09T14:54:00.000+01:00James Graham – the most incisive and interes...James Graham – the most incisive and interesting Lib Dem I have come across so far.Laurence Boycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17838530535994771528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-30031834710812045512007-06-09T14:52:00.000+01:002007-06-09T14:52:00.000+01:00Polly Toynbee aside, all credit to the Guardian fo...Polly Toynbee aside, all credit to the Guardian for their investigation of the Bandar scandal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-40500891715419013442007-06-09T14:45:00.000+01:002007-06-09T14:45:00.000+01:00In answer to the question, I cannot think of a sin...In answer to the question, I cannot think of a single Liberal Democrat thinker, never mind one that I would like to read over my morning OJ. As far as I can determine, their party has no actual principles, or research base, and hence no political view that is not directly connected to the winning of elections. If I want Liberal Democrat propaganda I'll wait until they stuff it through my letterbox. If I want developed political thought, I shall go elsewhere.Steve Horganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13689714700049747836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-29377899189293128572007-06-09T14:42:00.000+01:002007-06-09T14:42:00.000+01:00How about giving kennedy a column on Decanter maga...How about giving kennedy a column on Decanter magazine?<BR/><BR/>Ming could write for Saga magazineThe Hitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17007793676288933155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-56806387030219738692007-06-09T14:34:00.000+01:002007-06-09T14:34:00.000+01:00The reason for the poor performance of the Lib-dem...The reason for the poor performance of the Lib-dems lies at the top - Ming the mouse. Charles Kennedy had a much better press, was personable, and all in all, two orders of magnitude better than his knife-wielding successor.<BR/><BR/>Gordo and Dave would have good reason to be worried if Charles were re-elected; as it stands they are laughing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-45451358998163734802007-06-09T13:52:00.000+01:002007-06-09T13:52:00.000+01:00"1. Newspapers sales are dropping2. There are no L..."1. Newspapers sales are dropping<BR/>2. There are no Liberal Democrat columnists<BR/>3. Any connection?"<BR/><BR/>Fib Dems have delusions of grandeur?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-79209009098380006132007-06-09T13:43:00.000+01:002007-06-09T13:43:00.000+01:001. Newspapers sales are dropping2. There are no Li...1. Newspapers sales are dropping<BR/>2. There are no Liberal Democrat columnists<BR/>3. Any connection?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-87620738059536917052007-06-09T13:28:00.000+01:002007-06-09T13:28:00.000+01:00I agree with Ed. I can't think of a single distin...I agree with Ed. I can't think of a single distinctive LibDem policy. Scrapping ID cards, for instance, has been adopted by the Tories. But they'll never be elected, all they'll ever be is very junior partners in a coalition, so I'm not bothered.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-78525108415410689832007-06-09T13:16:00.000+01:002007-06-09T13:16:00.000+01:00GladstoneGladstoneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-21588034542376542152007-06-09T13:09:00.000+01:002007-06-09T13:09:00.000+01:00"The LibbyDem perspective is 'consitency' in polit..."The LibbyDem perspective is 'consitency' in politics as Nicol Stephen said in the Scots Parly on Thursday."<BR/><BR/>Exactly. How can any commentator retain any credibility throwing themselves entirely behind the Fib Dems when their "perspective" is so myopic it can't get past lying to secure a vote depending on where and when they have the opportunity.<BR/><BR/>Their credibility was crumbling before the Scottish elections and has effectively collapsed as they're just seen as Labour's poodles in opposition now.<BR/><BR/>But that's what happens when what you campaign on is just a means to secure some votes and not an aim to achieve.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com