tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post109862410809455436..comments2024-03-04T17:54:32.559+00:00Comments on Iain Dale's Diary: Liberal or not?Iain Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1098895260150316332004-10-27T17:41:00.000+01:002004-10-27T17:41:00.000+01:00Hmmm, never could understand why the FDP sat in th...Hmmm, never could understand why the FDP sat in the same group at the LibDems, especially as we have established that the FDP are right-of-centre, a position which Kennedy doesn't seem to be heading towards. As a Tory living in Germany (who presumably can vote in next year's regional election), should I vote CDU (who I've always considered to be our German equivalent) or FDP? What were your leanings during your time in Germany, Iain?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1098789305760767222004-10-26T12:15:00.000+01:002004-10-26T12:15:00.000+01:00I am sure that you would welcome David Laws into y...I am sure that you would welcome David Laws into your party- indeed more MPs is probably most parties' desire...however, seeing the Tories cuurent travails, you would be so lucky! : )Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1098734693977886172004-10-25T21:04:00.000+01:002004-10-25T21:04:00.000+01:00What is said, thought and then done by a party suc...What is said, thought and then done by a party such as the FDP in Germany are very different things. The most important of which being what they do which would collate to their membership of the ELDR. Therefore making it very acceptable for a councillour and party member of a British party that holds liberal views to be able to campaign on their behalf them.Cllr. Adam Parsonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04065989138668334173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1098726989593017202004-10-25T18:56:00.000+01:002004-10-25T18:56:00.000+01:00I still think the FDP are far more Conservative th...I still think the FDP are far more Conservative than Liberal. But there you go. <br /><br />On the Orange Book I think your analysis of its thrust is broadly correct although I would dispute some of your assertions about Thatcherism, as you might expect. I'd still happily welcome Mr Laws into the Party at any point he chooses!Iain Dalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1098725152023288872004-10-25T18:25:00.000+01:002004-10-25T18:25:00.000+01:00Perhaps Cllr Wright was also involved in oppositio...Perhaps Cllr Wright was also involved in opposition research!<br /><br />More seriously, I think the key point here is that (as you say) the FDP run on a broadly Thatcherite ECONOMIC agenda, which is very different to saying a Thatcherite agenda. Indeed, former Liberal leader Jo Grimond said in the 1980s that "much of what Mrs Thatcher and Keith Joseph say and do is in the mainstream of traditional liberal thought" (or words to that effect). Indeed, the Liberals in the early days regularly trooped through the lobbies for labour market reform, right to buy etc.<br /><br />The Orange Book is very interesting. To summarise (more or less fairly) David Laws' contribution, he argues that Lib Dems dislike Thatcher because her economic liberalism was not accompanied (in his view and that of probably all his colleagues) by social liberalism (concern for the life chances of the less well off), political liberalism (decentralisation, democratic control - witness quango-culture etc) or individual liberalism (witness section 28, home affairs in the later years etc). He then says some Liberals have concluded, wrongly, that the free market necessarily brings with it what is seen by them as the worst excesses of Thatcherism. He essentially says let's reassert the economic liberalism side - in essence, "don't throw the baby out with the bath-water". He makes other points (e.g. concern for civil liberties is great but be careful not to forget that for a lot of people, their civil liberties are threatened more by yobs than by draconian Home Secretaries, bad though they are) but the economic liberalism point is the main thrust.<br /><br />You are clearly convinced that Laws would be happy in the Tories but he obviously isn't. An articulate, high flying banker like him would have waltzed into a decent Tory seat and probably front bench, but he decided against it. I suspect he would cite policies your policies on devolution, immigration, shotting trespassers, war in Iraq, and jeopardising relations with Europe as well as your past record on investment in public services as among the factors in that decision.Westbury-on-Trym Lib Demshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09800439494786450484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1098723975343475722004-10-25T18:06:00.000+01:002004-10-25T18:06:00.000+01:00However, don't the FDP belong to the ELDR group in...However, don't the FDP belong to the ELDR group in the European Parliament who tend to vote very similarly on most issues...I know it ruins a nice put-down but...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1098716646123335292004-10-25T16:04:00.000+01:002004-10-25T16:04:00.000+01:00I think not! It's called 'know thine enemy' or mor...I think not! It's called 'know thine enemy' or more politely, 'opposition research'.Iain Dalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1098716046716368482004-10-25T15:54:00.000+01:002004-10-25T15:54:00.000+01:00Tory PPC reads LibDem news? Perhaps he's thinking...Tory PPC reads LibDem news? Perhaps he's thinking of defecting to us? Perish the thought.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1098657716747510062004-10-24T23:41:00.000+01:002004-10-24T23:41:00.000+01:00to Germany, surely?to Germany, surely?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1098655174424160232004-10-24T22:59:00.000+01:002004-10-24T22:59:00.000+01:00And to think, I nearly published the Orange Book! ...And to think, I nearly published the Orange Book! You're right. David Laws would be quite at home in the Conservative Party, although I'm not sure I'd want Oaten. He rivals Paddy Ashdown in the holier than thou stakes.Iain Dalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.com