New Direction
The Liberal Democrats need a New Direction. This is why I’m standing for leader. I begin here with my view of where we are after the 2019 General Election.
Ten years ago, we were filled with great optimism for our liberal future, but we ended the decade with real disappointment. We started with the hope of making lasting changes for a tolerant, sustainable and outward-looking Britain. We have ended with eleven MPs, the most right-wing government in recent history, and departure from the EU.
We Liberal Democrats cannot pass off all responsibility for this outcome. In hindsight, wrong choices were made.
Policy Focus
Climate Action
We have a choice. Either we believe that climate action is genuinely cross party and can be addressed by a Conservative government with our input. Or we recognise that real climate action will only come from the progressive left. I advocate the latter. Tories refuse to accept the radical change that our society must undergo. It is the pace of change that matters, and they are failing to deliver even on the old 80% targets.
Read more...
Our Future in Europe
We have a choice. Either we treat membership of the EU as a genuine and live possibility at every stage in the difficult years ahead. Or we leave membership as a pipe dream and work now only for the closest possible relationship with the EU. I advocate the former. I believe the UK must be at the heart of the EU, shaping its direction as we always have. If we let the flame of EU membership die now it may never be relit.
Read more...
Party Reform
We have a choice. Either we continue the status quo with internal structures that can be slow and cumbersome, and often lead to us being late adopters of new ideas and spontaneous campaigns. Or we see our party as an insurgent decentralised force, able to react quickly, brimming with ideas and always open to trying new things. I advocate the latter. With eleven MPs we are not contenders for national government but we are influencers for liberal values.
Read more
A Better Democracy
We have a choice. We Liberal Democrats all want Proportional Representation, but it remains as far away as ever. Either we continue as before with PR as a vague aspiration. Or we proactively pursue the hard practicalities and compromises of delivering PR. I advocate the latter. This includes revisiting our internal debate about the merits of different PR systems, working towards a consensus with other like-minded parties, and fighting the next General Election on a shared PR platform.
A Progressive Alliance
We have a choice. Either we pay lip service to the idea of working with other progressive parties. Or we actually make the difficult compromises to build a winning alliance that can defeat Conservative MPs at the next General Election. I advocate the latter. This means careful negotiation starting this year – not at the last minute – to identify which one of the progressive parties has the best chance to defeat the Conservatives in each constituency.
Read More...
Local Government Matters
We have a choice. Either we continue to treat local government as secondary to what happens in Westminster. Or we recognise the power of local democracy as the main driver for change to deliver on our liberal values. I advocate the latter. We are a grassroots party and are at our best when we set free the ideas and innovations that come out of our local communities, which we can deliver with proper funding and extensive devolution.
Read more...