Liberal Democrat Voice

In March this year we announced the Jenkinsite Policy Network after a members vote, and though it has taken longer than any of us expected, we have finally gotten to the stage where we can announce our statement of intent! The statement was drafted by myself, Andy Chandler and Mathew Hulbert (of Matthew on Monday fame) and is intended to set out the principles of Liberal Social Democracy that will inform the policies we intend to push going forward.

I had a tear or too yesterday when I saw Yi-Pei Chou Turvey MSP become the first British politician to receive the European Liberal Forum’s “Rising star” award. It is fantastic to see her recognised for her work on Aberdeenshire Council at the start of her term as the North East’s Lib Dem MSP. Sal Brinton was there and sent me this video of the event and Yi-Pei’s speech. Yi-Pei said: I am humbled and honoured to receive this award on the 50th anniversary of ALDE.

I am an immigrant. I emigrated from the United States to the United Kingdom on the 12th of December 1971. I had studied for a year in Britain 18 months before and fell in love with the country and one of its citizens and moved back despite the dreary weather and traffic jams. I did not flee a Middle Eastern War. I did not turf up at Heathrow claiming political persecution. I did not risk my life to cross the English Channel in freezing weather. Nor was I fleeing from poverty or conflict.

Richard Webber, husband to Catherine, father to Edward, Rebecca, Richard, and Sophie, was my friend and mentor, and he died peacefully at home last Sunday after a long fight with oesophageal cancer. Richard was an inspiring teacher, much respected councillor, entrepreneur, dearly beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many.

I have been a Liberal Democrat, and part of the wider liberal tradition, for my entire adult life. I believe there has rarely been a more important time for liberal politics to be at the forefront of British public life. Yet too often, our party seems more comfortable talking about blocking 16 and 17-year-olds from social media than trusting the same young people we have long argued should have the right to vote. That matters. Liberalism is not meant to be timid.

On Monday I had lunch with an American friend who was visiting London. I mentioned that later that day I was co-sponsoring an event in Parliament with Labour MP Clive Lewis on the subject of defending UK democracy. Her expression changed immediately. “Please,” she said, “learn from us.” She wasn’t talking about Donald Trump as an individual.

The recent (and long overdue) release of the UK’s Defence Investment Plan (DIP) has only intensified the long-running debate about how to fund an increase in the UK Defence Budget, a debate that has already cost the Labour Government two Ministers.

Andy Burnham’s launch speech in Manchester raised hopes of a sustained plan to devolve power away from Whitehall. If the reality matches the rhetoric, that will be a massive achievement and will greatly improve our system of governance. But any Liberal Democrat who has been battling for decades for genuine local, community-based decision making and against the infantilisation of local government is entitled to some scepticism.

Regional redistribution from the wealthy South-East to Britain’s poorer cities, towns and villages is a sensitive issue for Liberal Democrats. When Britain left the EU and English regions and the devolved nations lost their share of EU regional funding (part of the balancing gains to the UK that the Leave campaign successfully ignored) the imbalance of investment and funding between the wealthy south-east and the rest of the UK tipped further.

Thanks to a Brazilian friend, I had the opportunity to attend the International Seminar on Culture and Climate Change, which took place on Friday afternoon at Somerset House in London. The event was organised by several institutions, including a department of my alma mater, UCL’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, and was attended by His Excellency Antonio Patriota, Ambassador of Brazil (pictured speaking above).