What do the LibDems do now?

oak trees

After the worst electoral defeat in living memory, we need to be sure why we exist. And where we’re going.

It isn’t enough just be “not like the others”. We need to reclaim what makes the Liberal Democrats distinctive, differentiated – truly liberal. We are not pale imitations of this party or that. We are the guardians of British Liberalism, and we cannot – will not – let it wither and die.

So here’s a refined Liberal message, based on our shared Liberal Democrat history, that we can all, surely, unite around, rebuild our party around, and take to the people:

We exist to protect those without power.

We exist to give them a voice.

We exist to ensure that Government serves them, not the other way round.

We do not hunt for some mythical place called the centre ground, we search for a place where there is justice, and compassion, and where the great talents of the people are liberated for the greater good of the community.

We do not seek to rule our people, we seek to give them the tools, the knowledge and the support so that they may rule themselves.

If you agree with this very simple statement, please comment here and show your support – or raise any issues – please post it on your blog, on your Facebook page, tweet a link to this article, have it adopted by your local party, write to what’s left of the Parliamentary party to get them fired up and agreeing …

Remember: the future starts today. The future is what we make of it.

Be a planter of oak trees.

oak trees

‘Questions’ by Jeremy Sandford

http://www.jeremysandford.org.uk/
http://www.jeremysandford.org.uk/

there was a time
when I who was
who I was then
walked and sang
only
injustice
fought my fight
shouting amidst
the blackness

so how can I now
sitting by lemon-green waters
or in green mountains
warmed by an April sun
reconcile
myself as I am now
with he who fought so long
amid the darkness
against injustice

that contented man who now
the mirror shows me
that man who now
pitches his tent
beside the waters
of a more
Arcadian sea
how can I be that same he
who once ‘the conscience of
a nation stirred’?

a voice answers
there came the day
you learned with pain
that he who touches pitch
will become himself defiled
that in fighting ugliness
you had yourself become ugly
and, despite all the evils in it
the world remains a place
where beauty can be achieved

you knew already that
a man is ennobled
by fighting evil
where he finds it
now it was time to learn that
it is also necessary for a man
to find peace within himself
which then may be contagious

to seek to put oneself alright
to find a pattern in just one day
this can be a sacrament
so, after many years
fighting the negative
a man may seek
to ally himself with
the positive.


 

‘Questions’ By Jeremy Sandford
www.jeremysandford.org.uk

What policies would very liberal people support ?

What policies would very liberal people support?
Both in your own locality and globally.

• Legalise Homosexuality over the age of 18?
• Legalise Prostititution?
• Legalise and tax Cannabis?
• Legalise alcohol where it is prohibited?
• Legalise all drugs?
• Freedom of religion?
• Libel or Free Speech?
• Tax the rich or No Tax ?
• Less laws, less government.
• John Stuart Mill, Tom Paine, Emma Goldman?

Charlie Hebdo

charlie-hebdo-by-lucille-clerc
by Lucille Clerc

On Wednesday 7th January (while this website was being built) 2 armed men invaded the office of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and killed seven cartoonists. The next day some newspapers reprinted cartoons which have offended some Muslims, other newspapers didn’t. This brought up much debate of possible limits to Freedom to Speech …

See tribute cartoons at: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/08/europe/charlie-hebdo-cartoons/

 


(This post has been written today, Saturday10January2015 but backdated to the date of the events so that posts will appear in a timeline)