Restless Natives

20 September 2010



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Clegg Tries Reassuring LibDem Activists, Loses School Vote

The first Liberal Democrat conference at which there are actually members of the party sitting in Cabinet opened over the week-end. Deputy Prime Minister and Party Leader Nick Clegg took questions from party activists unsettled by the direction of the coalition. He received what might best be called a slouching ovation for his efforts. Then, the conference debated and voted against the coalition government on its "free schools" policy.

After 65 years out of office, the Liberals (now Liberal Democrats) simply don't have people around who remember how politics works once one has won power. Many complain that they never would have voted Liberal if they knew they would get a Conservative government. The naiveté is astounding, as if they truly believed they would get a Liberal majority.

Yet, there stood Mr. Clegg facing the righteous indignation (or these folks being Lib activists, hurt feelings) of the party somewhat faithful. One named Jill Hope asked him, "Why are the Liberal Democrats being blamed for the cuts, while the Conservatives are being praised for policies we brought to the Coalition?" She urged the Liberals in government to speak out about differences with the Tories. Mr. Clegg told her that trying to "grab the opportunity to create some synthetic differences" was a short-term winner and long-term loser that would damage the Coalition.

Sandra Gidley, a former MP, summed up the purist view, "We seem to be drifting as a party towards the right and there are quite a lot of people feeling disenfranchised because the party we see now isn't the party we joined. The public see us as a party that is putting power before the people." Nothing can be done for the people without power. One would have thought a former MP would understand that, but apparently not.

Today, the conference took up the debate on free schools, a Tory policy. Up to 16 free schools, funded by central government and not subject to consultation with local councils, are set to open by September 2011. As the Press Association wrote, "Attempts by the leadership to water down the criticism by removing claims that the policy would increase 'social divisiveness and inequity' were resoundingly thrown out following a passionate debate in the packed hall. Few spoke up in favour of the policy despite Education Minister Sarah Teather warning that the boycott would be 'fundamentally illiberal' and the scale of the majority in favour sent a clear message to the party leadership. The motion - which is also highly critical of the creation of new academy schools - calls on all Lib Dems 'to urge people not to take up the option' of creating the 'free' schools championed by Tory Education Secretary Michael Gove."

Mr. Clegg will address the conference later today. He is assuredly looking forward to filling in for Prime Minister Cameron (who is on paternity leave) at the UN General Assembly later this week. One would certainly rather deal with Mugabe, Chavez and Ahmadinejad that the Liberal Party delegates in their current mood.

© Copyright 2010 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.

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