Saturday, January 07, 2006

So what next?

Looking at my bookshelf I see on one battered spine of my dogeared copy of Charles Kennedy 'The Future of Politics'. So what is the future of politics for the Liberal Democrat Party?

In Charles' resignation speech he said that:

'A new, democratically-elected leader is in place as soon as possible to take the party forward.'


Like Chris Black said only 5 days ago, it seems longer, I don't want a coronation. I want like Chris and charles a vote amongst the party membership to democratically elect our leader. As Charles Kennedy said in recent days the leadership is in the gift of hte membership and not to be sliced up by the 62 members who are forunate enough to have access to the floor of the House of Commons.

Mark Oaten has said:

'I need to talk to the other possible contenders but I'm in no mood to have a long drawn out issue.'


Actually Mark no what me and many other members of hte party now want is not for an undemocratic coronation we want to have our say. Our MPs have had plent to say on this issue and two opportunities to stand a candidate against Charles Kennedy since the General Election to get their point across. I want the right to make my choice and voice, and that of every member, to count just as I have as a conference voting rep on the policies that the new leader will be leading us forward over.

There are only two decisions in our party that are open to all members, the leadership and the presidency. Others are decided either regionally or by democratically elected representatives of our local partys.

Therefore whoever the new leader is to be needs to be elected. The leading candidates should talk to their parlimentary colleagues to assure that they have the support required then start to look at raising the required support from party members allowing them to stand. Let us hear what they ahve to offer, let us make up our mind, let us rank our options in order of preference on our ballot papers. Then the party can do what Mark Oaten has also said and 'unite and move forward'.

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