Sky leadership debate

Posted on 17th Jan 2006 by Lynne Featherstone

Monday night was the live Sky TV hustings for the Lib Dem leadership contest. So I went up to Martin Horwood and David Howarth’s office to watch. I was somewhat surprised to see myself doing a sort of Big Brother walk on, sit down, speak to camera and off as one of three little pieces preceding the main event. I had simply forgotten that I had run into Sky the week before and done it – not realising it was for the live hustings.

Anyway – irrelevant! Chris Huhne did good. I have to say – he came over really well: determined, passionate, eloquent and convincing. And I really enjoyed seeing the other three already adopting the issues and ideas he had raised on the first hustings on green taxes, commitment to black and ethnic minority MPs, localism and so on. Imitation being the best form of flattery etc

Afterwards they went to a random grouping they had set up in a pub in Carshalton to see how the four candidates had gone down. The one I really liked was a floating voter who had thought that she would like Ming or Simon – but said that although she had not heard of him previously – Chris came over the best. Way to go!

First Lib Dem leadership hustings

Posted on 14th Jan 2006 by Lynne Featherstone

The Liberal Democrats have a conference titled ‘Meeting the Challenge’ which was always scheduled for today. It was to find the party’s ‘narrative’ following a general election where we did really well – but perhaps didn’t reach the hoped for heights. One of the reasons seemed to be that while our individual policies, such as free care for the elderly, our stance on Iraq, scrapping Council Tax in favour of local income tax and ending top up fees were very popular, overall people didn’t automatically know what Lib Dem meant.

Of course, events of the last few weeks meant that the environment in which this conference found itself was somewhat changed and the ‘challenge’ has become all the more pointed.

So – four candidates in the ring so far. The man who many people initially thought would almost certainly take over and who started as favourite – Sir Menzies Campbell; Simon Hughes (Party President), who has replaced Ming as the bookies’ favourite; Mark Oaten, Lib Dem Shadow Home Secretary (and my boss in the Home Affairs Team); and my boy – Chris Huhne, who started as a rank outsider at 300-1 with odds now closing at 7-1.

I am supporting Chris because it’s not the office of leader he is interested in for its own sake. He wants to get the Lib Dems into power. And he knows what he wants to do with that power and where he wants to take the party. For me – I am looking at who can take the fight to Gordon Brown and beat him on his own territory. Chris can do it. I want to know that the man (and sadly there are no women standing) who wins this contest could handle running the country and the fight to get to that position.

And, he answered the big questions for me. One of them is the question the media keep on putting to us (and so we have to have an answer to) about whether the party should go left or right. The stock answer we give in our party to this – is ‘neither left nor right but straight on’ – or equivalent such phrases. Chris answered the question as how a party of conscience and reform progresses into the next era. It’s really about using taxation to discourage behaviour which damages our environment, whilst using the money raised that way to take those who are poorest out of taxation all together. So – overall, no increase in taxation, but a fairer society and a better environment for all. Redistribution and responsible consumption in one – that’s the combination that is both liberal and effective. That’s the unique combination that Liberal Democrats need now.

So the hustings began. Ming had the misfortune of a ropey microphone for the first few minutes – but overcame the technical difficulties and delivered a really excellent speech – particularly the second half and the parts on our internationalist commitment. Simon Hughes gave a really good speech too. He rings the buzzers for the party faithful with his challenge to inequalities in society. At the same time, Simon ditched the party’s commitment to a 50p rate on earnings over £100,000. Mark Oaten gave a really vigorous and energetic speech about moving us into the 21st century.

And of course Chris. I thought the boy did brilliant. He was confident, competent and credible. What I really liked (as did others judging from the vox pops afterwards where activists who hadn’t really known much about him were so impressed – plus the verdict on Radio 4’s PM program that it was Chris who made converts) was that he started with the real challenges we face in the world – globalisation and global warming – and quite frankly, unless we ‘meet the challenge’ of the world as it is – we won’t be addressing the real issues facing us. And he delivered ideas. The others all said that we need new ideas – Chris actually gave some. The most radical and challenging is the beginning of the switch away from personal taxation to eco-taxes – a tax system that really is based on responsible consumption and the use of this tax to redistribute to those at the bottom of the income scale to take them out of tax.

You can see his speech in full on the Chris Huhne campaign website (or watch it on the BBC’s website – RealPlayer or Windows Media Player required) but two other key issues he raised for me were firstly – a head-on personal commitment from him as leader to use his personal influence to ensure that we ethnic minority MPs elected at the next General Election. And whilst he is pleased that we have such a talented influx of new women MPs (I blush) we need more. No one else put this at the top of their agenda.

The other key issue he raised was the organisation of the party machine. Chris showed understanding that we need to have a fearsome campaigning machine – which means tools and money for the Campaigns Department – to compete in this ferocious world of political contest.

So – needless to say – he ticked my boxes!

Taser guns

Posted on 13th Jan 2006 by Lynne Featherstone

Things move on at a staggering pace when politics is in full flow – and it is. Chris Huhne – who I am backing for the Lib Dem leadership – came in this morning and – having ‘slept on it’ – decided it is now all systems go. To me – this shows he has the balls for leadership – because that’s what it takes

Of course, there is risk, but nothing ventured nothing gained – and this party needs a leader that will take it forward with radical thinking and exceptional skill.

All the candidates (including Chris) answered my seven questions that I posted up here for all the candidates. I will not publicise their answers, but on the one that the media so fastened on – the issue around what part was played by each in Kennedy’s downfall and what had they done in the preceding five years to address the problem – what I will say is that I was satisfied that they all acted in what they thought was the best interest of a wounded colleague and the party.

Retrospectively, we can all say how could this have been allowed to drag on for so long – but good intentions were at the heart of the matter. And for me – the inquest is ended. As to who briefed the press before Christmas – I don’t think we will ever know. The journalists involved know – but they will never reveal who done it. So – we will move on. Pick ourselves up – dust ourselves off – and concentrate on electing our new leader and making real gains at the local elections in May.

I’m backing Chris because he’s the real deal and I think he has the big idea. He may have started out as the dark horse of this race – but hey – life’s for living, and the bookies have already been slashing the odds on him. Some will say that he’s cheeky (or worse) to run when he’s only been an MP for 8 months. Personally I think that’s a positive advantage – as he hasn’t yet been seduced by the Westminster bubble and his memory still retains the imprint of the real world which is where it all matters. Chris will bring the outside world into parliament – and that’s what it needs!

There is a lot of enthusiasm out there as word leaks out that Chris will run. Messages of support and financial pledges – and so much work to be done.

Meanwhile, life goes on and I meet with the makers of the taser gun. Tasers shoot darts on a wire into the victim – where they then deliver an electric charge less than those slimming toning things that are used as a beauty treatment (!). Given these guys seem to be cleaning up and already supply something like 9,000 police forces – and their shares have gone up 4,000% – they are clearly commercially successful. Ditto – they seem to be going down a storm with police forces. I voiced a concern that as it can be shot from 25 foot – meaning the police can avoid close contact – it might encourage police to be ‘trigger-happy’ if using it is seen as (for them) the easier option. The counter argument from the makers was that they are totally accountable as they record through camera, etc, all the data and evidence of each usage. Very impressive.