Nick Clegg's Lib Dems have received a boost in the polls after the first televised debate between the three main party leaders. I can understand why Nick Clegg came out on top, he had a free hand whilst the two main parties attacked each other, but I hope that people will now take a hard look at his strange policies. It's easy to go on about fairness, but being fair actually requires more than just empty words.
Equality:
The Lib Dems currently have 63 MPs and not a single one of them is black or Asian, and of those 63, only 9 are women. Does that sound like a fair and progressive party? Not only that, but if you look at all the seats where the Lib Dems stand a chance of winning in the Election, not one of their candidates is black or Asian. The Lib Dem party is an all white, mostly male party now, and it will be exactly the same after the Election. Take a look at the picture above - It is the picture at the top of the lib Dem website - and it is a lie. The Lib Dems are the party that is truly stuck in the past when it comes to equality. Click to enlarge the picture to the left if you want to see the real face of the Lib Dems. You may notice that they have packed five women into the top two rows.Defence:
Nick Clegg wants to scrap the replacement for Trident, our Nuclear defence system. Unbelievably he suggests that we don't need a deterrent, or that it could be replaced with a land based system that can be made ready in six months if threatened. We have lived with nuclear threat warnings that have been measured in minutes - now Clegg is asking any aggressor to give us six months warning - is Clegg living on the same planet as the rest of us? It is the nuclear deterrent that has protected this country since the last world war.Immigration:
On immigration the Lib Dems are all for an amnesty allowing those illegal immigrants already here to stay here. Clegg rejects the Conservative policy to cap the number of people coming here, and he is quite happy for immigration to remain in the hundreds of thousands. It's a pity that he seems to be less than happy to allow newcomers to become Lib Dem MPs. Remember that is highly unlikely that any Lib Dem MPs after this election will be black or Asian, and very few will be women.Crime:
On Crime Clegg wants to scrap short sentences. This is the kind of wishy washy policy that the Lib Dems are known for. Labour have let us down by letting prisoners out early, the Lib Dems want to go further by not locking them up in the first place. It is this kind of Liberal thinking that has caused our prisons to become more like holiday camps. Whilst the public are crying out for tougher sentencing and harder time, the Lib Dems want to leave criminals free to roam our streets. Do you think the Lib Dems will bring in tougher sentencing, or build more prisons? No, nor do I.EU:
Don't forget for one minute that the Lib Dems under Nick Clegg voted for the Lisbon Treaty - the Conservatives were the only major party to vote against the Treaty. Now Clegg wants us to join the Euro and integrate further in the EU - he wants us to became part of one big European super state. This former MEP is an out and out Europhile and does not care that most Britons do not want to give away more powers to our EU masters.There are many more disturbing Lib Dem policies and I urge you to have a good look at them before even considering voting for them. There's a good reason they have been the third party for such a long time, and it is all down to their weird wishy washy policies.
25 comments:
Well, I for one find Nick Clegg a breath of fresh air and he's got my vote for sure.
I think the days of Labour-Conservative may be coming to an end
Another reason is their central tax policy: http://tinyurl.com/y4brvqr
Okay. I agree Nick Clegg has had an easy ride, but perception is everything. If Brown and Cameron gang up on Clegg on Thursday, he will still come out on top.
It's very easy to come out and criticise your opponents. The more you do it, the less you have to offer. The Conservative Party has contrived to lose this election. It has not been radical and honest enough and now it is going to launch a blistering attack on Nick Clegg. It's too little, too late. There is not going to be a majority of Conservative MPs after the election.
If the leadership had listened to me and others articulating the same views for more time than I care to mention, the Tories would not be in this position. I told the same to Sam Coates. I've just heard Osborne saying the Conservative Party is firmly in the centre ground. The voters are sick of the centre ground. He sounds like Tony Blair. They want a radical alternative, and they don't have one, so they move to the LibDems because Clegg didn't engage in yah-boo politics and is perceived as being honest when it comes to the budget deficit and the waste in organisations such as the NHS.
If people were daft enough to support Labour, they're certainly daft enough to vote Clegg. Given the size of the poisoned chalice that would be handed to the Conservatives if they should win, contriving to lose seems a rational policy... not good for the country... but wise nonetheless.
I normally respect your posts and I am also pro Conservative and definitely anti Gordon Brown. However, this is a bit of a rant.
(1) It doesn't matter what sex or colour you are if you are best person for the job. Anti discrimination is just another name for discrimination. White male able bodied Anglican heterosexuals are the most disciminated against group in the UK
(2)Read the LibDem manifesto and you will see that joining the Euro requires a referendum
(3)Their immigration policy requires there to be a local sponsored job for the immigrant to go to. That's better than a blanket cap in my view.
Slag 'em off my all means, but let's be balanced about it and stick to the facts or you are in danger of turning voters against your own party through negative campaigning. Cameron needs to get his finger out and this is not the way to do it.
Incidentally, I have read all 3 manifestos (sad twat that I am) and as far as style and presentation are concerned they are streets ahead. Plus they are actually the only Party to show in detail where the monies coming from.
No wonder they are doing so well...
Very true, Dioclese. We all know cuts have to be made. We all know they are going to be painful. Labour and Conservatives argue between themselves and the LibDems say they will not ring fence spending on the NHS because there is too much waste; more managers than beds, etc. They propose an increase in the personal allowance to £10K and show how they will pay for it. It's no wonder voters regard them as a serious alternative.
Hmm, where do I start. First of all I am NOT LIB DEM, but, as you are English I may need to speak slowly and use small words to make this understood.
Number 1, You do not need ethnics to be part of the government to be ethnically minded. (Go on call me a racist you know you want to)
Just because I am white, and you are black it does not mean I am not able to make decisions that are suited to you. If you believe otherwise then your an idiot. (Go on call me a racist, you know you want to)
Number 2, You do not need women to be part of the government just to avoid being sexist. (Go on, vent again) It is another lie to say that just because I am a man that it is impossible for me to decided on women's issues. I could easily have female advisors who can assist me if needed.
IF you honestly believe this is that you must have the two of the above, otherwise you look like a "Bad person", then again, your an idiot. You have been pulled into the biggest lie and con, and my guess is you have a windmill on your house, and don't use batteries.
FHOE,
I didn't use the word racists once and I do not think that the Lib Dems are at all racist. I do however think that they are massive hypocrites trying to portray themselves as a multi-racial party on their website, when they are anything but.
p.s No windmills and I do use batteries.
Diocles at point 2 says that joining the Euro requires a referendum.
Ho bloody ho. Do you remember Clegg reneging on a promise to support a referendum?
The reason LDs have no BME MPs is because of our internal democracy. Most of our parliamentary candidates are locally sourced - hard-working activists from the local area. In the south-west and affluent metropolitan suburbs, which is where the bulk of LD MPs currently represent, these are likely to be white. Our candidates in more cosmopolitan areas many of our candidates are BME, but they don't win, because these tend to be Labour voting areas. Unlike CCHQ, Cowley St does not have the power to enforce all-women shortlists/all BME shortlists/centrally-approved candidates, so is thus unable to apply quota systems that look good on The Daily Politics. This will change as the Lib Dems start winning more seats.
A poster of my own on my blog, the loaf in question came out of our breadmaker this morning - can't think why Nick Clegg sprang to mind.......
Mrs S.
What is your party going to do about the budget deficit? Nobody believes that Snake Oil Salesman George Osborne. Your manifesto is specifics light.
Why didn't Cameron present anything about the "Big Society" that was the whole thrust of your manifesto?
The truth is your Party thought they would win the election at a canter, offered the debate to the Prime Minister who was lagging in the polls to look modern. The price for that was involving Clegg and the Lib Dems Your Party's and your Leader's arrogance that somehow he could paint himself out as the PM in waiting and the great communicator went up in smoke on Thursday.
At the time these debates were agreed your arrogant spin doctors were talking about Clegg as being Cameron lite - big mistake, huge! Unfortunately for call me Dave, he has turned out to be Clegg lite!
The final arrogance was the way your party airbrushed any fully costed detail from your manifesto so that you could offer vague hope rather than concrete proposals.
Now the panic has set in and the attack dogs are out.
Your Party and Labour have screwed up our Parliamentary democracy by failing to embrace the constitutional changes that have led directly to the scandals of the MP's expenses issues.
Your Party and Labour have failed to regulate the Banks effectively.
As for Europe and the Tories, don't get me started. Heath took us in without a democratic mandate. Thatcher put through the Single European Act, Major forced Maastrict through, and Cameron has allied the Tories in Brussels with the mad looney anti immigrant, anti gay right.
Neither Tory or Labour want a proper debate on Europe because both are split. We need a proper debate about the merits and faults of being part of the EU, and then referenda about any fundamental change of powers or switching to the currency. Indeed we need a referendum about remaining in the EU and then put this argument to bed for a generation.
I am not by the way a Lib Dem activist or member. What was great about Thursdays debate is that at last the complacency of the buggins turn mentality of alternate Tory and Labour governments was blown wide open. Roll on the next two debates.
This is typical spiel of a Tory supporter. All posh whaffle and not enough common sense. Labour let us down; yes The Tories let us down; yes. We need change. Nick Clegg is your man - and the brilliant Vince Cave is a genius too. Vince Cave will make Britain Great again. The Poor are getting poorer and the Tories will cripple them even more. You might be at home on your new iPad watching a 1000ft flat screen telly in your Buckinghamshire home, flirting with your iphone in your other hand while asking the dog's hairdresser for another espresso, but half of Britain is stuck in a one bedroom council house wondering how they're going to earn a few pennies to rub together next week.
Anon,
Thanks for the laugh. Psst it's Vince Cable not Cave.
And this is not just any old spiel, this is Lib Dem policy fact spiel.
There are also two other issues.
1) Economic policy is to the left of Labour in terms of taxing the rich. If you think the 50% tax rate would actually lower tax revenues, what about tax relief on pensions being reduced to the basic rate, or the mansion tax? Taxing the rich often reduces tax revenue.
For more details see
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8149296713213520917&postID=6267394269484096668
2) Nick Clegg is a nice man in charge of the nice people's party. I would suggest that the Lib-Dems are not hard-nosed enough to drive through the huge cuts required. They will U-Turn pretty quickly, leaving the problem even greater for another parliament.
Immigration - A policy supported by Boris Johnson.
Crime - A policy supported by Iain Duncan-Smith.
Oh dear. Do you want me to go on ?
NB,
Yes please do. But before you start, I should point out that neither Boris or Iain are the leader of the Conservative party and that these are not Tory policies - they are Lib Dem policies.
The YouGov poll tonight showed that the voters like Nick Clegg, but not his policies. What will they do when they find out the truth?
Boris Johnson is the most powerful Conservative in the country though, but not part of the leadership, that's true.
Good article, I've raised similar issues in a post today on the hollowness of Cleggamania.
You, like every other rational thinker have hit the nail on the head over this whole surge in popularity some of the arguments against your piece fall straight into the categories I raised!
Glad to see someone thinking properly!
turnips. Yes I meant Vince Cable. Sorry, had a senior moment ;)
The Lib Dems idiotic policies will be Cleggs undoing, I don't think the British public have suddenly become Pro E.U, criminal loving peace activists over night. We've been here before, remember the SDP? they we're going to sweep away all before them until people took at closer look. The next debate is not going to be easy for Clegg, he will look weak on defence and the E.U.
Was going to read and put a considered opinion up, however, silly contrived photo's and 'puppet-like' media give me the imprssion that this page is better served in political satire rather than an informed debate. Good luck on replacing Mock the Week, sigh.
Why are you writing comments on Iain Dales' blog which are lies?
The Lib Dems DO support an in-out EU referendum-read the manifesto it is on page 67.
Of course it is obvious you are lying about this so everything-else you claim is very spurious. I hope you are really proud of yourself. Pathetic
Simon Wilson,
Read the manifesto again. It says he will offer a referendum if there are any further attempts to have a major change to the constitution. He promised an in/ out referendum, now he has moved the goal posts. Any EU loving idiot can offer an in/out referendum because polling shows that while voters do not want further integration into the EU, they do not want to leave it. By abstaining from the Lisbon treaty vote Clegg was doing the usual Lib Dem fence sitting act.
Clegg loves the EU and wants the UK to integrate further, joining the Euro for a start - call me a liar if I'm wrong.
Under the Liberal Democrats, the Euro would not be joined until the economic circumstances are right and then put to a referendum. The huge international economic shake-up, banking crises,regulatory malfunction and recession surely mean that nothing should be ruled out for ever-ongoing reform of our own banking system and macro and micro economic approaches still take us into unchartered waters.
A Liberal Democrat Government would hold an in/out referendum the only thing in question is timing and that can only be decided when an incoming governemt has taken stock of current position and estimates for the future. Cameron's cast iron guarantee fell by the wayside-lessons must be learned from his mistakes as well as the failure of new Labour.
The Tories are rattled. This wasn't in the script and their response shows how much they fear the Liberal Democrats. The lies, smears and prejudice plastered over the front pages of the right wing press was always the predictable responses.
The politics of fear offered by the parties of the establishment will not put off the masses of people who want real change. Politics is about momentum and it is pretty clear in which direction it is heading.
Sure debate Liberal Democrat policies but why not do so from an informed position and see the bigger picture?
Also, 5.6% of Lib Dem candidates in this election will be from BME communities. Not enough but actually slightly more than the Conservatives. There are BME canidiates in many target seats, places like Leicester South where Parmjit Singh Gill is seeking to regain the seat won in a by-election then lost marginally in last GE.
I believe that positive action is a good option but this approach would not be enough. The only way to ensure more BME candidates is to reform the outdated and disfunctional electoral system.
Finally, I do apologise for the tone of my previous comment-more frustration with smear tactics and media distortion.
Best wishes
Simon Wilson
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