DOCSLIB.ORG

The Place for Radical Liberalism in the 21 Century

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Place for Radical Liberalism in the 21 Century THINK PIECE #93 The place for Radical Liberalism in the 21st century Chris Bowers and Paul Pettinger January 2018 ABOUT THE AUTHORS THINK PIECE Chris Bowers is a two-term Liberal Democrat #93 district councillor (including a spell as group leader), a three-time parliamentary candidate, author of Nick Clegg: the biography and Elections for Sale?, and co-editor with Caroline Lucas and Lisa Nandy of The Alternative. Paul Pettinger is a former city councillor and Lib Dem HQ employee who has spent the last eight years campaigning to ensure state-funded schools better promote integration. He sits on the boards of the Electoral Reform Society and Compass. ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION This paper was written by two Liberal Democrats with close links to Compass, to stimulate discussion within the Lib Dems about formulating the party's policy platform in a way that is both true to the party's radical roots and could make it part of any future Progressive Alliance. This paper is aimed at offering policy input to the review of Party Strategy currently being undertaken by the Federal Board. It makes the case for the party to embrace and advance radical liberalism in today’s political context. It is deliberately short in order to make its point, even at risk of cutting a few corners. The authors are delighted to make the paper available to Compass members and supporters in the hope that readers inside the Lib Dems and in other progressive parties and none see the radical side to Party that is essential to the electoral and political future of progressive politics. Published January 2018 by Compass By Chris Bowers and Paul Pettinger Compass is keen to keep exploring these key issues and would welcome any comments or ideas about © Compass how. All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism or review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievable system, or transmitted, in any Compass Think Pieces are shorter, sharper and form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, more immediate responses to key issues. The ideas recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of Compass. and the thoughts are always those of the author, not Compass Compass. They can cover any topic that helps us 81a Endell Street understand better what a good society should London WC2H 9DX or could look like and how we might get there. We [email protected] welcome suggestions for future publications, www.compassonline.org.uk especially from women and any groups or people in society who are under-represented in the field of Compass is a home for those who want to build and be a part of a political thought and action. Good Society; one where equality, sustainability and democracy are not mere aspirations, but a living reality. Please contact: [email protected] in We are founded on the belief that no single issue, organisation or the first instance. political party can make a Good Society a reality by themselves so we have to work together to make it happen. Compass is a place where people come together to create the visions, alliances and actions to be the change we wish to see in the world. Purpose brand with many former voters. Various There are enough discussion papers sculling policies, such as electoral reform and pro- around Liberal Democrat circles, so if there’s Europeanism, have long been associated with to be another one, it has to serve a clear the Lib Dems, but voters sometimes find it purpose. The aim behind this paper is twofold: hard to identify just what a Lib Dem vote actually means. With the two main parties • To define what today’s incarnation of currently further apart than for at least a radical liberalism means in terms of generation, the Liberal Democrats risk being policies and its unique place in today’s squeezed out of the picture by polarised terms political context; of debate. It is vital therefore that Liberal Democrats should set out much more clearly • To package those policies so they give their distinctness and relevance towards better a sense of purpose and identity to what meeting people’s needs over the immediate being a Liberal Democrat means, but in years ahead, and why they are an integral part a way that makes it clear where they of working for a progressive future. leave scope for working together with other parties, both before the next There are five recognitions that form the general election and afterwards, to help parameters in which the search for a definition ensure progressives dominate 21st and packaging of radical liberalism has to fall: century UK politics the way the Conservatives managed in the 20th. • The Conservatives are in government, which means progressive parties will In other words, we need to make it easier for inevitably be closer to each other by the public (including those either casually dint of shared opposition, and the next interested in politics or only interested at election is likely to be more of a ‘get election times) to understand what the Lib the Tories out’ election than at any time Dems stand for; we need to do so in a way that since 1997. In addition, intellectual the public and other progressives can get the common ground between Liberal message that voting Lib Dem will lead to Democrats and Conservatives was lasting political, social and economic change; exhausted during the 2010-15 coalition. and we need to be clear that Lib Dems are willing to work with others to help achieve a • Most Lib Dem target seats are more pluralistic, cohesive and collaborative Conservative-facing, where to succeed society. we need to strike a balance between winning favour from some soft Basic parameters Conservatives and generally doing a lot UK liberalism has a great tradition as a better at ‘squeezing’ anti-Conservative creative and radical force, often best known voters (which we did successfully in through leading reformist figures such as 1997). As Pack and Howarth found in Gladstone, Hobhouse, Lloyd George, Keynes, their 2015 ‘The 20% Strategy: Building Beveridge (a liberal whose ideas were a core vote for the Liberal Democrats’, implemented by a Labour government) and three fifths of voters with a broadly Grimond. More recently, positions such as liberal outlook hold views on the Kennedy’s opposition to the Iraq war and economic centre-left.1 This speaks to us Cable’s advocacy of wealth taxes can be seen rebuilding a public perception as an as a continuation of the party’s radical core. alternative centre-left party to Labour But the delicate balancing act and policy of (as occurred under the leaderships of equidistance that characterised the Clegg years Kennedy and Campbell) rather than a meant the party appeared to lack clarity about centre ground party that is equidistant its liberalism (a dangerous position for a party from the two main parties (and which based around values, rather than clearly risks us being aggressively squeezed by defined collective interests), and while both). We can say we’re sounder on understandable in a practical context, the economics than Labour, we can say 2010-15 coalition has toxified the Lib Dem we’re a more evidence-based 3 The place for Radical Liberalism in the 21st century alternative to Jeremy Corbyn, we can through the various shades of Labour say we’re the more pragmatic choice opinion such as Clive Lewis, Stephen for those who want a prosperous and Kinnock, Jonathan Reynolds and Jon compassionate society, but we need to Ashworth, to ‘Blairites’ like Chuka make clear that we are of the Umunna and Ben Bradshaw. In progressive centre-left and not the safe addition, an increasing number in and soggy centre. When the party Labour recognise that forging a more formally abandoned a position of equal society requires equal votes (that equidistance in 1995, the Federal democratic and economic equality are Executive adopted a statement which entwined). included the declaration: ‘No quarter for the Tories. No let-up on Labour. • If we believe in PR, we have to accept Liberal Democrats will continue to that, under PR, there is unlikely ever to campaign and win for the principles and be a single-party majority government, policies that we believe in.’2 While the and therefore parties will have to work statement was appropriate for the together. While we have to be awake to political context of its era, we believe the potential of frightening away voters such public positioning offers a useful with the prospect of cooperating with example for today about how the party one party or another, we have more to might again go about maintaining its gain for liberal voters by establishing distinctiveness while also indicating the principle of cooperation in the that it operates on the centre-left. public’s mind and delivering them a louder voice through PR. • A key long-term goal has to be a proportional voting system for the • Centrism and equidistance doesn’t work House of Commons. Only then can we for minor liberal parties. It leaves them truly pursue liberalism unencumbered open to being aggressively squeezed. by electoral tactics and ensure liberal As the Lib Dem blogger and political voters can finally punch their weight. science PhD student Nick Barlow The Conservatives are not going to explained in 2015, where the main deliver PR: the 2017 Conservative parties of the left and right are not close manifesto committed the party to together and cannot form governments ensuring first-past-the-post was with each other, liberal parties must introduced for all police and mayoral ‘pick a side’ between left or right and elections in England, and many work within it.5 This is what almost all Conservatives would prefer Labour to other liberal parties do on the national have an overall majority so it doesn’t stage.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Wednesday 27 February 2019 Order Paper No.258: Part 1
    Wednesday 27 February 2019 Order Paper No.258: Part 1 SUMMARY AGENDA: CHAMBER 11.30am Prayers Deferred divisions will take place in the ‘No’ Lobby between 11.30am and 2.00pm Afterwards Oral Questions: Wales 12 noon Oral Questions: Prime Minister 12.30pm Urgent Questions, Ministerial Statements (if any) Up to 20 minutes Ten Minute Rule Motion: Planning (Affordable Housing and Land Compensation) (Helen Hayes) No debate Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) (No. 2) Bill: Second and Third Reading Until any hour* Business of the House (Today) (Motion) (*if the 7.00pm Business of the House Motion is agreed to) Until 7.00pm UK’s withdrawal from the European Union (Motion) No debate after Joint Committee on the draft Domestic Abuse Bill (Motion) 7.00pm No debate Presentation of Public Petitions Until 7.30pm or for Adjournment Debate: Older people’s dental health (Andrew half an hour Selous) WESTMINSTER HALL 9.30am Eating Disorders Awareness week 11.00am Adriatic Land 5 Ltd, Stevenage (The sitting will be suspended from 11.30am to 2.30pm.) 2.30pm Future of the Department for International Development 4.00pm Role of unincorporated associations in electoral funding 4.30pm Rights and protections for residents of leisure park homes 2 Wednesday 27 February 2019 OP No.258: Part 1 CONTENTS CONTENTS PART 1: BUSINESS TODAY 3 Chamber 16 Deferred Divisions 18 Westminster Hall 19 Written Statements 20 Committees meeting today 26 Committee reports published today 27 Announcements 29 Further Information PART 2: FUTURE BUSINESS 32 A. Calendar of Business 48 B. Remaining Orders and Notices Notes: Item marked [R] indicates that a member has declared a relevant interest.
    [Show full text]
  • STRONGER ECONOMY, FAIRER SOCIETY Welcome to the Directory for the Liberal Democrat Autumn 2014 Federal Conference
    LIBERAL DEMOCRATS AUTUMN CONFERENCE DIRECTORY GLASGOW 4TH-8TH OCTOBER 2014 Clear print version This clear print version of the Conference Directory matches as closely as possible the text of the published Directory. Page number cross references are correct within this clear print document. Some information may appear in a different place from its location in the published Directory. Complex layouts and graphics have been omitted. Some pages, such as the map of Glasgow and venue and exhibition plans, are available as separate documents at www.libdems.org.uk/conference_papers A plain text version of the Directory is available at www.libdems.org.uk/conference_papers The Directory and other conference publications, in PDF, plain text and clear print formats, are available online at www.libdems.org.uk/conference_papers Edited by Emma Price and published by The Conference Office, Liberal Democrats, 8–10 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AE. Designed and produced by Mike Cooper, [email protected]. STRONGER ECONOMY, FAIRER SOCIETY Welcome to the Directory for the Liberal Democrat Autumn 2014 Federal Conference. Conference venue Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) Exhibition Way, Glasgow, G3 8YW www.secc.co.uk Conference hotel Crowne Plaza Glasgow Congress Road, Glasgow, G3 8QT www.crowneplazaglasgow.co.uk Official fringe venue Hotel Campanile Glasgow 10 Tunnel Street, Glasgow, G3 8HL www.campanile-glasgow-secc.co.uk If you have any questions whilst at conference please ask a conference steward or go to the Information Desk in the foyer of the Clyde Auditorium. For the details of conference sessions, motions etc. and auditorium information, see the separate Agenda.
    [Show full text]
  • Where Next for the Liberal Democrats?
    Where next for the Liberal Democrats? Tim Bale Aron Cheung Alan Wager It has, to put it mildly, been a difficult twelve months for the Liberal Democrats. A year ago this week, polling conducted by YouGov and Ipsos Mori showed their support at 20% – a level the party had not enjoyed since they’d entered their ill-fated coalition with the Conservatives in the spring of 2010. Nine long years later, they were daring to dream once again: could it be that, under Jo Swinson, we would soon see the UK’s electoral map coloured with the same amount of Lib Dem yellow that Charles Kennedy and, latterly, Nick Clegg had once achieved? The answer, of course, was no. The general election that followed was a not just an electoral disappointment but a disaster – so much so that Swinson herself lost her seat. Not only that, but the party’s main policy aim – to reverse the Brexit decision – lay in tatters. Yet, despite these setbacks, the new electoral geography of the post-Brexit era brings with it challenges but also opportunities for the Liberal Democrats – existential questions but also, if they can exploit their new electoral coalition, some potential answers. This short paper hopes to set all this out just as ballots open for the party’s new leader. Putting the 2019 result in historical context The eleven seats the Liberal Democrats won in December 2019 may have represented a slight decline on the dozen the party achieved in 2017 under Tim Farron; but they also represented a near-halving of the 21 which, following multiple defections, the party went into the general election defending.
    [Show full text]
  • Conference Daily Monday 16 September 2019 Autumn Conference Bournemouth
    Conference Daily Monday 16 September 2019 Autumn Conference Bournemouth Information from the Federal Conference Committee for Monday 16 September and report back for Sunday 15 September. Please read in conjunction with the Agenda and Conference Extra. Timetable and contents Report back for Sunday 15 September Timetable for Monday 16 September 09.00–09.35 F25 Policy Motion: Music Venues 5 09.35–09.30 F26 Policy Motion: United Against Crime 5 11.00–11.20 F27 Speech: Chuka Umunna MP 6 11.20–14.10 Lunch 14.10–14.30 F28 Speech: Siobhan Benita 14.30–16.10 F29 Policy Motion: Tackling the Climate Crisis Together 6 16.10–16.30 F30 Speech: Rt Hon Sir Edward Davey MP 8 16.30–17.15 F31 Policy Motion: Open Britain: Policies to Support Tourism 8 17.15–18.00 F32 Emergency motion: Amazon Fires 8 If no page number is indicated next to a session or item of business, there are no changes or additional information to that in the Conference Agenda or Conference Extra. Please note that timings are approximate only. Some items of business may occur earlier than indicated. Members wishing to speak are requested to submit a speaker’s card as soon as possible. Speaker’s cards can be submitted online up to one hour before the start of the debate at www.libdems.org.uk/speakers-card Published by the Policy Unit, Liberal Democrats, 8–10 George Street, London, SW1P 3AE. Design and layout by Mike Cooper, [email protected]. Conference Daily Monday, Autumn 2019 DEMAND BETTER THAN BREXIT 1 ‘What next for Lib Dem education policy?’ 16:30 - 17:30 | Monday 16th September 2019 Bay View 2 | Bournemouth International Centre (Secure Zone) With confirmed speakers: Layla Moran MP (Education Spokesperson); Rt Hon.
    [Show full text]
  • Liberal Democrat Annual Report 2019
    Annual Report 2019 Liberal Democrat Group Local Government Association LGA Liberal Democrat Group 2019 Annual Report contents 3 A message from the Leader of the LGA Liberal Democrat Group 6 LGA Liberal Democrat Group Executive 2017-2019 7 Your Liberal Democrat LGA Board Representatives 8 The 2019 Election and the LGA’s Political Balance REPORTS: 9 Children and Young People Board 10 LGA Liberal Democrat Group Whip 12 Community Wellbeing Board 13 Culture, Tourism and Sport Board 14 Environment, Economy, Housing & Transport Board 15 Improvement and Innovation Board 16 Resources Board 17 Safer and Stronger Communities Board 18 Fire Service Management Committee and Fire Commission 19 City Regions Board 20 People and Places Board 21 Liberal Democrat Retained Peers Report 23 District Councils Network Report 24 County Councils Network Report 25 Brexit Task and Finish Group 26 The LGA Liberal Democrat Group Office Front page: Liberal Democrats celebrate taking control of Bath and North East Somerset Council in May 2019. Photo: Clive Dellard 2 A message from Welcome to your 2019 Annual Report. This is your organisation please take a few minutes to read what we The Leader of the are doing on your behalf. LGA Liberal It’s important all Liberal Democrat councillors know about the work of the LGA Liberal Democrat Group over Democrat Group the past year and you see what your lead members have been doing on your behalf. Thank you Firstly, thank you all for allowing the current leadership of the group to be elected unopposed. I know I speak for us all in saying it is a great honour to lead our LGA Liberal Democrat Team, and the trust you have shown us is not taken lightly.
    [Show full text]
  • 2021 Autumn Conference
    ONLINE AUTUMN CONFERENCE 2021 17-20 SEPTEMBER DIRECTORY NEU Network Help us shape the future of education: be part of the National Education Union Councillor network. Being a member of our network will give you: > Access to written briefings. > Regular information about education issues. > Access to our events for councillors. The NEU Councillors Network is open to councillors from all political parties. The Network is now over 4,000 members strong. Join our Network at neu.org.uk/councillors-network or by scanning the QR code e [email protected] @neucllrs @NEUCllrs NEU2258/0721 NEU2258 Lib Dem advert 2 FP.indd 1 26/07/2021 13:42 CONFERENCE DIRECTORY 1 Welcome to the Liberal Democrat Online Autumn 2021 Conference Directory. Please note that the Conference Directory is available online only and not in hard copy format. Updates to the Conference Directory will be issued periodically up until conference and published online at: www.libdems.org.uk/a21-directory For details of the main auditorium sessions, see the separate Conference Agenda, available at: www.libdems.org.uk/a21-agenda Further information, registration and conference publications (including plain text and clear print versions) are available at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference Contents Feature: 2–3 Welcome to our online Autumn Conference from Ed Davey MP and Mark Pack Conference information: 4–9 Exhibition: 11–15 Fringe and training: 16–65 Friday 17 September 19 Saturday 18 September 27 Sunday 19 September 46 Monday 20 September 59 Autumn 2021 Directory vsn 2 Published and promoted by Mike Dixon on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, 1 Vincent Square, London, SW1P 2PN.
    [Show full text]
  • Cross-Border Trade) Bill
    1 House of Commons NOTICES OF AMENDMENTS given up to and including Friday 2 March 2018 New Amendments handed in are marked thus Amendments which will comply with the required notice period at their next appearance CONSIDERATION OF BILL (REPORT STAGE) TAXATION (CROSS-BORDER TRADE) BILL NOTE This document includes all amendments tabled to date and includes any withdrawn amendments at the end. The amendments have been arranged in the order in which they relate to the Bill. Anna Soubry Mr Kenneth Clarke Mr Chris Leslie Chuka Umunna Stephen Doughty Wes Streeting Kate Green Rushanara Ali Mr Ben Bradshaw Dr Paul Williams Mr David Lammy Heidi Alexander Ian Murray Liz Kendall Gareth Thomas Martin Whitfield Maria Eagle Ruth Cadbury Darren Jones Alison McGovern Tulip Siddiq Stella Creasy Angela Smith Ann Coffey Peter Kyle Phil Wilson Seema Malhotra Mike Gapes Stephen Kinnock Geraint Davies Stephen Timms Mrs Madeleine Moon Neil Coyle 2 Consideration of Bill (Report Stage): 2 March 2018 Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill, continued Mary Creagh Catherine McKinnell Anna Turley Mrs Louise Ellman Tom Brake Kerry McCarthy Kirsty Blackman Dame Margaret Hodge Dr Rupa Huq Catherine West Luciana Berger Liz Saville Roberts Hywel Williams Ben Lake Jonathan Edwards Layla Moran Stephen Lloyd Caroline Lucas Tim Farron Jamie Stone Helen Hayes Susan Elan Jones Mr Alistair Carmichael NC1 To move the following Clause— “EU Customs Union and pre-commencement requirements (1) It shall be a negotiating objective of Her Majesty’s Government in negotiations on the matters specified in subsection (2) to maintain the United Kingdom’s participation in the EU Customs Union.
    [Show full text]
  • Whole Day Download the Hansard Record of the Entire Day in PDF Format. PDF File, 1.11
    Monday Volume 699 19 July 2021 No. 36 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday 19 July 2021 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2021 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 647 19 JULY 2021 Oral Answers 648 action to protect people sleeping rough or at risk of House of Commons doing so. This saved lives and achieved huge reductions in the number of people sleeping rough: a 37% decrease Monday 19 July 2021 in the latest statistics. Our ambition to end rough sleeping within this Parliament still stands. We are taking into The House met at half-past Two o’clock account the lessons learned from our ongoing pandemic response,including Everyone In and the Protect programme, PRAYERS to inform our long-term plans. Layla Moran [V]: The Everyone In scheme has [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] undoubtedly been a success and led to incredible stories Virtual participation in proceedings commenced (Orders, of lives being turned around in a housing-first approach 4 June and 30 December 2020). that has support from all sides of the House. However, [NB: [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] several councils have reported that the Government have instructed them, through the terms of the rough Speaker’s Statement sleeping initiative funding allocations, to end the use of emergency accommodation for those sleeping rough, so Mr Speaker: I wish to make a short statement about signalling the end of the Everyone In scheme. To make working safely on the parliamentary estate and the matters worse, the rough sleeping strategy is still in need wearing of face coverings.
    [Show full text]
  • Demand Better
    DIRECTORY Autumn Conference Brighton 15 - 18 SEPTEMBER 2018 DEMAND BETTER Final_design_agendadirectory2018.indd 2 23/07/2018 11:54:52 We are all different… Donald Sylvia Mohammed Jane Carlos …and yet all the same Help us Demand Better on diversity… …find us in the conference exhibition area to Make Your Mark. Liberal Democrat Campaign for Racial Equality Contents Welcome to the Liberal Feature 4–5 Democrat 2018 conference My mission to turn the Liberal Directory. Democrats into an ‘ideas factory’ If you have any questions whilst at by Rt Hon Sir Vince Cable MP conference please ask a conference Conference information: 7–12 steward or go to the Information Conference hotel plan 11 Desk on the ground floor of the Brighton Centre. Venue and exhibition plans 12 Exhibition: 13–19 Conference venue List of exhibitors 13 Brighton Centre Directory of exhibitors 14 King’s Road, Brighton BN1 2GR Fringe & training guide: 21–64 Fringe venues and key 21 Please note that the Brighton Centre is within the secure zone Saturday fringe & training 23 and that access is only possible Sunday fringe & training 37 with a valid conference pass. Monday fringe & training 50 Tuesday fringe & training 61 Conference hotel Hilton Brighton Metropole Map of Brighton city centre back King’s Road cover Brighton BN1 2FU For information about the main auditorium sessions, see the Further information, registration separate conference Agenda. and conference publications (including plain text and clear print versions) are available at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference ISBN 978-1-910763-51-3 Edited by Emma Price and published by Printed by Park Communications Ltd, The Conference Office, Liberal Democrats, Alpine Way, London E6 6LA.
    [Show full text]
  • How We Change the Political System to Change Society
    ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT A PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE How we change the political system to change society Neal Lawson Foreword by Caroline Lucas, Clive Lewis and Layla Moran Published June 2021 by Compass By Neal Lawson About the author: Neal Lawson is Executive Director of Compass. Acknowledgements: The author would like to thank Marie-Caroline Wheatley, Frances Foley, Gabriel Everington, Caroline Lucas, Layla Moran and Clive Lewis for their comments on an early draft of this paper. All errors lie with the author. © Compass All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism or review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievable system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of Compass. 2 All You Need to Know about a Progressive Alliance Please get in touch, join, support and work with us. Write to us at Freepost Compass Email us at [email protected] You can follow us on Twitter @CompassOffice To find out more about Compass, please visit our website: www.compassonline.org.uk/join About Compass and this project Compass is a platform for a good society, a world that is much more equal, sustainable and democratic. We build networks of ideas, parties and organisations to help make systemic change happen. Our strategic focus is to understand, build, support and accelerate new forms of democratic practice and collaborative action that are taking place in civil society and the economy, and to link that up with state reforms and policy.
    [Show full text]
  • Brexit Timeline
    BREXIT TIMELINE BREXIT TIMELINE 1 BREXIT TIMELINE 6 December 2005 David Cameron becomes Conservative leader David Cameron wins the leadership of the Conservative Party. In the campaign, he promises to take the party out of the European People’s Party (EPP) grouping in the European Parliament 1 October 2006 Cameron first conference speech In his first conference speech, David Cameron implores his party to stop ‘banging on about Europe’ 4 June 2009 European Parliament elections The 2009 European Parliament elections see the UK Independence Party (UKIP) finished second in a major election for the first time in its history. 22 June 2009 Conservative Party form new grouping Conservative MEPs form part of a new group in the European Conservatives and Reformists group (ECR), as the party formally leaves the EPP. 20 May 2010 Coalition agrees to status quo on Europe The Coalition Agreement is published, which states that ‘Britain should play a leading role in an enlarged European Union, but that no further powers should be transferred to Brussels without a referendum.’ 5 May 2011 Alternative Vote referendum The UK holds a referendum on electoral reform and a move to the Alternative Vote. The No to AV campaign – led by many figures who would go on to be part of Vote Leave – wins decisively by a margin of 68% to 32%. 9 December 2011 David Cameron vetoes The Prime Minister vetoes treaty change designed to help manage the Eurozone crisis, arguing it is not in the UK’s interest – particularly in restrictions the changes might place on financial services. 23 January 2013 The Bloomberg Speech In a speech at Bloomberg’s offices in central London, David Cameron sets out his views on the future of the EU and the need for reform and a new UK-EU settlement.
    [Show full text]
  • Conference Directory 1 Conference Directory
    CLEARPRINT Conference AGENDA V 2 - conference extra CLEARPRINT CONFERENCE DIRECTORY 1 CONFERENCE DIRECTORY Autumn 2021 Directory vsn 2 clearprint This clear print / large text version of the Conference Directory matches as closely as possible the text of the published Directory. Page number cross references are correct within this clear print document. Some information may appear in a different place from its location in the published Directory. Complex layouts and graphics have been omitted. Published and promoted by Mike Dixon on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, 1 Vincent Square, London, SW1P 2PN. Design and layout by Mike Cooper, mike@ mikecoopermcc.co.uk. CLEARPRINT Conference AGENDA V 2 - conference extra CLEARPRINT CONFERENCE DIRECTORY 2 Welcome to the Liberal Democrat Online Autumn 2021 Conference Directory. Please note that the Conference Directory is available online only and not in hard copy format. Updates to the Conference Directory will be issued periodically up until conference and published online at: www.libdems.org.uk/a21-directory For details of the main auditorium sessions, see the separate Conference Agenda, available at: www.libdems.org.uk/a21-agenda Further information, registration and conference publications (including plain text and clear print versions) are available at: www.libdems.org.uk/conference Contents Feature: 3–4 Welcome to our online Autumn Conference from Ed Davey MP and Mark Pack Conference information: 5–10 Exhibition: 11–17 Fringe and training: 18–71 Friday 17 September 21 Saturday 18 September 30 Sunday 19 September 48 Monday 20 September 63 CLEARPRINT Conference AGENDA V 2 - conference extra CLEARPRINT CONFERENCE DIRECTORY 3 FEATURE Welcome to our online Autumn Conference from Ed Davey MP Our stunning win in Chesham & Amersham is the most significant by-election victory for our Party since Brent East back in 2003.
    [Show full text]