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Thursday 17 June 2010

My reply to Derek Simpson of Unite's invitation to rip up my membership card

I can hear the trembling of many of my friends and colleagues now as they read the title of this blog post, but have faith my people, I will be polite and not tell Derek Simpson to shove it up his......

So Derek, you are urging me and my fellow members of the Liberal Democrats to rip up our membership cards?

Let me ask you a few questions first, if I may?

Why have you not been so vocal about the sheer outrageous level of the borrowing by your own Labour cronies when in Government, plunging us into the biggest debt we have ever known?

Why do you feel bringing British Airways to its knees and on the brink of bankruptcy by continuously striving for strike action will achieve anything positive?

Why did you not cut Unites ties with Labour over the illegal war in Iraq?

You see, there will be reasons why you won't answer those questions and I will not rip up my membership card, nor will I resign my membership of the Liberal Democrats because Nick Clegg and our party have entered into a working coalition government to sort out the mess that Labour have left behind after thirteen years of being in government.

It was Labour that stopped the rainbow coalition government being formed because of their refusal to work with the SNP, however in reality bringing so many parties together would not have had a balanced or steady work flow to achieve anything whereas the grown up approach of both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives has already seen dividends.

Don't get me wrong Derek, I am not in favour of the Conservatives and I will be doing everything in my power over the next eleven months to beat them in every constituency and region across Scotland to get Tavish Scott as First Minister and the Liberal Democrats as the Government of Scotland.

Being in a grown up coalition doesn't stop that.

There will be policy announcements and changes that my moral compass doesn't agree with, but very few people join a political party because of just one individual thing, as you very well know.

I am a Liberal Democrat, proud of being so and proud that we are in government.

I am unhappy we are having to waste time sorting out and paying for your Party's frivolous attitude to spending over the last thirteen years.

So, no I won't rip up my membership card you can shove that request up where the sun don't shine!

2 comments:

Stephen Glenn said...

Hear, hear.

As someone who cut their campaigning teeth deep in what was then Tory heartland I similarly don't like them much.

However, I do give them this, they realised there was a problem, they needed to work with others, and to bring others along they had to be some give and take.

Labour forgot two things.

1. Where was the give?
2. What on earth could the rainbow guarantee to get done?

Somewhere over the rainbow is where Labour's heart, principles and 'prudence' seem to have gone. I guess they're not in Kansas anymore and can't find the way home.

Unknown said...

As much as there is a need for the public sector to be sorted out, and as much as some blame has to be attached to Labour's spending, surely you appreciate the large number of people who see the biggest factor as the banking sector's big swipe of the economy into recession - that prompted a reduction in tax income and inevitable increase in benefit claimants and demands on the public purse.

By all means, let's have some back office efficiencies, Jo, in the public sector, but please ensure the bankers, who were more than a fair share responsible for the recession and deficit, pay more than a fair share of the debt! That is not just about fairness, but also to ensure that bankers and businesses everywhere realise that they have to accept that for which they are responsible in order to deter them from doing it again!

Otherwise, why on earth would a banker NOT continue to take outrageous risks and make stupid bets and loans, knowing they will be bailed out and then also not expected to stump up for their mistakes!?

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