Another Day At The Lib Dem Conference

Another day at the Lib Dem conference, another waste of time. The Lib Dems are really improving on the success of yesterday's conference. Will Cleggers keep his seat?

Over To The Lib Dem Conference Hall

Says it all about the Lib Dems. Can things get better than 6% in the polls?

Lib Dems Helping Those In [Insert Area Name Here]

The Lib Dems are really struggling at the moment especially in the East Midlands. Last week Elvis beat the Lib Dems so they were last in the Clifton North by-election, not a great place to be. But it has got a lot worse with another camapigning mess up by Michael Mullaney, the parliamentary candidate for Bosworth. On the Lib Dem website it says that Micahel is an 'experienced local campaigner in Hinckley and Bosworth.' However he cannot be that experienced because he forgot to insert the name of his local area into the Lib Dem stock campaign literature. Nick Clegg is having a great few weeks.

Weekly Poll Lowdown

Democracy lives on through #ThingsElliottSays' weekly poll. 69% of you want there to be a referendum on the EU. 31% are either Lib Dems or members of the House of Lords, that fine democratic institution. But it's good to see that roughly you're on the money when it comes to public opinion. The Let Britain Decide Literature proudly boasts that 62% of people want a referendum on Europe according to YouGov. 70% was also the average amount of people who wanted a vote on the EU when the People's Pledge conducting a few polls in marginal constituencies up and down the country.

Should we Let Britain Decide over Europe?

Yes	69%
No	31%
Unsure	0%

Total votes: 65

It will come as no surprise to you that I would like to see a referendum on the EU. For far too long we have had no say on the matter and considering, either through deception or massive evolution, the EU is no longer the trading bloc we signed up to in the 1970s we deserve to say whether we should be in it or not. In a truly functioning democracy I think people deserve a say. That is why I think Labour and the Lib Dems are making a big mistake over this referendum.

The Lib Dems, although they are trying to chase the people who are solid Europhiles, are not actually defending their beliefs. Challenging Nigel Farage to a debate on LBC and saying the odd word about how we must stay in Europe is not going to win them many of these votes. What a Europhile voter would respond to the best, even if they don't per se want a referendum*, would be to engage with the Let Britain Decide campaign by backing a referendum in the House of Commons. A robust defence of the European Union could see us stay inside it. There is undoubtedly going to be an EU referendum now but the decision to leave is by no means decided and is a very big ask. Its not like this tactic hasn't been tried in some way with great success by the Lib Dems before.

Don't you wish the Lib Dems would keep to their promises.

Labour too have missed a good chance because they could have essentially nulled any polling gain the Conservatives could have from this referendum. As polling suggests time and again Europe is not the biggest problem as seen by the average voter. This is mostly because the EU is actually fairly distant in a lot of respects to everyday life, not that everyone over a copy of a newspaper doesn't have a breakfast table moan about the EU with an inevitable article everyday. But people still care and there is a small but not insignificant amount of voters who do have the European Union as a top priority especially when combined with immigration. If Labour wants a realistic majority, because their 35% strategic will not work depending on how well previous Lib Dem voters dig in, they need to try win back some of the people concerned with Europe and immigration that follows from it.

This man, who lined his pockets with millions from Brussels, may be a reason why Labour won't back a referendum.

I would be surprised if all the main parties do not have a referendum in their manifesto for these reasons; although stranger things have happened. Personally I am very likely to vote out, Dave will have to get a lot back if he wants my vote in 2017. When trade is shrinking inside the EU and the rest of the world is booming, what's the point of shackling ourselves to a cartel?

Vote in the New Poll.

* A fair proportion of those who want a vote have already decided they want to stay in Europe but want people to voice their opinions.

Tim Farron Explains Why Rennard Lost the Lib Dem Whip

Lord Rennard has been cooking up a media storm for the Lib Dems.

Its not been a great week for the Lib Dems has it. Lord Rennard was let off the hook after complaints of sexual misconduct to several women. The old boys in the Lib Dems just didn't understand the moral problems with the peers promiscuous behaviour. At least Nick Clegg realises this is a political disaster and has now withdrawn Lord Rennard's Lib Dem whip, although legally speaking I'm not sure that it is allowed.

This has led Tim Farron, the Lib Dem President, to take action and he has emailed all Lib Dems explaining why Lord Rennard has had the whip taken away. He has emailed Seb explaining the situation.

Dear Sebastian,

It has been a difficult few days for the party. Many of you have contacted me directly to express your anger and disappointment at Lord Rennard's refusal to apologise following the recommendations of the investigation into his behaviour. As President, I wanted you to hear from me.

Along with Nick Clegg, I made my view absolutely clear - Lord Rennard's refusal to apologise is unacceptable. Most importantly, Lord Rennard is actively rejecting calls to apologise from party members and is refusing to comply with a formal party body.

This refusal was grounds for further action.

Today it has been decided that Lord Rennard's membership of the Liberal Democrats will be suspended, and that he will be subject to a fresh investigation over his refusal to apologise.

This decision was taken by the Regional Parties’ Committee (the body which adjudicates on internal disciplinary matters in England) following a large number of complaints from party members. This decision means he will not be able to sit as a Liberal Democrat in the House of Lords, and will not be allowed to sit on our party's Federal Policy Committee.

I understand why some people have chosen to strongly defend Lord Rennard. He was instrumental in much of our electoral success, and has given many years of service. However, everyone in the party has a responsibility to treat others with respect, and no length of service can or should lessen that obligation.

No doubt some of you will want to share your thoughts on this issue with me directly. I hope that you do.

As President, I want to make sure that you always know that your thoughts, feelings, and feedback matter to me.

Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to personally thank you for everything you do for the party.

Very best wishes, Tim

I'm sure Nick Clegg is having a great start to the week.

Muppet's Pledge

Julian Huppert the Lib Dem MP for Cambridge has kicked off the new year pledges season for those in Parliament. Julian has an amazing reputation in my home county of Cambridgeshire where he is known as Julian Muppet. This name is not surprising when he has backed the scrapping of Trident, is massively for the EU and has as his top priority the statutory registration of hairdressers. Maybe we'll cross path over the weekend at YBF? Anyway, this is what he has pledged.

Can we trust Julian on his pledge though considering the last one he made has gone down in history.

At least he is not making this one with Cleggers who is having to make do and mend more than his clothes.

Weekly Poll Lowdown

Well it seems the Lib Dem conference is too boring to even comment upon. Only 4 of you voted and half of those people were either sarcastic or Lib Dem members when they said 'I love Lib Dem conferences. Why am I not there now?'. 

What do you think of the Lib Dem conference.

Boring!!!	25%
I was excited by the prospect of a by-election when Ed Davey was nearly killed by a falling sign.	25%
I am a keen beard spotter so am watching every moment, but not for the politics.	0%
I love Lib Dem conferences. Why am I not there now?	50%

Total votes: 4

I think the Lib Dem conferences are pointless. Nothing really went on of any interest except Ed Davey getting attacked by a sign that fell over in the wind. I guess wind power is not as friendly as Ed wishes to make out.

The Lib Dem conference seemed to be focussed around two things this year. Firstly a 5p charge on carrier bags which is a terrible policy because this industry employs many people and doesn't solve the problem of a cleaner environment because those who throw litter will still be doing so. Also why is this suddenly a Lib Dem flagship policy it's not a vote winner but yet that was the only policy being talked about. Nobody will say in 2015 "I'm voting Lib Dem because I want to pay 5p for every carrier bag". Nick Clegg really needs to think more about saving his seats not coming up with pointless nonsense.

The new enemy of the state, those who use plastic bags to go shopping.

The other big story was the fact that Vince Cable, the Anti-Business Secretary, made a fuss by coming out as opposed to the Lib Dem leadership and its economic policies. Vince Cable has done bugger all in his job except slap more regulation on business and hike across the Indian Sub Continent in a desperate attempt to increase trade despite the EU tariffs. This is not the way to run a department if we're to grow the economy, create jobs and make everyone's lives better. Cable's policies are from the dark days of a command economy where everyone was equal, equally poor and abused by the state. It's a wonder he still has a job, please fire him Dave. 

Vince has caused great friction, not just with Conservatives but also with Nick Clegg and Danny Alexander who have enough brains to realise he will try for the leadership of the party and try take it to the left of Social Democracy. Both actions would destroy what's left of the party. But this may happen anyway due to the Lib Dems madly loving the good Dr just because he says that he alone predicted the crash. However this is not true because everyone could see a new recession coming apart from Gordon Brown*. I bet even Napoleon III predicted the crash, and he's been dead for over one hundred years. 

Dr Vince Cable looking down upon the mere people who must be controlled by a state run economy.

So there we are, a boring conference where the most major things were Ed Davey's near death experience, carrier bags becoming top Lib Dem priority and a mad and backward seventy year old man upsetting everyone. This picture of course makes everyone want to vote Lib Dem. I hope Seb realises soon the Lib Dem bird is dead. 

RIP

*If we are realistic he could see it coming too because he increased state spending to avoid small recessions in 2006 and 2007, which made the 2008 crash worse for the UK. Gordon just said stupidly "we have ended boom and bust".

Vote in the new poll on the sidebar.