“Kennedy: I’ll use my ‘sgian dubh’ to keep party in line“. It turns out he’s not slurring his speech again as I first suspected. I just found out from Wikipedia that it’s the skeen doo. Ooooh, that! I am well into Scottish culture, me.
Archive: Charles Kennedy
MatGB has it absolutely spot on about the Liberal Democrats. I’ve argued before that economics is no longer the big ideological chasm it apparently once was. I say apparently, because I am too young to remember such a time.
Not everybody from Labour would like to agree with me. They like to characterise the Lib Dems as right-wing. What’s that supposed to mean any more? In favour of capitalism? Oh no!!
I have also always been greatly amused by the accusation that the Lib Dems inherently lack principles. They’ll often say, “They’ll say one thing in one part of the country, and another thing in a different part.” Did Labour mention the war much in areas with a large Muslim population?
Besides, since when was having a little argument amongst themselves a big problem for either the Conservatives or Labour? They are always at it! I read an interesting comment on Matt T’s blog by somebody called Ross, recalling a joke he once heard:
“All the parties have ideological divisions, Old Labour versus New Labour, Wets versus Dries for the Conservatives and for the Liberal Democrats David versus Jeremy”
Maybe it is just that the Lib Dems now have enough MP’s to develop factional tendancies.
As for the current goings-on in the Lib Dems, it seems like a bigger version of what’s happened a few times before. Although some seem to doubt it, I’m fairly convinced that Menzies Campbell is the biggest stirrer. He’s always banging on about how he wishes he was leader, and his “no comment” comments only slightly give the game away.
I think Menzies Campbell is great. People always point out that he’s too old, but I don’t think it’s a disadvantage for Campbell. Being an old, grey, bald fuddy-duddy like Major, Hague, IDS or Howard is a disadvantage, but I don’t think you can feasibly put Campbell into that bracket.
I think Charles Kennedy is alright, although often he seems to look and sound incredibly tired — when I heard him during PMQs on the radio a couple of weeks ago he sounded absolutely horrendous. The frequent allegations about his drinking reflect badly, although being a raging drunkard never stopped Winston Churchill or Clement Attlee.
I find it amusing that the other parties are trying their best to capitalise on the Lib Dems’ current leadership crisis given that the Conservatives have just come out of one and Labour have been in one since 1994.
Charles Kennedy has written an open letter to Tony Blair.
…When you were in opposition, you actively courted my predecessor Paddy Ashdown with promises about reform of the voting system and a switch to proportional representation. In government, you set up a commission under the late Roy Jenkins – then refused to implement its findings. You set up a Joint Consultative Committee, which continued until it became clear that there was to be no serious movement on the matter of fair votes.
Prime Minister, you have failed the electorate over the issue of PR. Under your premiership, the Scottish Parliament and Welsh assembly have been established and, like the elections to the European parliament and the Greater London Assembly, these are conducted under various systems involving PR. Next year in Scotland, local government will be transformed with a switch to a proportional system. Yet there is no movement, or any sign of a serious debate about the principle – let alone a timetable – for the same degree of democracy to be offered for elections to Westminster or to local government in England and Wales.
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We have had promises, reports and committees set up by your government, but nothing has changed. Now, the only possible way forward is a Prime Ministerial statement about your personal position on electoral reform and your Government’s intentions. There should be no equivocation and a clear vision.
Surely, the time has come to listen and to engage with the nations of the UK It is time to make a real commitment to resolve this deepening democratic deficit. A decision on PR and a timetable for its introduction would be a fine and enduring legacy to bequeath the British people.
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Everybody seems to be commenting on this evening’s edition of Question Time. I saw most of it, but I turned off as Michael Howard’s slot became little more than a shouting match between immigrants and Howard. And he was rubbish on the issue of Iraq, but what do you expect? He certainly had a tough time.
Charles Kennedy was extremely impressive though. Even when I didn’t agree with him I felt convinced. But I feel that the audience did not challenge him enough. Probably not seen as enough of a threat.
And Tony Blair seemed to be impressing no-one. I avoid these sorts of things these days because they just end up being all about Iraq, which I am quite fed up with. But I tuned in towards the end. David Dimbleby asked him why he wouldn’t have a face-to-face debate with the other party leaders, to a sporadic applause. He of course said that there is such a debate in the House of Commons every week. But that’s not really true. Prime Minister’s Questions is just that — questions for the Prime Minister. It is only a debate in the loosest form. For a start, the Prime Minister always gets the last word! Everybody’s going on about Blair’s sweating. Can’t say I noticed that myself, but he certainly didn’t seem to be on top form…
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