Gracious, principled, and preparing to fight again – one candidate is missed

Alex Cole-Hamilton's gracious tweet on election night 2011.

Alex Cole-Hamilton

Caron Lindsay has well and truly summed up the results for our friends in the Scottish Liberal Democrats. One of our contributors who has been somewhat busy with the Yes to Fairer Votes campaign here stood for the Party‘s nomination for Edinburgh Central last year. Stephen Glenn didn’t get the nomination, Alex Cole-Hamiltondid. Even though Alex didn’t get in, I completely agree with what Caron said about him on her blog.

Alex Cole-Hamilton didn’t win Edinburgh Central, despite running the most inspirational and energetic Liberal Democrat campaign in Scotland. He’s unlikely to get in on the list either because Margaret Smith will likely be the only Lib Dem elected, if there is one at all in Lothians. I will admit to a bit of a cry when I read this gracious  tweet from him.

If my defeat tonight is part payment so that no child will spend another night in a detention centre then I accept it, with all my heart.

Principles run deep with him, and his dedication to children shows. I’m gutted he won’t be there, this Parliament at least.

Neil Hamilton RIP

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Neil Hamilton who died suddenly yesterday on polling day whilst a candidate for the Westerhope ward of Newcastle City Council. The election is likely to be re-run.

Related Articles

• Election results 2011: Scottish parliament results in full (guardian.co.uk)
• Lib Dem candidate is found dead (bbc.co.uk)

Northern Ireland deserves better

Together with activists from Yes to Fairer Votes members of the Liberal Democrats in Northern Ireland will be attending the event at Belfast City Hall at 1pm.

Last May three of Belfast’s four MPs were elected on a minority mandate, without the support of a majority of their constituents. More than 70,000 votes were wasted, cast for a candidate who never stood a chance of representing their supporters.

Local party chair, Michael Carchrie Campbell said:

Today I am proud to be attending with party colleagues the event that shows that Belfast is joining fifty towns and cities across the country to help win an historic victory for all voters in the United Kingdom. It’s an argument we can’t afford to lose.

The choice in May is between change and business as usual. In Belfast the status quo is not an option.

Further updates to come.

Political donations: NIO not promoting a transparent society

Image via Wikipedia

The decision of Hugo Swire MP to extend the legislation which prevents the public from finding out about donations to political parties in Northern Ireland is shameful. This is not reasonable.

As the Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats said in our submission to the Northern Ireland Office on this subject late last year,

1. A fair, free and open society “The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality, and community and in which no one shall be enslaved, by poverty, ignorance or conformity.”

2. Openness and transparency

The Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats fully support the openness and transparency that would be brought about by the full implementation of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 in Northern Ireland.

3. Recommendation

Therefore, we support the implementation of Option 12, id est Allow the prescribed period to expire and make the full register of donations available to the public.

Our position has not changed. I do not understand what parties – if not individuals – have got to hide. There ought to be public outcry about this. However, some people may be prepared to continue with the status quo: perhaps they have too much invested in getting politicians to do as they want.

a passion for ending injustice

What is the Social Liberal Forum?

David Hall-Matthews writes:

The Social Liberal Forum is a group within the Liberal Democrats run by members and activists.  Its aim is simple.  It is to make sure that party policy and direction develops and retails a Social Liberal approach.

This may sound rather esoteric.  But it is quite simply about making sure that our party maintains its passion for ending injustice and for working towards a fair society and ensuring that no one is “enslaved by poverty”.

We’re all aware that both in Government and in local councils up and down the country, the party has difficult decisions to take.  But it’s important that those decisions don’t create more unfairness or create more poverty.

We also know that it is the Social Liberal beliefs of our party that keep us distinctive – quite a challenge when working in coalitions.

You can find out more about the organisation at http://socialliberal.net

Violent scenes at Belfast Tuition Fees protest condemned

Protestors and police clash as Translink Metro is broad to standstill during the protest on Tuition Fees in Donegall Square, Belfast on December 9th, 2010. Pic: © 2010 Michael Carchrie Campbell

This afternoon Northern Ireland Liberal Democrat Chair Michael Carchrie Campbell was in Belfast city centre and witnessed the student protests outside City Hall at close quarters. Speaking a short time after leaving Donegall Square, Michael said:

“Whilst I support the students’ right to have their point heard, and indeed agree with them that this tripling of tuition fees is neither fair nor progressive, I have concerns about the way I witnessed ‘protestors‘ going about it.

“I saw missiles being thrown at PSNI officers as well as chants directed at them that are not acceptable as Northern Ireland seeks to create a truly shared future.

“I thank the PSNI for their work in marshalling the protest while looking out for the wellbeing of shoppers and workers going about their business in the city centre.

“The violent scenes from the ‘protestors’ at City Hall this afternoon are totally unacceptable and put members of the police and public at risk. I condemn those who have used this protest on student fees for violent ends: they are not helping the cause of those students who need their concerns to be taken into account at Westminster today, as our MPs gather to debate and vote on this important issue.”

a lot to cover: in 33 minutes

Image via Wikipedia

Last night, the Annual General Meeting of the Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats was held having been postponed from two weeks prior to that.

Not just the usual…

Apart from the usual business of AGMs – that of receiving reports, approving accounts, election of officers – we listened to Stephen Glenn, Regional Organiser for Northern Ireland, for the Yes to Fairer Votes campaign. I am sure that all in the Northern Ireland local party will be doing as much as they can do to support him in his role as we volunteer to help ensure that a Yes result is obtained in the Referendum on the Voting System.

Achievements
We looked back over the last year – and noted some achievements.

General Election 2010
We made donations to the campaigns in three different seats, helping one candidate to be elected.

Membership
We have gained members particularly since the General Election in May, and are still growing.

Blogging
This blog was kicked into life thanks to the repatriation of Top 20 Lib Dem Blogger Stephen Glenn in late summer. This blog was then ranked 75 in the Total Politics Liberal Democrat blogs list.

Other blogs which are run by Northern Irish Liberal Democrats include:

• Gyronny Herald, by me, Michael Carchrie Campbell
• In Keith’s Mind, by Keith McGrellis, and
• Stephen’s Liberal Journal, by Stephen Glenn.

Both Stephen’s Liberal Journal and Gyronny Herald have made it into LibDemVoice’s Golden Dozen a number of times since September.
Liberal Drinks
Started Liberal Drinks events which have been noted for their success at getting some of us sitting down and talking, as well as featuring Linda Jack of the Liberal Democrat Federal Policy Committee on occasion. We look forward to more of these in the New Year.

Consultations
Responded to NIO consultation on Donations and Loans to Northern Ireland Political Parties. Read it here.
Responded to OFMDFM consultation on draft Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration, which was supported by the DELGA Executive. Read it here.

Looking forward
All in all, the local party seems to be in a pretty active state, and I am looking forward to working, as Chair of the Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats, with the rest of the Executive elected for 2011 as we move ahead

to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity*

33 mins
We managed to get through all of the above in just 33 minutes. Is this a record for a Lib Dem AGM?

footnote
* from the Preamble to the Federal Constitution of the Liberal Democats

Disappointed in Anna Lo’s one party state

Anna Lo appears to want Northern Ireland to be a one party State just like the People's Republic of China.

I was disappointed when I read the comments of Alliance Party MLA for South Belfast, Anna Lo, following the story in Fermanagh’s Impartial Reporter about calls from SDLP Councillor John O’Kane for more co-operation between the SDLP, UUP, and Alliance.

Cllr O’Kane, said:

To be credible with the public we [SDLP] need to have some common platform with the UUP and possibly the Alliance Party as we go into the Assembly elections. Pact is a rather unfortunate word but if the Con-Dems can work in England [UK] then there’s no reason why we can’t make that type of model work here with the UUP. The Democrats* and Conservatives hate each other quite deeply but in the interests of the country they work together and present a united front. We must do that too.

Impartial Reporter

Anna Lo MLA said:

These comments are welcome and they are indicative of the shift of other parties and individuals towards the Alliance Party.

If the Alliance Party were truly concerned that the people of Northern Ireland come together, I should have expected Ms Lo to say that

they are indicative of the shift towards a shared future

not a particular party.

Ms Lo continues:

I am pleased that others now see that the Alliance vision is the right vision, but for us to make the transformation to a genuinely shared society, people must join the one party that deals with this issue ahead of all others, and that’s the Alliance Party.

This statement is in and of itself inherently sectarian. She says that “We must all join the ‘one party’ that deals with this issue ahead of all others”… Which one party would that be? Are we to become a one party State – like the People’s Republic of China? I rather think that Ms Lo would disagree.

There are other parties in Northern Ireland that share the shared future vision that many people in Northern Ireland want – not just those who are members of the Alliance Party.

Of course, if you were to take away the contentious, sectarian, bigoted nature of politics in Northern Ireland, what would the Alliance Party have left to stand for?

Can anyone tell me?

* Cllr O’Kane is using an old name for the Liberal Democrats. This was the name of the party between October 1988 and October 1989. DELGA is the sole surviving part of the Federal Party to still retain the name Democrats albeit in a working title.

Related Articles

• Fermanagh SDLP veterans speak out about party disarray (sluggerotoole.com)
• “The Unionist Garden Centre has become the Zen Garden Centre…” (sluggerotoole.com)

appeal for calm in Newtownabbey

Following the disturbances in the O’Neill Road area of Newtownabbey, local Liberal Democrat campaigner Michael Carchrie Campbell has appealed for calm.

Michael said:

I appeal for calm in all areas of Northern Ireland particularly in North Belfast following tonight’s disturbances in the Cloughfern/O’Neill Road area of Newtownabbey.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland serves the whole of Northern Irish society and deserves to be treated with respect by all. I am sure that the community at large will join with me in condemning the actions of the youths involved this evening.

Party President: The Members Decide

Following the decision of Ros Scott not to seek a second term the nominations to be the next Party President of the Liberal Democrats closed yesterday. It emerged that only two candidates have the required nominations to go before the all member ballot.

The two candidates and their respective websites are:

Tim Farron

Susan Kramer

Susan Kramer and Tim Farron

Both candidates will in due course be mailing their manifestos to all party members, however both have intimated that they will be willing to answer specific questions from members. For those members who do not know both candidates that may be the way to help decide how to cast your vote.

This blog will remain impartial during the Presidential election, not endorsing either candidate. But will represent a balance reporting of both as and when it is available. I’m looking to compile a list of five questions to pose to both so any suggestions of what should be asked please add in the comments or email us directly.

insult to injury

Last week, I blogged about the lack of recognition of the Northern Ireland local party of the Liberal Democrats by the Federal Party website.

This evening, quite by chance, I noticed that there is a link at the bottom of the Federal Party‘s homepage for ‘N. Ireland’.

Where does this link go?

Liberal International includes both the Liberal Democrats and the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

It goes to the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland – a sister party within Liberal International. Now, there may have been plans, or indeed hopes, in the past that the Alliance Party would become a State Party of the Liberal Democrats. I am sure that what has happened in the House of Commons, where Naomi Long, Member of Parliament for Belfast East stated before the election that she would not take the Lib Dem whip, makes it clear that there is little chance of Alliance Party = Liberal Democrats in Northern Ireland.

Stephen blogged well over a year ago about making a formal link up*,

The Lib Dems in Northern Ireland have long taken the stance that they would not contest elections but lend support to the most prominent centrist party, which is the Alliance Party with their 7 Assembly Members and 32 councillors.

but this has not happened – nor is it likely to, according to discussions Stephen had with Alliance’s executive director, Gerry Lynch. It is a fact that former Alliance leader Lord Alderdice sits as a Liberal Democrat Peer in the House of Lords, but this looks like it will continue to have no effect upon forming a formal link up.

Unless and until the Alliance Party becomes the Liberal Democrats’ State Party in Northern Ireland, the Federal Party needs to recognise that they are not this. The local party needs to be publicised, and as chair of the local party, I will be writing (not emailing) to seek the fixing of this. I will update you on the progress.

* keen readers will notice that at the time there was a link to the Northern Ireland local party on the then Federal Party website.