Monday, October 15, 2007
Liberal Democrat leader resigns
With little prospect of a General Election before 2009, if then, it makes sense for Sir Menzies Campbell to step down as leader of the Liberal Democrats now rather than later. That won’t stop questions being asked about whether the jump came when he was about to be pushed.. And with Lembit Opik having already declared an interest in a different post.. candidates for the leadership position have yet to break cover. The resignation was announced by the Liberal Democrat party President Simon Hughes and deputy leader, Vince Cable. Adds Idle chatter, on Saturday, from a Norfolk blogger. And Menzies Campbell’s resignation letter. Another addition. Despite not being able to view the Flash movie involved, I’ve been recommended to add Matt Buck’s Hack Cartoon for Channel 4 News.
Pete Baker @ 06:08 PM
There are too few people willing to make decisions like this one.
So entirely well done Sir Menzies.
He wasn’t delivering, it was evident he wouldn’t deliver, so he did the honourable thing.
I’m not sure they’ll do much better with the replacement either, mind.
Posted by on Oct 15, 2007 @ 07:01 PMNot a great surprise.
Posted by on Oct 15, 2007 @ 07:17 PMIJP, Deliver what?
Posted by on Oct 15, 2007 @ 07:34 PMDo you have to be an MP or can David Ford MLA have a go.
Posted by on Oct 15, 2007 @ 07:35 PMThat would be hilarious - David Ford as leader of the Lib Dems. could you imagine it.
Posted by on Oct 15, 2007 @ 08:06 PMThe Norfolk blogger link not working for me - directs you back here.
You would have thought that he would have at least hung on to fight an election. Resignation letter a bit bitter - but these Lib Dems are a ruthless lot as you would know if you had run council election campaigns against them…Posted by on Oct 15, 2007 @ 08:38 PMTry it now, Dewi.
Posted by on Oct 15, 2007 @ 08:40 PMTa
Posted by on Oct 15, 2007 @ 08:43 PMIt is a pity some of the NI Leaders wouldnt take note!
Posted by on Oct 15, 2007 @ 09:13 PMI neve felt he was a very good leader, whilst I differed greatly on a political basis with the man I felt his general tactics etc were wrong.
For instance he continually tried to boost his profile by appearing on episode after episode of ‘Question Time’ with David Dimbeley.
In addition to this his one trick pony seemed to be the war in Iraq and his opposition to it and in addition to this some of his policies were so far to the left they would have made George Galloway blush. He once said that there were 100,000 illegal immigrants in the UK and that the government should be working around the clock to legalise them regardless of the immigrants history.
He may have been a nice person but I’m glad he has finally stepped down.
Posted by on Oct 15, 2007 @ 11:00 PMThe Lib Dems were infiltrated by several sexual liberation groups and were never the same again. They spent as much time worrying about how to repeal the SOA 2003 as they did debating WMD etc.
Given the fact that making porn movies of girls & kids at Falls Road swimmers is apparently not illegal, one might argue that the SOA 2003 (as is) should have suited the Lib Dems down to the ground.
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 05:18 AMThere doesn’t seem to be any mention of the role of Lib Dem blogs in his departure, but on The World at One, they claimed that it was the bloggers who were the main force behind the calls for his resignation, and that was only a few hours before he announced his demission.
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 05:30 AMIt’s the Blairization of British politics: all party leaders should be in their early forties, energetic, smile a lot, have nice hairstyles, bounce a football on their heads, and should be devoid of integrity, principles, wisdom and vision. Bland is best.
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 06:44 AMBlairization has not completely taken over British politics. Paisley only fits the “devoid of” criteria. And the smiling.
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 07:42 AM“some of his policies were so far to the left they would have made George Galloway blush.”
??? Such as...?
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 07:43 AMpith, try running Paisley as a leader of a mainstream British party and see if your claim still holds. ;)
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 07:47 AMThe Lib Dems were infiltrated by several sexual liberation groups and were never the same again.
Quote of the day!
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 08:24 AM-
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 08:24 AM
The Dubliner,
Much as I would like to watch Paisley play header tennis with Kevin Keegan, it is impossible to picture him as the leader of a mainstream British party. He just isn’t British like Finchley.
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 08:29 AMThe Lib Dems were infiltrated by several sexual liberation groups and were never the same again.
Fruitcake alert!
There’s dirty business going on inside the Lib Dems. I can’t believe that all of the rumours against Campbell were inspired entirely by the media themselves; I’m sure they were being briefed. On the other hand, Campbell became leader himself in similar circumstances, with whisperings against Charles Kennedy causing him to step down.
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 08:32 AMSir Menzies came across as a fair minded quaint old gent, but he was too old for the party. For the Lib Dems to do well in an election they will need a young English man to lead the party. For parties to do well in Britain lately the leader must be English, representing the greater English public, who afterall are the driving force of the Union. It may be part of his downfall Browne being a Jock, although who’d vote for pasty faced smarmy Tory boy Cameron, with the copycat Blair charm. The provinciality of Kinnock, Smith and Kennedy’s may have hindered their party’s political progress as well. Thatcher, Major, Blair of late = all English. Browne unelected yet by an English public. Somewhat conflict of interest too a Scottish PM cheering on an England rugby team.
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 08:43 AMBlair has some English roots; he also has roots in Scotland - and south Donegal. He represented an English constituency. That makes him ‘cosmopolitan’.
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 08:51 AMpith
Votes and seats, basically.
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 09:10 AM-
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 09:19 AM
“The Lib Dems were infiltrated by several sexual liberation groups and were never the same again.”
“There’s dirty business going on inside the Lib Dems.”
Fruitcake perhaps but are you supporting his thesis! ;-)
Posted by on Oct 16, 2007 @ 09:57 AM
