LIB DEMS -LURCH TO THE RIGHT

Liberal Democrats are seemingly set to ditch their commitment to scrapping tuition fees as Nick Clegg talks of the need for "savage "cuts. Presumably in a bid to out-Cameron Cameron. Charlie Kennedy, the best asset the Libs ever had, whatever his issues with alcohol, has warned this will not go down at all well but my guess is Clegg will continue the Party's rightward drift whatever the grassroots think. At the next election, it will be a two-horse race and anyone who still thinks the Lib Dems are to the left of Labour should take a reality check.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/clegg-challenged-over-tuition-fees-uturn-1790709.html

SLASH AND BURN, SAY THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

There is a mythology in UK politics that the Liberal Democrats are to the left of the Labour Party. No doubt there are certain Lib Dem MPs who ARE a little more radical than my omrades in Westminster but that certainly can't be said of the Liberal Democrat group in Hebden Royd Town Council.
Last night I presided over a budget meeting where they they voted down moves to appoint a new youth worker to improve life for young people in Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd. They also cut thousands from the grants budget and opposed a move by Labour group leader Dave Young to put £40,000 into the budget for Central Street. At the end of the meeting, they looked very pleased with their "prudence." This clearly marks the end of consensus at a local level. Shame.

MERCILESS TO MING?

Shakespeare wisely observed that "when troubles come, they come not in single spies, but in batttalions." And the just-announced news of Ming Campbell's resignation will send shock waves through the Labour front benches. The last thing Gordon brown needs is a Lib dem leadership election, a new rejuvenated Party, and the harsh fact that it will make Brown odd man out in being the only one of the three leaders NOT to have faced a democratic contest of his members. Who will they go for? Either Simon Hughes or even Charlie Kennedy could be a threat. The modernisers like Clegg and Huhne maybe less appealing to a wider electorate. Ming, presumably, fell on his sword because he knew he had to with an election two years away. Brown is, increasingly, looking like yesterday's man. Update: Apparently, there will be at least three contenders for the leadership, from the centre, right and even ye gods... the left.Sounds like a pretty good idea to me. And, hey, wouldn't it be great to actually be able to choose the Party leader and have a vote. Time to go to the pub for a rant.......