Didn't realise it wasn't until the 1970s that the party names were put on, Wild that!

Why is resigning the whip even a thing? I vote Labour. If my MP went over to the Tories after I voted for Labour, I would be FUUUUMING. It is anti democratic.

 

Well, well - we've finally found something to agree on! :)

The system still works on the assumption that you vote for a candidate, not a party. I think it was only in the 1970s that the party names were added to the ballot paper.

 

That does have the advantage of voters having to look up *something* about a candidate before voting.

 

I'd vote for a dead cat over a Tory. This whole voting for an MP nonsense is just that - nonsense. We are voting for the party.

 

Which is unfortunately why donkeys wearing the right colour rosette keep getting elected. :( To counter this we *need* STV!

 

Vince Cable has announced that, unless there is a general election, he will step down as leader in May.

I'm surprised that she would allow him to do that whilst he is resigning. What does Philip think?

Hilarious double entendres aside, who do the Lib Dems have in their narrow pool of 9 other potentials (excluding Tim Farron & that guy who resigned the whip) who could realistically take over and help breathe new life into the party? I'm assuming that Jo Swinson would be the logical option, but given she ruled out the possibility when Vince Cable was elected, she may not put her hat into the ring again.

Assuming there isn’t a candidate from outside parliament, I think the main contenders would be Jo Swinson and Layla Moran.

Former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Steel has been suspended from the party after admitting that he knew Cyril Smith was a sexual abuser as far back as 1979, when he was leader of the Liberal Party, but did nothing.

Former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Steel has been suspended from the party after admitting that he knew Cyril Smith was a sexual abuser as far back as 1979, when he was leader of the Liberal Party, but did nothing.

 

Errr not quite correct. He SUSPECTED Smith was guilty of abuse dating back to Smith's pre-Labour Party career, but the police didn't pursue the case. Can one throw someone out of a political party over unproven accusations? Now, if Steele is found to have quashed evidence that could have led to a prosecution then that is an entirely different kettle of fish.

 

 

Layla Moran has posted a tweet about a messy relationship break-up that happened several years ago. I think we can take that as a sign that she will be standing for the leadership. It seems to be a pre-emotive strike before the story gets splashed over a tabloid.

VInce Cable has formally announced his resignation as leader. His replacement will be announced on July 23. I think it is fair to assume that when he initially announced his intention to step down, he didn't expect the party to be where it is today.

Vince has been looking increasingly attractive the more we see of May and Corbyn and what they have done, or rather, not done.

 

The Tories deserve to implode for all they've done in splitting the nation as firmly as their own party, and The LibDems deserve to replace them as the main party after taking the stick for all the Tory and Labour policies that got them slagged off after the coalition after they'd done their best to temper as much as they could of what they were stuck with and the Tories took credit for the more popular policies that they grudgingly agreed to.

 

Fingers-crossed!

Layla Moran has said she will not be standing. I suspect that will mean a contest between Jo Swinson and Ed Davey.

Ed Davey has officially announced that he is running for the leadership. I suspect Jo Swinson will be the only other candidate.

She's confirmed it on Question Time. It'll probably end up being Jo, seeing Ed Davey on BBC News this morning gives me the impression that he'd rub people up the wrong way.

I really hope it's Jo!

I know of a number of people who are inclined to vote for Jo Swinson simply to avoid electing yet another white man. I would be happy with either of them.

She's got that West Country calm demeanor, a positive attitude, and appears not to avoid questions with guff like so many evasive BS'ers, breath of fresh air in UK politics I propose.....

West Country??? She's from Milngavie at the edge of Glasgow.

 

 

 

The woman is odious. Her BS about Higher Education on QT as if she didn't vote to f*** the poor and triple tuition fees so she could have a f***ing ministerial jag. Thats before we get to her wholly false claim of 80% of pupils in her constituency going to uni (no statistics reflect this at all. And the CyberNats have looked EVERYWHERE) and then using a srsly selective measure to try and trash Glasgow Govan (Sturgeons constituency, as if her resorting to SNPBAD is a surprise) that is not only out of date but doesn't actually reflect the reality of the actual situation in Glasgow Govan. So outrageous a claim that even the head of education in Glasgow (not a nationalist) called her out for it.

 

She may as well be a tory for how little factual content actually comes out her mouth.

West Country??? She's from Milngavie at the edge of Glasgow.

The woman is odious. Her BS about Higher Education on QT as if she didn't vote to f*** the poor and triple tuition fees so she could have a f***ing ministerial jag. Thats before we get to her wholly false claim of 80% of pupils in her constituency going to uni (no statistics reflect this at all. And the CyberNats have looked EVERYWHERE) and then using a srsly selective measure to try and trash Glasgow Govan (Sturgeons constituency, as if her resorting to SNPBAD is a surprise) that is not only out of date but doesn't actually reflect the reality of the actual situation in Glasgow Govan. So outrageous a claim that even the head of education in Glasgow (not a nationalist) called her out for it.

 

She may as well be a tory for how little factual content actually comes out her mouth.

 

 

which is in the west :lol:

 

Ahh that old tuition fees thing is back. Labour party introduced policy. Tory party policy. Libdems amended the policy after voting for it against promises. You can't work together and win every argument compromise is entirely the point and Clegg paid for his agreeing to it. But then we've gone over this endlessly.

 

So APART from still being pissed over tuition fees (as am I, as I was when Labour introduced it, and Tories upped the cost), and her claim which appears to have no basis to it - quite easy to ask her to name the source and sort it out - you really like her then....?