Yesterday’s launch of the Fair Votes referendum illustrated the contrasting approach to democracy between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Conservatives think they own democracy; Liberal Democrats think the people own it. David Cameron said it would be fair for the winning runner in a race to be overtaken and have the cup awarded to a runner-up. But a runner wins […]

I was showered in champagne as jubilant Stop Stansted campaigners celebrated the demise of the second runway. Such a waste! A big crowd gathered for the cameras outside the unofficial campaign headquarters, the Three Horseshoes pub at Mole Hill Green at lunchtime today. I read the following message of support from Norman Baker MP, the […]

BAA Stansted has abandoned its planning application and appeal for a second runway. This has happened just one week after I wrote to the airport managing director asking them to bow to the inevitability of the change of government and the Lib Dem-Conservative coalition’s confirmation that it would not approve an extra runway at Stansted. This represents massive […]

The full story was published today and can be found at: http://www.libdems.org.uk/latest_news_detail.aspx?title=The_Coalition%3a_our_programme_for_government&pPK=084cfed9-12f0-45da-ae34-341d01645295 An impressive document, considering it’s been negotiated and compiled in not much over a week. Loads of sensible and necessary stuff. A credit to both Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties. I can’t quite reconcile statements like “We will promote the radical devolution of power and […]

Last Sunday local Lib Dem members attended an urgent and important conference in Birmingham at which the coalition agreement reached between Nick Clegg’s team and the Conservatives was presented for endorsement. It was endorsed by getting on for 2,000 people with only a handful voting against. The mood of the conference was positive and confident. […]

I wrote the following letter to the managing director at Stansted airport, Mr David Johnston: “Your company will no doubt wish a little time to consider the implications of the new coalition government‘s confirmation of refusal of an additional runway at Stansted. I would urge you not to delay long in announcing withdrawal of the […]

I’m not a very assiduous blogger! I was reminded by one local (Stansted) newspaper today that I haven’t updated this since before Election Day. That’s not because I am sulking since not winning in Waveney! I’ve been so glued to The Box or ‘Coalition Tv’ negotiations that all else stopped for several days.  The count […]

Labour in Waveney is now onto desperate tactics. Last night, after spending the day in and around Oulton Broad and Lowestoft meeting voters, we came across a Labour leaflet on pale yellow paper purporting to be an admission from me that my interests lie elsewhere than in Waveney.  My team and I received an enthusiastic […]

I was amused last week that one newspaper described the Waveney Lib Dem campaign as ‘quiet’ compared with my opponents’ campaigns. I don’t know what my Conservative and Labour opponents have been doing that was noisy, but there is now no doubt that the Liberal Democrats are on an upward roll in the polls, if not […]

The Sky interview last week went well; live after Lord Mandelson with each of the three main candidates by Lowestoft pier sitting in front of party-coloured ice creams! Good discussion about the local economy and the opportunities for new, green jobs in work like off-shore green electricity.  Interviewed by Anglia ITV about the bascule bridge  congestion […]