Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems have been dealt another blow by one of their up and coming young parliamentary candidate's decision to defect to Labour in protest at his leader's sell out to the Conservative’s policies and the abandonment of his party's programme.
Andrew Lewin, (23, the youngest Lib Dem candidate in England at the May election, pictured above) urged the party's MPs to oppose the controversial cuts to benefits in a Commons vote tomorrow. He claimed hardly any Lib Dem MPs support them, saying the party was being forced to swallow "a virtually unreformed Conservative agenda". Ooops now we are getting what we all knew anyway from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.
Although several councillors have left the party in protest at the Coalition's policies, Mr Lewin is the first parliamentary candidate to walk out, but he probably wont be the last!
Mr Lewin, who came second to the Tories in Hertford and Stortford in May, said he wanted to play an active role in the Labour Party and had not ruled out standing for it at the next election. "I have a passion for politics. I am joining Labour because of Ed Miliband's leadership. He has set a direction of travel that can appeal across the spectrum, particularly to young people."
Of course this is just the latest in a litany of disasters for our erstwhile third party (well actually in Scotland they are the fourth). In fact it’s so bad it is difficult to know where to begin!
• Rats deserting the sinking ship (see above);
• Support for AV trailing 11 points in the polls;
• Support UK wide wavering at 10%;
• Support in Scotland down to 7%;
• Support in Wales down to 8%;
• Predicted to be obliterated at the Oldham by-election.
Oh dear it seems that Nick Clegg’s decision to make the Lib Dems an fully owned adjunct of the Conservative Party may not be paying off. Seems that “Cleggmania” need not have been taken into the Collins English dictionary after all. I suppose at least that will be in the Guinness Book of World records for a word with the shortest shelf life ever!
How is Clegg selling out any of his Liberal Agenda? The current LibDem leadership made clear their views in the Orange Book years ago.
ReplyDeleteIf young 23 year old twerps like this foolish Harry didn't bother to read the manifesto of their leadership, before he pushed to become a candidate more fool him.
Twerp, total twerp. And 23? Whats he doing trying to join the rat race [sorry, our esteemed group of representatives] at that age? What knowledge of real life or academic research can he possibly have to offer?
If it smells like an opportunistic shit, and looks like one - good bets are it is one.
[apologies for the language, but idiots like this one make me see red].
Deano
ReplyDeleteThat bus is still waiting.... you did promise
Dean's made one of the points I wanted to make Munguin.:(
ReplyDeleteIt was about the age of this bloke. I still think 27 should be the minimum age or even 30, to stand for Parliament.
Second point - will Nick care? He's got his 5 years of glory on the go and a nice portfolio for later.
Munguim
ReplyDelete“If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.” Barack Obama
"I do not care which path I go down as long as it is in my nice new ministerial Mondeo" Un-named Lib Dem minister.
"Never in the history of election pledges have so many been broken, by so few, to the detriment of so many" Dubbieside.
Interesting take Dean, you don’t often see a prospective parliamentary candidate for the Lib Dems being lectured on the Lib Dem manifesto by a young Conservative. Ah New Politics indeed!
ReplyDeleteSR: look at the list that follows! If that does not give the Lib Dems and Nick Clegg cause for concern nothing will. Is their five year dance with the Tories worth the candle?
ReplyDeleteAnd if 23 is too young how old is too old?
ReplyDeleteThanks Dubbie, their ditching will no doubt come back to bite them in due course. Look where they are in the polls and where their much cherished AV referendum is!
ReplyDeleteHow old is Nadine or Devine, age has problems but common sense goes further.
ReplyDeleteProfoundly profound Dubbieside... :¬)
ReplyDeleteI think I see the point that SR and Dean were making about age, but I tend to think that the selection committees and the voters are the the arbiter of that. I mean there are people in their early to mid 20s like my friend Danny from America (Letter from America). He has a maturity and intellect that I would stake my life and future on far more than I would with people with such shocking sense of judgement as Nadine Dories or that 'Moran the thieving moron' woman both of whom must be in their 50s, or the idiot Woolass who showed the maturity of a 12 year old.
ReplyDeleteDean, you are a great fan of HM the Q. She took the job on at 25 or thereby, and no one could suggest that she made a dreadful mess of it, although she was no more than a kid.
Would anyone prefer to have the likes of Moran at twice her age and more take on that level of responsibility?
Tris,
ReplyDeleteIt is different for the Queen, she rules by the Grace [and will] of God.