Menzies Campbell: I will take Lib Dems to the left of Labour (Guardian)

[struggle4progress]

Frontrunner rejects coalition strategy and pledges anti-poverty campaign

Tania Branigan and Michael White
Friday January 13, 2006
The Guardian

The Liberal Democrats will fight the next general election to the left of Labour and campaign without any discussion of hung parliaments or coalitions with either main party if Sir Menzies Campbell wins the party leadership, he said yesterday.

In his first interview since Charles Kennedy resigned at the weekend, the acting leader - current frontrunner in the contest - told the Guardian he would put an anti-poverty campaign and environmentalism at the heart of the party agenda.

Sir Menzies will tell the 74,000 voters in the coming party leadership election that Tony Blair has moved Labour too far to the right for Lib Dems to be comfortable. As for the current modernisation of the Tory party, he declared: "I know liberals. I have worked with liberals. David Cameron is no liberal" ...

Asked if the party he wanted to lead would be left of both Labour and Conservatives, he replied: "Yes. I am a creature of the centre left ... One of Blair's legacies will be that he's squeezed values out of politics. Along comes Cameron and says essentially, 'I can do what he's doing, but I'm a better manager.' One thing is certain: there isn't space for three management companies in the centre of British politics. What's required for us is a return to values," he said - stressing his energy and commitment at the age of 64 ...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,3605,1685457,00.html?gusrc=rss

[pinerow]

1. Huzzah...!!!

nt

[TheBaldyMan]

2. left of New labour isn't difficult

If they keep to their present policies they'll still be left of New Blather.

[Greeby]

3. Umm Ming

That's like an American politician saying they're to the left of Tom DeLay. It's not exactly hard to do ;)

[Warren Stupidity]

5. well not really.

It is more like a credible Green Party with an election system that doesn't render third parties totally impotent before the voting even starts.

It is a smart move.

[savemefromdumbya]

7. The Lib Dems aregood at fixing potholes in the road

but nothing else

[savemefromdumbya]

4. The Liberal Democrats (UK) are so dumb

believe me - I stood against them many years ago when Labour was proper Labour not a neocon sham like Bliar's party. Liberal Democrats in UK are a band of mongrels.

[savemefromdumbya]

6. actually Charles Kennedy was OK

he was a former member of the SDP

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. So dumb that they opposed invading Iraq

So dumb that they wanted to raise the taxes of the highest earners in the country
So dumb that they opposed Blair's attempt to imprison people 90 days without trial

Ironically, mongrels are the most intelligent and healthy dogs. A mix of genes is better than inbreeding.

Do you have any real criticism, or is name calling your limit?

[CJCRANE]

9. Well said.

Liberals are the only opposition in the UK.

Cameron is Blair-Lite.

[savemefromdumbya]

10. most of the Labour party and the British people did oppose the Iraq war

it was only Tony Blair and his cabal who supported Bush.

[Henny Penny]

11. Don't agree with that Dumbya...

and I think the LibDems are already to the left of the party formerly known as "Labour".

Can't see them remaining there long though if Ming takes over. I think he's the safety net for Campbell should he fail to deliver a working majority and the Tories are forced into a coalition with the LibDems.

Yet again, I curse "First Past the Post", what a poor attempt at democracy it is.