Liberal Democrats and the future.

Recently the hashtag #mysticclegg has been trending on twitter because of an article Nick Clegg wrote, with incredible foresight, concerning the referendum and its fallout.

Many articles have been doing the rounds and the internet is getting excited about this isolated event. However, mystic Clegg has been a ‘thing’ for a good while.

This is not a surprise, since we don’t have to pander to any radical wing of our party we can say it like it is and apply some common sense.

Nationally, Liberal Democrats have correctly called the four biggest issues of the last twenty years. Indeed, had these views been heeded we would not now be in the mess we’re in.

1. The Lib Dems were the only major party to oppose the disastrous Iraq war, which led to turmoil in the Middle-East; the rise of Isis and the ensuing torrent of refugees.
2. Only the Lib Dems – with Sir Vince Cable as chief advocate – warned about the twin dangers of unregulated banking and individual over-borrowing. This warning went unheeded and we had the market collapse of 2008, followed by recession and austerity.
3. Only the Lib Dems fought to make our present “first past the post” voting system more democratic and representative, via the recent referendum on electoral reform – again to no avail. As a result millions of people continue to feel unrepresented in Parliament and it was this disaffected, alienated group of voters that took Brexit over the line.
4. Only the Lib Dems have demonstrated that what the public wants from its politicians is, in fact, doable. People want to see fewer inter-party squabbles and a genuine desire from all parties to work in the interest of the country. The Lib Dems heeded this, formed a coalition and worked well with the Conservatives in Government.

In this latest crisis Windsor needs a party of the middle ground which will counter the right wing drift of the Conservatives and balance it against the left wing inclinations of Labour.

We’re not making predictions now because the reality is here; an unrepresentative council and MP who do not share the views of Windsor residents.

It is time for the business community to back the Lib Dems with some financial clout and for people in numbers to start supporting a party which has a track record in getting the big issues right.