BIG PICTURE
WE DESERVE MUCH BETTER
IN response to Andrew Haldane’s (chair of the Liberal Democrats) column “talking politics” July 18 th 2018, I think the people of Macclesfield deserve something more worthy than his usual rant against the referendum result, his bitterness at the leave victory and his apparent pride at deriding Jeremy Corbyn.
It would be far more constructive and relevant if Mr Haldane could inform us about the principles, values and objectives of the Liberal Democratic Party, and how they aim to improve their paltry 12 seats and regain the trust and respect of the electorate.
Mr Haldane must have a very short memory, but the public don’t, we remember his former leader Nick Clegg standing on a platform of “no more broken promises” during the 2010 General Election, and then reneging on [pledges and promises] (the most disgraceful being to thousands of students and their tuition fees) in order to cosy up to David Cameron in a coalition, and get his position of Deputy Prime Minister.
We remember the Lib Dems supporting the Conservatives in unprecedented ruthlessness towards the most vulnerable, those on benefits and the forced assessments on all our disabled people.
We remember the Lib Dems supporting the Conservatives on the most stringent cutbacks, rising homelessness, the proliferation of foodbanks and social breakdown.
The result was a near annihilation of their party which was almost wiped out in the 2015 General Election, losing 49 seats from 57, and Nick Clegg being thrown out of his seat by the good people of Sheffield.
So, a bit rich isn’t it listening to Nick Clegg and Mr Haldane slagging off the other parties and demanding a second referendum, or maybe a third, fourth, well, until they get the result they want.
Let’s hear from Mr Haldane a more relevant debate, a more mature response to the political climate we find ourselves in.
If his party is ever to recover, then he needs to significantly sharpen his delivery, perhaps apologise for the past, and outline his party’s future objectives, otherwise the electorate will never forgive, and never trust his party again, and who could blame them? Paul Heaven Sutton Macclesfield