Nick Clegg

[Dai 55]

After being battered in the latest elections,should Nick Clegg stand down,even his own seat in Sheffield went,?
Dai

[Gwyn Nicholas]

That really is only a question that the L/D's will have any interest in I think Dai. There will always be a person/persons unknown skulking in the background looking for an opportunity to do "Brutus/Caesar" job on their leader. All politicians are the same, any chance to further their personal aims "for the good of the party". It is not good for country though, there are enough problems to sort out without all these distractions. First the AV nonsense now the NHS deal and in-fighting with a party who ( lets be honest) have no idea how to run a country hence their inability to even become a defeated opposition party. They really are a thorn in the side of politics in my opinion and so far, their involvement with Government as a coalition, seems to bear that out.

[ivor43]

hi all. Proportional Representation has, as far as i can remember, been a liberal party goal for many years but it had never been put to the vote,now as AV it has, with a result which may have surprised many by the scale of the defeat.
However this is not the fault of Nick Clegg, he is only the faceman doing what the party executive dictate so the fault has to lie with them, it is too easy to blame the leader while the real fault lies elsewhere.

[Dai 55]

Sorry but the blame lies with the leader stand down now Clegg you waste of space,
DaiAI

[ivor43]

:skeptical:ahh. i was'nt inferring that i think him a good leader:nah:i just do'nt think it fair to blame him for other peoples stupidity.:twitcy:
however as i have'nt been in the u.k since 1st aug 10 i dont exactly know whats been going on:unsure: ( ca'nt say i miss the place ) here in malta. wall to wall blue sky temp 22+ beer 1 euro a can :crybanner: what more can i say. :biggrinicon:

[Gerrycc943]

Extracts from my local rag, Sat 7 May Birmingham Mail, by Ms Lorely Burt Lib Dem MP for Solihull and Chairman of the Lib Dem Parliamentary Party:

"Burt: We're p****d off with the PM"

Voters punished the Lib Dems at the polls because they think they are being "led by the nose" by the Tories. The extent of Ms Burt's anger was clear as she rounded on the PM for campaigning for a "No" vote in the AV Referendum. "Obviously, we are p****d off at the way that the PM has broken a gentleman's agreement that the two leaders wouldn't get involved in the campaign." "We were expecting a kicking but this was more that we had expected." "The way that we have presented ourselves as a united coalition Govt has worked well for the Tories but not for us."

Is this support or criticism for Mr Clegg?

[Paul Hinge]

Hey Gwyn you've shot yourself in the foot with that statement vis-a-vis "the Lib Dems don't know how to run a country." Well given all the rhetoric you have expounded on this forum and Facebook about the L/D's you really think the Tories and Labour know how to run a country look at the mess we've been put in since the end of WW2 by successive Tory and Labour Govt's (Govt@s).
Just because Party's have been in power it does not mean they can run a country!
For your information, L/D's have been part of coalition Govt's in Scotland and Wales a number of times since the inception of devolution (1999) and did a reasonable job at that level, so why do you feel they can't do one at a UK level? Is it because times are hard and tough decisions have to be made.......that's no excuse to try and blame a Party because they have to clear up the mess of others have left. If you want to have a go have a go at Labpour it's their bl***dy mess we're trying to sort out! Before you have a go at me personally, I don't agree with all that Clegg is doing but knowone's perfect......not even the Tories!

Vorri...regarding Proportional Representation. AV is not PR it's a preference system, a system that was foisted upon the L/D's in coalition as a trade-off so the L/D's could ensure that the level at which people start paying income tax was raised from £7455 to £10000 (which was a key pledge in the manifesto the Tories could accept) is now between this year and 2013 being implimented. I think that was a better price to pay, taking a further 2.5 million people, the lowest paid and pensioneers out of paying income tax don't you?

Yes I want PR. STV or STV+1 but until Jo Public can understand that they will continue to get jobsworths and public school boys who have no idea what real life is about being elected to both Labour and Tories Govt's under the first past the post system, they will continue to get the representation they deserve, and not people who will work for them!

Hingey

ps By the way I have no interest in standing for the UK Parliament!

[Gwyn Nicholas]

Firstly and probably most importantly Paul, where in my post have I had a go at you personally..I have not! Secondly refering to any other forum comments (fb) is totally out of order as not all on this forum have access to those posts to form an opinion though I did not make it personal in those posts either-nor would I. My comments are aimed at a political party, that fact that you belong to that party is purely coincidental. I am entitled to my opinion and provided it is not a personal attack on you or any other member of this forum it is valid. I have said before, I dont know if the Tories have the answers but I do know Labour caused the questions. I also feel what has gone on recently is not helping to sort the situation. It is Lib/dems themselves who want to tear your party apart and many are now giving up on the party all together. One set back and your party are calling for the leader to be sacked right at the very start of this coalition Goverment, that does not bode well for a party who want/seek to run this country...not for me at any rate. I can understand your frustration Paul especially as I know you have taken some flack for your party (not personal but aimed at your party) but please dont consider my post as a personal attack it is most sincerely not.

I am not the only one who thinks that the Lib Dems cannot run this country. Look at the results from general elections, the country as a whole do not want to be led by them otherwise they would have been voted in at some stage would they not.

[Gerrycc943]

It's a well know factor that Poltitical and Religious discussions are the root of the breakdown of many a friendly relationship - that's why they were always Taboo subjects in the various Messes that we were members of when we served.

I'd like to see this thread continue on a forum friendly basis!

[Dai 55]

Gerry,i dont think anyone is having a personell dig at anyone,however i do enjoy a little bit of banter it brings a little bit of fire to the subject,then more members seem to get involved,i for one am fairly straight with my answers,but that is just way i am.at the end of the day we are all freinds and if any of us were in need i am sure we would all be there for each other,
If Nick Clegg cant see the country have just told him what they think of him,then i rest my case,
Dai 55

[ivor43]

as i said before it is unfair to blame nick clegg for this mess. he is in a no win situation. he is the leader of a party who have never had the confidence of the voting public, i am sorry paul but i do not think that changing the voting system will change that.
i do not have a clue as to how the public thinking, regarding the voting system, could be changed. the main problem,as i see it, is that, people do not always vote for a party, a great deal of personal voting takes place. i think that more care should be taken with candidate selection and placement and you can not discriminate against any group of people,neither can you put people in inappropriate places. i do not agree with PC,i do not believe you have to have a set number of women or ethnic minorities as candidates. despite what some groups might like us to think,people of alternative lifestyles are not acceptable in many places.
i do have some experience of the selection process.i was an active member of the N.U.R being vice chair for a while and assistant branch sec.during this period we were involved with the selection of a prospective candidate for a general election.also i was for a number of years active with a local branch of the labour party in n.e wales where i was chairman for a couple of years i was also Political Education Officer for the branch, until i became disillusioned by the increased infiltration of International Socialism which for me ruined the labour party. i do not believe it has ever recovered from this and the decimation of the unions by Mrs Thatcher
Paul, i think that the L/D should look very carefully at what his result implies,learn from it, if need be clean out any lame ducks, and come out of this a much better party.

[Dai 55]

The whole day of 5th May is being seen as Nick Clegg referendum day,the day the people sent a clear message,not about cuts not about taxes,not about local issues,it was all about Nick Clegg,
The blame game will soon start and many have there sights set on Clegg (rightly so)
Remember those live televised leadership debates when everyone was sucking up to him.well that must seem a long way away,
Never mind left wing politics destroyed by one man NICK CLEGG,a man who wanted a tiny bit of power,to make cash as a after dinner speaker when he retires,more than likely turned a worthy Liberal cause back 20 - 30 years,
Well done NICK

[nick sigallias]

this is not a criticism of just nick clegg, im wary of all the so called career politicians, I think they should complete at least 15 years in a real job before they can become eligible for parlament. Its just a gravy train for these people , as for cleggy ive said it before he wants to knock off at three every day, he doesnt want to be deputy PM if theres a terrorist incident, hes pro europe and pro unfetterd immigration, i belive also that the secretery of state for defense should be a ex serviceman of general rank, or equivalent . Theres too much money and men at stake to give the job to an idiot like labour did.

[Gerrycc943]

Gerry,i dont think anyone is having a personell dig at anyone,however i do enjoy a little bit of banter it brings a little bit of fire to the subject,then more members seem to get involved,i for one am fairly straight with my answers,but that is just way i am.at the end of the day we are all freinds and if any of us were in need i am sure we would all be there for each other,
If Nick Clegg cant see the country have just told him what they think of him,then i rest my case,
Dai 55

Just "Erring on the side of Caution" Dai!