This week the Liberal Democrats will finally chose their next leader. I left the party recently, after five years as a member, having become increasingly frustrated at their direction. They missed a golden opportunity at last year’s General Election with the hubristic revoke Brexit strategy.
Added to this, has been their focus on fringe issues like debating gender-neutral toilets at the forthcoming annual conference. Unless the next leader focuses squarely on the key concerns of voters — namely Covid-19, social care, getting a good Brexit deal and handling Eighties levels of unemployment — the Lib Dems may be given a “do not resuscitate” notice by the electorate. This would be a tragedy for our democracy.
Chris Key
Editor's reply
Dear Chris
Your former party paid dearly for joining the Coalition. It seems ironic you stuck with them in the bleak aftermath, yet gave up partly over their 2019 position on Europe. Big decisions await the new leader, likely to be Ed Davey. The lazy way back would be to occupy a comfort zone to the Left of Keir Starmer, pray for a Labour win then scoop up its Left-wingers when they cry “betrayal”. The hard road is to challenge all sides with brave and imaginative ideas. Do they have it in them? Time will tell.
Joe Murphy, Political Editor
Curb C-charge to help West End
I was fascinated to hear the Mayor entreating the Government for help for central London after the decline in tourists and office workers. Our stores are down about 75 per cent on last year which means they are losing a lot of money. The prospects this side of Christmas are not good. So why doesn’t the Mayor do something about a cost that he controls — the congestion charge? It is a massive deterrent to customers. Sadiq, if you want to help, suspend the C-charge at weekends.
Daniel Rubin CEO, The Dune Group
