There's a great piece over at Lib Dem Voice today about Charlotte Henry's view on what she hopes to see from Nick in the next parliamentary term. It's excellent and I recommend you take a gander.
But there's something I'd add to it.
We need once again to be radical. To be creative in our thinking, suggest things no one's thought of before, really force people to sit up and take notice. To start suggesting the type of policies that the other parties initially dismiss as naive nonsense, and then quietly adopt themselves.
Because it's thinking like that which makes us stand out and gets people to really think about what we stand for.
And I think I've seen a piece of thinking like that this week.
It's Mike Tufrey's plans for a fleet of electric buses in London.
While other parties suggest half measures or slow progress (or, to quote Mike, 'vanity projects' - I think we know what he's referring to...), the vision to turn our entire fleet of public transport road vehicles is a radical and visionary step that sets the bar very much higher.
I think it's a fine piece of thinking. And the sort of policy we should be enacting in every corner of government we can.
Richard, having spent the day phoning members across London, I can report they agree with you. A big majority continue to support the need for the coalition, but want our party to remain bold and distinctive.
ReplyDeleteThe campaign through to May, against a Conservative incumbent, gives us a real opportunity, if we fight it on the issues, with radical ideas for the alternative. Clean air, more housing, support for small firms, tough on the banks and holding big business to its responsibilities - these are some of the policies I'm putting forward.
Mike Tuffrey AM