Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Stopping the rot
An interesting article by Mark Seddon in today's Guardian, which describes how the New Labour leadership has rigged the Labour Party's parliamentary candidate selection process to ensure that only loyal Blairites get selected. Read this article very carefully.
At present, the Liberal Democrats can take some pride in knowing that their candidates are mostly people who know their own minds, selected through due process and fair play. Voters complain that politicians look and sound the same, so it's important the Lib Dems don't have a parliamentary party stuffed with cloned suits.
If we're not careful, this could change. There is some very dodgy right-wing plotting going on in the Liberal Democrats. Among the things these plotters might try after the next general election is an attempt to enforce a Blairite-style approval and selection process for the party's candidates.
There is a widespread conviction within the party that it will make a 'breakthrough' in the election after next (around 2009). Competition for seats will be fierce. What better way of getting your friends selected than to rig the system to ensure your enemies are purged?
Don't say you weren't warned.
