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A Parting Of The Ways
December 2nd, 2009
A Parting Of The Ways
When the blogging awards were handed out by Total Politics this year, Charlotte Gore was the Number One Political Blog in the Liberal Democrat camp. Widely enjoyed and widely read by people from all parties, Charlotte’s Blog is certainly one of my favourites with its mixture of Libertarian thinking, wry sarcasm and obligatory Laser Kitties (I kid you not). I used to regularly read her posts and wonder to myself: “Why does this woman make so much sense when she is a Liberal Democrat?” I don’t mean to demean my yellow colleagues, they are intelligent folk who express themselves well. But their politics makes no sense to me most of the time which is why I was puzzled that it was so different reading Charlotte Gore’s blog.
My question was answered this week when Charlotte Gore (and please remember, she is the Number One Lib Dem Blogger) divorced her party and refused to be considered a Liberal Democrat blogger anymore. She removed all the Lib Dem stuff from her banners and her web pages. She has even suggested she may not renew her Lib Dem membership next time, saying she will make that decision come the time to renew.
I could easily be quite triumphant about this. First of all, it’ll be nice to agree with her most of the time without feeling bad about it when I do. Second, it sure doesn’t sound good for the Liberal Democrats if their leading lights can’t stand to be associated with their policies. But actually, I feel pretty ‘down’ about it. Charlotte’s post entitled: “That’s It, They Broke Me” makes pretty sad reading. She talks quite honestly about the way her party seems to have thrown its liberal beliefs out the window in favour of a left wing agenda or indeed any policy engineered to get them a step closer to power. This is the criticism I have long made about the Liberal Democrats.
Charlotte Says:-
All I see … is an ambitious platform of economic planning, which I utterly deplore, attempting to nurture the economy back to growth through ‘good’ public spending (as opposed to Labour’s ‘bad’ public spending, obviously).
I can see her point. The Liberal Democrats have certainly joined the “control from the top” mantra which suggests Nanny Knows Best. This is probably why they have such a lovefest for the EU – another massive bureaucracy that knows what to do to you … for your own good. She then goes on to criticise the whole political Big Three system:-
The adventurous, insatiable hungering drive for liberty, for free trade and free minds, to allow society to become whatever the individuals within make of it? As far as mainstream politics goes that idea is dead. Reds, Red Tories or Red Liberal – take your pick.
I hope to god she’s wrong about the Conservatives but I do fully understand what she is saying. It’s dreadful. How many of the parties actually remember what their ideology was founded on? We cluster in the middle ground in a desperate attempt to grab votes from those who are not our natural followers. Instead of trying to take the debate to them, to show them why we’re right, to move their position closer to ours through honest argument – we dilute our ideology into a One Size Fits All shallow impersonation of its origins and move our position closer to the center.
Charlotte finally says:-
So the sad, miserable truth is that my time as a Lib Dem blogger is coming to an end. I don’t know if this means leaving the party or just pulling out of libdemblogs.co.uk and changing the graphics but I’ll figure it out.
And I just can’t find it in myself to celebrate. I should, because Charlotte is a powerful sensible voice and the Lib Dems losing her is strategically a great thing. But there’s nothing good about this. It’s a crying shame that the Liberal Democrats are crushing the spirit of their best and brightest with their feeble positioning and by a weakness of real visionary leaders who remember what the term “Liberal” actually used to mean.
And let’s face is, dear readers. They are not the only party with this problem.
I wish Charlotte all the best. I’m sure, as a independent blogger, she will retain a very loyal following and be all the more interesting for it. Perhaps she will find another party mast to fly her colours from? I don’t suppose (sadly) it’ll be the Conservatives, we can but hope. LPUK? UKIP? It will be interesting to see where her path takes her. And her laser kitties.
9 Responses to “A Parting Of The Ways”
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Wikio
they arent liberal or democratic. im not sure what they are. no wonder she left.
I glanced at her blog from your link. I don’t think the Libbys are missing much.
Given your feelings about Liberty, Europe and Global Warming, Mr. Tierney, I’m not surprised you feel kinship with this woman. Your own party have left you somewhat out in the cold haven’t they? And many like you.
Moderator (Steve Tierney)’s Response: I think that’s stretching it a bit, NotA.
She should come over to UKIP. We are the most Libertarian and the most Conservative party in the country. She’d find a nice home with us.
Who cares what any of you bloggers do? Like the grass roots of every party your all loons anyhow.
Moderator (Steve Tierney)’s Response: Impressive argument. For a nine year old.
I went to her site. Its quite cute, I like the kitties. She needs to rethink her makeup choices tho. lol.
xx
She has pictures next to the comments on her blog, not silly snowflakes. Eat yer heart out.
Moderator (Steve Tierney)’s Response:
I can do it if you want it. It would mean setting up an account though, rather than just posting direct as you do at the moment.
Nicely written.
I have not seen Charlots blog before. I liked it too!
Thank you for this link.
What a nice post