Brave decision

10:00am Friday 4th January 2013 in Letters

WE should all remember that the Westminster Liberal Democrats took a brave and difficult decision in becoming the junior member in a coalition with the Conservatives but it did allow the country to have a Government.

Nick Clegg and his colleagues have sought to restrict the more outrageous demands of their Conservative partners but despite their efforts many people have sought to endlessly criticise their actions, some local councillors, abandoning their Lib-Dem principles by distancing themselves and crossing the floor to another party in the hope that this will make them more electable.

We should remember that those that jump ship deserve to drown.

As a town councillor I have no influence on planning decisions although I must say that I am one who is in favour of the Gleeson development plan for Newland and I believe that this project will be of great benefit to the majority of Malvern people over the coming years, providing employment and housing for a great number of people.

COUNCILLOR BRIAN REGIMBEAU

Liberal Democrat, Malvern

Comments(2)

Karl Hunderson says...
11:44am Fri 4 Jan 13

A brave decision? We should actually remember that a handful of LibDem leaders saw their opportunity to experience the trappings of power at the expense of the betrayal of the rest of their party. Nick Clegg and his colleagues have FAILED to restrict the more outrageous demands of the Conservative party and should rightly be condemned for abandoning the policies and principle upon which they stood for election. It is little wonder that members, councillors and voters are abandoning the LibDems. Your statement that they 'deserve to drown', although figurative, is tasteless and smacks of the desperation which is so evident in your party.

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Casmal says...
5:31pm Fri 18 Jan 13

I am not a supporter of the Lib Dems or any political party. Indeed, I believe politics would be better served without party dogma of any sort. However, I have some sympathy with Cllr. Regimbeau's views. The Lib Dems had to make a decision: is it better to work with the Conservatives, so we at least get some if our policies implement and can temper conservative decisions, or stick stubbornly to all policies absolutely but get absolutely no chance of ever getting them enacted. Surely, if you are a Lib Dem you must believe that it is better to be in their fighting, than to be outside with no influence.

It has to be remembered that they are the junior party in the coalition and are punching well above their weight, particularly when it comes to the ratio of ministers to MPs.

Where I think they went seriously wrong was to make categoric promises, both as a party and as individuals, that they would never support a particular issue, such as student loans, and then do a complete U-turn and endorse it. There can be no excuse for that. Sadly, in my experience that is typical of the Lib Dems. Ed Davey, when he was my local MP, kindly volunteered to write to the Council to try to resolve an issue. Months went by and I heard nothing. Turns out he lost my correspondence, could I resend it. I did - 6 years ago - and have never heard from him since. So much for Lib Dem promises.

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