Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats have never been to the right of the Tories, either socially of economically. Even before the merger of the Liberals and SDP, the economic policies of the Liberals were based on a belief in a mixed economy.

Neo-liberalism is a right-wing policy which was never embraced by the Liberals.

In a country where the other two parties offer extreme right and extreme left policies there is more need country than ever for the Liberal Democrats

Economically I just can't agree Varian. We don't talk about neo-liberal capitalism for no reason. It is moving towards that which has given us the economics of the modern Tory party and was the reason why, although the social view of the Conservatives and Liberals were different, they were able to work so well together. It is my view that had we still had a truly one-nation Conservative government at the time the two parties could not have worked together as they did. The very fact that the Tories had moved more to the right economically made it possible.

BTW The LibDems were responsible for insisting that the coalition government implemented Labour's triple lock on pensions, which the Conservatives wanted (and still want) to reduce to a double lock. Apparently, this has already cost the Treasury £8.6 billion. As it's cumulative, it will continue to cost, even if it is abandoned.
PS. I still can't find anything about Clegg having a hand in delaying the state pension age, which was originally a Labour Act.

Just been doing a little research. The Conservative government (when in coalition) announced the rise in the state pension age in 2011. The LDs and Labour expressed concern about the short notice and the rise was delayed to give women (and men) a slightly longer notice period.

Where did Clegg fit in to all this?

The Labour Party don't/didn't want freedom of movement because they know very well one of the main reasons many of their voters want to leave the EU. Labour is caught in pincer movement because places like Labour-voting London and most of the cities do want freedom of movement and that's one of the main reasons they're anti Brexit.

If you support Labour and are smearing the LibDems, wake up! You need the LibDems to take Tory seats to win any kind of majority.

How do you know it was Clegg's policy Urmstongran? BTW the WASPI campaigners should have concentrated on that acceleration rather than trying for compensation back to 60. They lost because they are greedy.

PS. I'm one of the first to be affected too.

Jeremy Corbyn is an atypical leader of the Labour party; one with almost total factional control of Britain’s opposition. To achieve this, the 70-year-old is surrounded by a tight cabal of influencers who shape both his politics and policies and are seen by many as the real people running Labour.

Many operate in the shadows; some hold elected offices, some are in parliament, and some wield power through informal networks. But nearly all of these individuals come from interconnected leftwing factions that were dismissed until Mr Corbyn became leader in 2015. They have campaigned, organised and socialised together from the sidelines for decades, having long ago given up on the idea of power.

ig.ft.com/jeremy-corbyn-labour-inner-circles/

Ha varian you must be joking "The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity" ha

"In a country where the other two parties offer extreme right and extreme left policies there is more need than ever for the Liberal Democrats"

Have you seen Jo Swinson voting record? And the others who have joined LD nothing fair about them! "No one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity"

And the far left you say of Labour? There polices are seen as mainstream in Nordic countries these countries are doing exceptionally well economically and so would UK be with these fine Labour polices.

Actually ... if I think harder about it, yes I could say I had a score to settle with the Lib Dem’s in coalition since it was Cleggie who accelerated the women’s pension entitlement turning me (and many thousands of others) into WASPIs.!!

Not at all MaizieD just counter balancing some of varians pro LD posts. All I’ve said is I think they will (once again = as always) be a wasted vote if a WA is voted for in the HoC.

The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.

In a country where the other two parties offer extreme right and extreme left policies there is more need than ever for the Liberal Democrats.

www.markpack.org.uk/libdem-beliefs/

So you keep saying, Ug. You're very gleeful abut it. Have you got some sort of personal score to settle with the LibDems?

Do you know if they are still suggesting it could/should be done without freedom of movement Maizie? It seems to be talked about less than it was on all sides.

I think the LD’s are about to (mostly) become irrelevant again. Their main position for a GE ‘Revoke Brexit!’ is about to be blown out of the water. So Remainers will (on the whole) have no use for Jo Swinson unless some of their other policies are appealing to them.

No, I don't think they are, either, GGMK2, as they initially agreed with no freedom of movement.

I was really just responding to growstuff's musing.

I don't think the LP are suggesting EFTA are they Maizie? Isn't that why they emphasise "a" single market. It would, it seems to me, work in much the same way as the EFTA countries though.

I still don't get the idea that the UK can leave the EU politically but not for trade. The EU would never agree to that.

I think the idea, originally proposed by Dr Richard North in his 'Flexcit' plan was for the UK to rejoin EFTA (European Free Trade Association) and thus stay in the EEA (European Economic Area). This would mean remaining in the Single Market (with the 4 'pillars' of 'freedoms' associated with it) but not being part of the EU's political project.

www.eureferendum.com/documents/flexcit.pdf

It's a 'plan' that a number of people think cold have worked although there was some doubt expressed about whether:

1) EFTA would want us back (as we abandoned EFTA when we joined the EC)

2) whether the acceptance of a country with an economy far bigger than that of the other members and a lot of muscle (remember that the UK was one of the Big Three in the EU) would unbalance relationships within EFTA and the UK force it to go in directions the rest of its members didn't want.

This plan was completely marginalised. I think because the Leave campaign depended on whipping up anti EU hysteria and, having been well and truly whipped up, nothing that smacked of any connection at all with the EU found any favour in the eyes of the Leaver population.

Of course, it also doesn't please the disaster capitalists and those who have an interest in selling off the NHS to the USA.

its a temporary caretaker government that I meant,thats what Jo Swinson wont back UNLESS its Tory led.Which leaves us in exactly the same situation we're in already .IF she was bright enough to understand that having a temporary alliance with Labour.Greens and SNP it would give the country breathing space from the madness she might ..just MIGHT gain from it.Saying that she wont co operate with anyone but the tores will remind voters of the last disatrous coalition that merely pushed through ALL the tory policies even the ones the LD's said they would never support.LOOK AT HER VOTING RECORD!!

Not Mystic Granny yet absthame. I do appreciate the apology.

The trouble is that Labour is unlikely to win a GE with Corbyn as leader, so the British people won't get a chance for a new referendum.

I still don't get the idea that the UK can leave the EU politically but not for trade. The EU would never agree to that. The UK would have to leave completely and then negotiate a trading agreement, which is what will anyway, whatever kind of government the UK has. It's likely to take years and jobs will already have gone and th economy trashed.

I apologise if I misread you GraceGranMK3. But I took it that you were saying that a vote would produce a similar outcome, and the evidence of that view is dubious at best. I accept that's not you was saying. SORRY

believe Nguyen being

Where did I say that, absthame I don't mind believe Nguyen challenged on what I do say but please don't make it up.

gacesGranMK3. The evidence, admittedly is fluid at best, but it does suggest that you are wrong in your assertion that people would not now vote remain. However tomorrow they say is another day