Now- Party leader Nick Clegg will seek to rally his rank-and-file by claiming that now is the time for the Lib Dems to supplant Labour as the main “progressive” party of British politics.
Then- In his first major speech since winning the job, Mr Clegg has pretty much adopted the agenda set out in the controversial Orange Book, authored by party frontbencher David Laws and others (including Mr Clegg himself) in 2004. The book included essays which demanded a return to what was claimed were the basic liberal values of free trade and the effectiveness of the private sector.
But by suggesting a greater role for private firms in the public services, the so-called “orange bookers” sparked an internal row with those in the party advocating what many saw as a more left-wing agenda. That group, led by the likes of party president Simon Hughes, suggested their opponents were going down a Conservative path at a time when the party needed to attract disillusioned Labour voters.
Our choices for government are merely which style of neoliberal free market corporatism we find the least offensive, wonks, pundits,blogs, tweets and papers follow the political class like gossip columnists, keeping themselves in work and produce what amounts to nothing more than soap opera that obscures the truth- we have no real political choice. I believe it would be wise to look to what people in other countries with little democracy do to survive under such circumstances rather than keep following the farce of party politics as if they represented your interests.
Ten Percent 