Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Conference speech
LEADER’S SPEECH: NICK CLEGG PROMISES "A NEW TYPE OF POLITICS"
In his first conference speech as leader, Nick Clegg demanded a shake-up of the whole political system. A running theme of the speech was the need for a new kind of politics. Key points from Nick’s speech include:
· "Let’s clean up politics … I want a Derek Conway Clause. So if an MP is suspended for serious misconduct there is an automatic recall ballot so people can call for a by-election.”
· "Let’s give people the say they deserve. I hold town hall meetings up and down the country every couple of weeks… Today I'm writing to invite [Brown and Cameron] to join me at any one of the town hall meetings coming up. Not as a media stunt, but a direct conversation with people“.
· "Let’s design a new political system for the 21st century. … I want a citizens’ jury of 100 people to sit in a Constitutional Convention with all the political parties, churches, civil society groups and more - to look across the board, and redesign the way Britain is governed.”
· "If we don’t act, Britain will end up like America, where political influence is all about cash. That's why I want a universal £25,000 cap on donations. A real cap on spending. And yes, an end to big union donations, and an end to offshore finance from Belize."
· Nick said he would do whatever it takes to get change in Britain: "If it means walking out of Parliament when the big parties collude against us, I say: fine. If it means boycotting banquets that celebrate our relationship with dodgy regimes, like Vince Cable did, or speaking up to expose corruption like Chris Davies did, I say: so be it. If it means risking court, and refusing to sign up for an Identity Card, I say: bring it on. And you can expect more - much more - of that from me."
· “Will I ever join a Conservative government? No. Will I ever join a Labour government? No. I will never allow the Liberal Democrats to be a mere annex to another party's agenda. But am I interested in building a new type of government? Yes. Based on pluralism instead of one party rule? Yes. A new system, that empowers people not parties? Yes. We want a new, more liberal Britain. And the Liberal Democrats will be the gathering point for everyone who wants that liberal Britain too – no matter their background, no matter their party.”
In his first conference speech as leader, Nick Clegg demanded a shake-up of the whole political system. A running theme of the speech was the need for a new kind of politics. Key points from Nick’s speech include:
· "Let’s clean up politics … I want a Derek Conway Clause. So if an MP is suspended for serious misconduct there is an automatic recall ballot so people can call for a by-election.”
· "Let’s give people the say they deserve. I hold town hall meetings up and down the country every couple of weeks… Today I'm writing to invite [Brown and Cameron] to join me at any one of the town hall meetings coming up. Not as a media stunt, but a direct conversation with people“.
· "Let’s design a new political system for the 21st century. … I want a citizens’ jury of 100 people to sit in a Constitutional Convention with all the political parties, churches, civil society groups and more - to look across the board, and redesign the way Britain is governed.”
· "If we don’t act, Britain will end up like America, where political influence is all about cash. That's why I want a universal £25,000 cap on donations. A real cap on spending. And yes, an end to big union donations, and an end to offshore finance from Belize."
· Nick said he would do whatever it takes to get change in Britain: "If it means walking out of Parliament when the big parties collude against us, I say: fine. If it means boycotting banquets that celebrate our relationship with dodgy regimes, like Vince Cable did, or speaking up to expose corruption like Chris Davies did, I say: so be it. If it means risking court, and refusing to sign up for an Identity Card, I say: bring it on. And you can expect more - much more - of that from me."
· “Will I ever join a Conservative government? No. Will I ever join a Labour government? No. I will never allow the Liberal Democrats to be a mere annex to another party's agenda. But am I interested in building a new type of government? Yes. Based on pluralism instead of one party rule? Yes. A new system, that empowers people not parties? Yes. We want a new, more liberal Britain. And the Liberal Democrats will be the gathering point for everyone who wants that liberal Britain too – no matter their background, no matter their party.”
# posted by John Beanse @ 8:28 AM 
