Source: https://www.fantasyparliament.co.uk/mp/148/searches

Canadian here and looking to understand from Liberal Democrats what makes them support and enthusiastic in regards to their party.

To preface I am a NDP supporter here in Canada and on the left-flank of that party.

I value the Labour Movement, Environmentalist Movement, Women's Rights Movement, LGBTQ+ Rights Movement, Civil Rights Movement, Peace Movement, Alter-Globalization Movement, and so on :)

So when it comes to UK politics I have been more interested in the Labour Party, UK Greens, Your Party, and so on.

I thought the Labour Party under Keir Starmer truly missed the opportunity to be bold, profound, and inspiring.

What kind of policies do you think the Liberal Democrats offer to help move the working class and most vulnerable forward for affordability of life/quality of life?

Anything to strengthen Labour rights/benefits and organizing?

Anything to strengthen Renewable Energy/Electrification Technology and in general Environmental Conservation/Protection?

Anything to strengthen the rights and freedoms of people?

Anything in particular to help with the Housing Crisis that I hear the UK like Canada is being devastated by?

It feels the courts have been rigged to always favour those with the most money over their victims and allow the silencing of criticism and free speech if you hurt the feelings of the super wealthy who can abuse litigation to shut people down.

And if someone with a lot of money was to take their victims to court there is a high chance they will win or at least ruin their victims financially by dragging a case out they won't be able to front the money for defence on.

Even looking lately at certain billionaires threatening lawfare on a champion of human rights because they didn't like being called out as bankrolling and support anti rights orgs.

Horrible this is a thing that is just normal and accepted in the United Kingdom giving a dangerous amount of power to the super wealthy to change laws, bully critics and hold a chilling effect on freedom of speech.

Interested to hear people's thoughts now the government proposals have been released (as a devonian I think the one for Devon is ridiculous and clearly politically biased).

Devon:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y4lkq204ko

Gloucestershire:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj632xwp7n3o

Worcestershire:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2gnvrq822o

Lincolnshire:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cewrlnvvg8go

Kent:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdx762yve7do

Warwickshire:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgd2453kdgo

Oxfordshire:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxdx54w7w5o

Lancashire:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg535935ndno

Cambridgeshire and West Sussex still haven't been agreed.

If I've missed any let me know but I grabbed what I could of the bbc website, I think they all have maps.

Derbyshire:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cewrln415lko

There has been a lot of local drama in my area recently around building a new hospital. People are up in arms about building it on a golf course, less than a mile up the road from the existing hospital.

I was really disappointed to see that our new LD MP, who came in taking the seat from Michael Gove, is siding with these people. If LDs can’t even support a hospital, what hope have I got that they’ll consider building more housing in my area?

I even got into an argument on the doorstep with one of the (now newly elected) West Surrey prospective councillors who suggested we should only be building family homes, as flats are inappropriate to the character of the area.

I’ve voted LD in every election for the last 9 years. Really starting to think their priorities don’t align with my own, and feel a bit of a mug for it. The party got me on side during Brexit, but just feels like a thin orange wrapper around resident’s association.

Be it Labour, Tories, Co-op, Reform, Greens, SNP or Plaid Cymru - they have all won at least 1 by-election since the 2024 General Election, so why haven’t the Lib Dem’s been able to win any despite being the 3rd Largest party in the country by far when everyone else has?

Now I think not running in Farage's silly stunt is the right call for the Libs. It's a seat that even the mighty lib dem byelection team is not going to win it, and it's a pointless precursor to his actual suspension and recall.

And I do believe in being loyal to the party you are a member of.

But I would probably be willing to chip in 20 quid on the off chance Binface could be the anti-Farage candidate.

But is this OK with the party rulebook, and does it feel morally acceptable as a member.

Co-founder of The Grimond Society here.

A few days ago, we launched in this sub and received constructive criticism, which turned out to be the most useful thing that happened to us all week.

This is the follow-up, because some of you, albeit unknowingly, shaped what we've decided.

First, some good news!

We're 20+ members in week one, spread across England, Wales, Scotland, and one determined soul overseas.

Now, I wanted to address some of the comments, as they have given me pause for reflection:

1. 'Why is a liberal group quoting "socialism without the state"?'

Because Grimond meant it as a dig, not a confession. Worker ownership delivers the thing socialists claim to want, people actually owning their workplaces, while abolishing the thing socialism requires. Mill made the same case a century earlier.

1. 'Don't pick winners; if co-ops are good they'll emerge naturally.'

Here's the thing: we half agree, and that half is the whole motion. Emerging naturally requires a level field, and the field isn't level. Investors in a conventional startup get EIS and SEIS relief. But invest the same money in a co-op and you mostly can't get the equivalent.

The one relief that did cover community benefit societies expired in April 2023, unreplaced. And Parliament has twice passed Acts for this sector, in 2015 and 2023, that no government has ever switched on.

That's not neutrality, but instead, accumulated bias. Removing it is the liberal ask.

1. 'You'll end up compelling firms into co-ops."

Nobody is compelling anyone into anything, and if anyone did propose that, I'd oppose them too. Everything here is voluntary.

Level the field, let the market decide, and if these models then flourish, it's because people chose them.

So our motion's principle, which this thread helped crystallise, is parity, not privilege.

Farage is under a lot of fire and his political career is being called into question following his dodgy, undeclared donations and gifts. Considering he seems to be losing political momentum, do you think he’d fight a by-election if Clacton had a recall petition? Would it be worth it for him or is he toast?