Clegg to debate 'Britishness'

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg will debate what it means to be British at the party conference this year.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg will debate what it means to be British at the party conference this year.

Thursday, 17, Sep 2009 03:48

By politics.co.uk staff

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg will debate what it means to be British in the wake of a resurgence of right-wing protests.

The Lib Dems have decided to debate the controversial issue after recent protests by groups such as the English Defence League in Birmingham and Harrow have put the question of race and equality back in the spotlight.

Mr Clegg said: "After 12 years of New Labour trampling individual civil liberties, vilifying asylum seekers and pandering to populism on law and order, basic British tolerance is now under threat.

"Despite all the shiny rebranding, Cameron's Conservatives still don't understand modern Britain and have no representation in the diverse inner city communities of this country.

"That's why it falls to the Liberal Democrats to rediscover an inclusive, positive sense of British identity where the old values of tolerance and pluralism are celebrated once again."

Mr Clegg will debate the issue in conversation with journalist Yasmin Alibhai Brown at the Liberal Democrat conference.

Analysis

Video

Audio

Poll

Blair's memoirs

Tony Blair has released his memoirs, three years after leaving office.

Tony Blair's memoir took three years to write.

Fringe Events

politics.co.uk Blog

  • We're in for a treat

    There is no other verdict: this year's Strictly Come Dancing will be essential viewing.

    The woman who once said she would not touch an image consultant with a ten-foot bargepole might seem like an improbable choice for a show dominated by sequins, glitter and short, frilly dresses.

    It does not seem to have deterred Ann Widdecombe, the former prisons minister who stepped down as Maidstone and the Weald's loyal MP in May.

    Her appearance on the show - it would surely be folly to assume anything other than that she would be voted out immediately - will be a magnificent affair. Politicians are usually adept at covering up inadequacy, if nothing else. How will the indefatigable Widdecombe cope?

    Perhaps the clue is in her tenacious spirit. She is bound to give the judges a piece of her mind. She will shatter those bright studio lights with her screams if her dance partner steps on her foot. She will 'ave a go.

    Perhaps - and surely we are now entering the realms of fantasy - her brash, no-nonsense attitude will see the public fall in love with her in ways she could only dream of as a politician. Reality TV has sprung more absurd surprises on us, as the terrible lesson of Jedward teaches us.

    If only Turner were alive he could probably paint a portrait of our Ann being towed away to be broken up. The Fighting Widdecombe, they would call it. Perhaps Strictly Come Dancing is the 21st century's equivalent.
     

  • End of the honeymoon

    Returning after two weeks away from Westminster, it's striking how out of date our last blog post now is.

    Instead of a sluggish summer period when the unabashed smugness of new ministers left a distinctly queasy feeling, we're confronted with ministers under pressure from scandal and officials facing controversial allegations.

    A colleague, who was on holiday until two weeks ago, was understandably upbeat about the timing of his own summer break. "It's been very busy this last fortnight," he said. The William Hague revelations. The News of the World claims. And wasn't there something else, too? I seem to remember something about the publication of a book...

    There is nothing worse than the political honeymoon, that terrible period when novelty dampens the usual cynical zeal of public discourse in Britain. Thank goodness it's over. Normal service has, thankfully, been resumed.
     

  • Cosying up to the coalition

    One of the most infuriating aspects of writing about a new government is the sheer foot-dragging reluctance of lobby groups to mouth off against them.

    So many organisations prefer to keep on err on the side of caution when it comes to criticising our new rulers - because they know they are going to have to work with them for several years to come.

    To the extent that the coalition hasn't yet addressed all of the agenda points in its programme for government just yet, that's fair enough.

    But for those where clear proposals are now in the open, what's wrong with a bit of open-ended criticism?

    The shift from six months previously makes the trend all the more clear. After 13 years of irritants virtually any organisation was ready to launch into a rant against the iniquities of New Labour's processes.

    Now we find ourselves faced with endless off-the-record conversations about the slapdash approach of the coalition - and nothing to put into our articles. There is real concern out there about many of the government's ideas, but very little willingness to openly come out and challenge them.

    The result? Ministers get something approaching carte blanche. Only when they try especially ill-thought-out proposals (c.f. academies bill) do they attract slings and arrows of negative press coverage.

    This honeymoon period won't last forever, of course. This is the thought which sustains us through the long, long summer months.
     

  • Dog days

    The terrible torment of politics in early August is especially excruciating this year.

    Twelve months ago was bad enough. I recall staggering into a deserted parliament (out of boredom of course) before being told by a sage old veteran that the first week of August is, approximately, the most tedious period known to man.

    Two years ago Russia obliged by invading South Ossetia. Last year Locerkbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi's compassionate release livened up the Worst Month Of All. So far, this month hasn't come up with an equivalent relief at all. The row with Pakistan definitely doesn't count.

    The break is, arguably, worse than usual, because MPs are set to return for a two-week sitting of parliament in September. It means they only have five weeks or so to cram in their summer holidays - and so are all off at once. No one is available to speak to because they are all on a beach somewhere.

    The result? Those who haven't yet managed to escape are left trying to get worked up about very little. They can, for example, write five paragraphs about absolutely nothing. A journalist's work is never done.
     

  • They need a holiday

    After a couple of (very busy) days MPs are heading back to their constituencies for the long summer break.

    Actually, it's not so long as all that. There's only five full weeks until the Commons returns for an unusual fortnight of sittings in September.

    Still, most of us wouldn't sniff at the opportunity to have five weeks away from it all.

    Twelve months ago the newspapers were full of outrageous 'MPs on holiday' stories as hacks looked for new angles on the 'they're monsters' theme.

    This time around it might be different. A senior government whip I spoke to on the terrace of the Palace of Westminster on the first day of the recess had a distinct strain of relief in his voice.

    "We all need a holiday," he said, rather pathetically. MPs felt utterly victimised this time last year. Walking around the corridors of parliament was like wandering through a combination of a morgue and a museum.

    (Given the state of the culture budget, I'd probably just be able to say 'museum' in a few months)

    The Kelly inquiry into expenses restarted the furore one day before MPs returned. Then came Legg and the auditors; an exhausting general election campaign; and the minor trauma of a coalition formation. Perhaps MPs do deserve a holiday, after all.