I WAS having my Sunday tea and, not being a fan of Songs of Praise, started channel-hopping round Freeview.
What I found was a half hour programme on the Parliament Channel celebrating the 20th anniversary of the merger of the Liberal Party with the SDP to form the Liberal Democrats.
Then the freaky bit - an interview with me 20 years ago followed by one recorded a few weeks ago!
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"You look much better now," said Heather. "Hmmm," thought I!
Those were difficult times. The Alliance of the Liberals and the SDP had started with great hopes and some real successes before it was knocked back by events, particularly the Falklands War which restored the standing of the Thatcher government.
By 1987, after two General Elections, the experiment of two parties with two leaders working together had run its course and the merger was inevitable.
The SDP split in half with Dr. Owen setting up the short-lived "continuing SDP" which we called "SDP Tick" after its logo.
A few Liberals followed Michael Meadowcroft into the wilderness.
Michael himself has just returned to the fold after almost 20 years dwelling in the tents of the self-righteous.
Liberals in Pendle were divided between people like me who (after opposing the merger) reluctantly joined the new party, and those who would not do so at least until we got a sensible name - Liberal Democrats - which took a couple of years.
How we survived locally as a united party, and continued to run Pendle Council at the time, is an interesting historical footnote which has not been told, and may never be. But it worked.
Nationally the first few years of the new party were a nightmare and for a time its existence was in doubt.
But a combination of Paddy Ashdown's inspiring leadership and the resilience of our local government base pulled us through.
Against all the odds, we are now not only the accepted Liberal party of British politics.
We are the most successful one for at least 80 years.
But I'm not sure that what we went through 20 years ago was the best way to get to where we are.
I have to pinch myself that it was not all a dream, and at times rather a bad one!
The Lib Dems are a nasty bunch of failed politicians.
you realised you were never going to make an impact on the national scene so instead you began scare people with made up stories, much like the BNP now... Labour and the Tories in Pendle never had good organisation and so you made good ground...
But you never represented the people! You just scared them into voting for you!
The Lib Dems are a nasty bunch of failed politicians.
you realised you were never going to make an impact on the national scene so instead you began scare people with made up stories, much like the BNP now... Labour and the Tories in Pendle never had good organisation and so you made good ground...
But you never represented the people! You just scared them into voting for you!
Posted by: Albert from Barlick, Barlick on 3:02pm Tue 4 Mar 08
Greaves has always been a dictator and he created his prodigy called Whipp.
They both sponge of the ratepayers .
Flamin greaves is on mega money from the Lords and Whiippy is bleedin the council dry ...shame on you
Greaves has always been a dictator and he created his prodigy called Whipp.
They both sponge of the ratepayers .
Flamin greaves is on mega money from the Lords and Whiippy is bleedin the council dry ...shame on you
Posted by: Tony Greaves, Colne on 8:57pm Wed 5 Mar 08
I normally don't reply to people whose level of debate is of this pathetic personally abusive level (I learnt to live with it long ago) but I should point out that unlike MPs members of the House of Lords do not get paid a wage. The expenses paid are public knowledge.
But the question I ask is this: if we want more people to take on jobs in public life, as Councillors and other positions - can we really be surprised if a lot of good people will not put themselves in a position where they are subjected to this kind of ignorant personal ranting abuse?
Tony Greaves
I normally don't reply to people whose level of debate is of this pathetic personally abusive level (I learnt to live with it long ago) but I should point out that unlike MPs members of the House of Lords do not get paid a wage. The expenses paid are public knowledge.
But the question I ask is this: if we want more people to take on jobs in public life, as Councillors and other positions - can we really be surprised if a lot of good people will not put themselves in a position where they are subjected to this kind of ignorant personal ranting abuse?
Posted by: Nostradamous, B/burn on 12:49pm Mon 10 Mar 08
Never worry your head my lordship..lol
There will allways be poeple more than ready to stand up and be belittled for the price of a pint as you say..lol,but one thing i can gaurentee is that it will be for the benefit of themselves and not for the greter good of mankind that they do this service..lol,and these people will also come from a friend of a friend,it aint what ya know but who ya know allways has and allways will be,and by the way did anyone force you to get on your soap box or stay on it for that matter,no they didnt.you do it by choice, so stop your moaning or get off and let someone else have a go.
Never worry your head my lordship..lol
There will allways be poeple more than ready to stand up and be belittled for the price of a pint as you say..lol,but one thing i can gaurentee is that it will be for the benefit of themselves and not for the greter good of mankind that they do this service..lol,and these people will also come from a friend of a friend,it aint what ya know but who ya know allways has and allways will be,and by the way did anyone force you to get on your soap box or stay on it for that matter,no they didnt.you do it by choice, so stop your moaning or get off and let someone else have a go.
Can the person who is trying to be Mahboob Ahmed Ex Cllr stop it because if you are not brave enough to come out and leave your real name then dont. Mr Greaves is doing an excellent job with his column i am in full support of it and if you cant debate properly dont come out with rubbish
Can the person who is trying to be Mahboob Ahmed Ex Cllr stop it because if you are not brave enough to come out and leave your real name then dont. Mr Greaves is doing an excellent job with his column i am in full support of it and if you cant debate properly dont come out with rubbish
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