John Crace of the Guardian made a snide comment on Monday – in his piece about Gina Miller’s speech he said we took a “two-and-a-half-hour lunch break. Presumably, because there wasn’t much more business to discuss.”
I couldn’t disagree with him more – and that’s not just because I’m a member of the Federal Conference Committee. Of course, there was plenty to say on Brexit, where Tories and Labour are tearing themselves apart. However, we debated so many other important issues – how we enable people to thrive in a world of rapid technological change, how we address increasing inequality through wealth taxation and how we empower communities to determine their own futures. We made brave and yes, radical policy in several areas – calling for the decriminalisation of abortion, replacement of business rates with a land value tax and a new migration policy that celebrates the impact that migrants have had in the UK.
A few things struck me this time that was different. Firstly, the number of speaker cards we had from new councillors, elected in the last couple of years. They reminded us once again about the huge impact of 60% reductions to council funding, but they had positive stories of how Lib Dems are making a difference – whether it was a big new housing scheme in Cheltenham, radical approaches to cutting carbon emissions in South Cambridgeshire or the real challenge we now offer to the old Labour one-party states in London local authorities. Secondly, there were so many first-time speakers – which I think proves that we had an agenda that inspired people to overcome their nerves and get up on the conference stage, and that our expanded membership is bringing forward fresh ideas. Thirdly the number of people in the conference hall for all of the debates was striking – even on arcane matters such as land value taxation.
Lib Dems like so many other people in the UK at the moment in these turbulent, polarised times is looking for answers. Unlike the extremists on the right and the left, we do not offer simplistic, populist solutions, instead our debates are nuanced, considering the complexities and trade-offs that need to be made. The policy that we make is actually deliverable, rather than easy promises that fall at the first hurdle.
So, John, and all the other nay-sayer journos out there, we have plenty to talk about, and plenty to be proud about.
* Cara Jenkinson is Vice-Chair of Haringey Liberal Democrats and PPC for Enfield North
