As the conference season draws near, focus falls upon party leaders. Political careers are made and ruined at party conferences, as the party membership and watching media scrutinise the performance of each leader. It won’t surprise you to know that I’ll be found asking many of the same questions as those watching: Did I engage the audience? Did I effectively communicate the key points within the speech? Were my arguments plausible, evidenced, exciting?
Whilst you’re speaking, when you finish and for the following days, the feedback flows. As a speaker you know immediately if your peers approve, you hear quickly if all is well, faster even, if not. For major or landmark speeches, the media analysis appears exhaustive. How many times did Obama say ‘change’? Did Tony Blair really say sorry? Was there anything for ‘x’ in this speech?
Somewhere between the lectern and the next day’s headlines something critical gets lost. People very rarely ask ‘Why did he/she say all that?’ or ‘Who’s he/she listening to?’. You might hear ‘Brown has been listening to Mandelson’ but you never hear ‘Cameron’s clearly been listening to the people of Plymouth’ after a major speech. Sometimes the politician will tell you they’ve listened to the ‘average Joe’, ‘Mondeo-man’ or ‘the people of Wales’ – but it’s hard to believe they have.
I’ve been listening a lot recently, precisely because I think my leadership will succeed only if I listen to my peers, party members and the people affected by the policies and programs we propose. That doesn’t mean I agree with all that I hear, but the more I listen, the firmer my mandate, not just to represent but to lead.
As we develop our manifestos, as we vote in conferences, make and listen to speeches over the coming months let’s keep our central concern a concern to represent communities – not ourselves. We must have faith that the political vision we endorse as a party, is a vision that will deliver for Welsh voters.
Listening is our best route to richer representation – to understanding our communities, their individual and collective concerns. Listening builds relationships. Proving that we are the party of freedom, open-debate and democracy will win us many friends in a climate of deep mistrust towards politics.
I recently listened to a group of people in Carmarthen, at a town hall meeting. The group talked to me and amongst themselves about politics, politicians and expenses. Several people said they wished there was a party where members got to decide on policy, where anybody from any walk of life could join and feel welcome.
The group talked about how distanced they felt from decision making locally and in Wales. I listened as they told me about major developmental and service decisions that affected the whole area but were made by a small group of politicians. Despite every person in that meeting caring passionately about their locality, nearly all expressed their sense of disengagement. We discussed their concerns and the ways in which things might be improved but many said they were happy just to be able to tell me how they felt, that it was worth holding the meeting.
I’ll be holding more town hall meetings over the coming months and I’ll be listening to many more people. Many more may tell me they feel unheard, that they wish for a political party that meets their will to engage with the issues facing their locality.
Luckily, I’m able to tell people about the way the Welsh Liberal Democrats work. I’m able to say that our conferences aren’t all about grandstand speeches, rather, members debate and voting on key party policy. I can highlight our successes in Local Government and our ability to centre our scrutiny of government on the problems facing those who talk to us. I’m able to describe a party that’s geared up to Listen and Lead.
So as you watch the speeches made by leaders of parties in Wales and Westminster, ask the question nobody seems to ask ‘who are they listening to?’ – I for one will be making sure it’s clear who I’ve heard and how that’s shaped my speech.
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I think this is a very good idea of yours to have town hall meetings, innovative. Keep listening kirsty which people like and respect. A vote gatherer perhaps. I thin kpeople are distanced from decision making locally. Ironically i think it the poor quality of local councillors and community councillors which are elected by their communities to provide proper meetings / or deliberately fail to advertise meetings