Having spent so long courting George Monbiot and basking in the warm sunlight of his approval, Plaid Cymru must have been pretty pig-sick yesterday morning to read this letter in the Guardian to which he attached his name.
Mr Monbiot joined with a host of other progressives including Richard Reeves, John Kampfner, Professor Noreena Hertz, Susie Orbach, Henry Porter, Francis Wheen, Jeanette Winterson, Richard Dawkins, Philippe Sands, Anthony Barnett, and David Marquand to assert that the energy for the future of progressive politics is to be found with the Liberal Democrats.
It is a contemporary political fact that the stronger the performance of the Liberal Democrats on 6 May the better the chances of progressive reform.
The Liberal Democrats are today’s change-makers. They have already changed the election; next they could drive fundamental change in our political and economic landscape.
Some of us have already pinned our colours to the Liberal Democrat mast. For others, the decision to back the Liberal Democrats in this election is a difficult one. Long-standing party loyalties, even in a less tribal world, are not easily suspended. But May 2010 offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape politics for the better. It must be seized.
It is an endorsement that is very much welcomed by the Liberal Democrats.
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Great to see Francis Wheen’s name in that list. I have long suspected, from his appearances on The News Quiz that he is more liberal than socialist.
Peter – It may have escaped you attention, but this is really a letter endorsing political reform – and the Lib Dems as the best chance of achieving that in this election. You will not have missed Monbiot’s glowing endorsement of the Welsh Political system, which also lauded Elfyn Llwyd, was really a call to reform the political system in England (sorry – I meant to say the UK) and I am not surprised, that in a UK context, he is throwing his weight behind a lib Dem vote this time!
I Myself, a lifelong Plaid supporter, am going to vote for Peter May in Swansea West, because he has a chance to unseat Labour here, and Plaid haven’t. And I really do hope that you hold a powerful hand in a coalition government (my preference would be with Labour, but even the Conservatives would do) as long as it introduces PR into the UK system. But make no mistake, I am still Plaid!
I would have preferred the ‘Rainbow coalition’ in the assembly, but as I remember, it was your party that dissembled and made it impossible!
However, I do wish you well this time!
Completely wrong.
Once again Welsh Lib Dem thinking is being dominated by the UK mindset. This is why I have doubts about a federal solution to the national question in Wales.
I’ve written a riposte to this at Welsh Ramblings and your comment would be appreciated, if you want to dispute it.
Ramblings, to be honest I am too busy.