On 29 Aug 2010 at 8:41am Onan The Barbarian wrote:
I `m a Conservative but I can`t help liking Norman Baker personally. He did not abuse the tax payer, au contraire,he uncovered waste everywhere from SEEDA to Chris Huhne`s taxi fares( tee hee). I have heard many tales of his efforts on behalf of people around here, so I can see his reputation as a great local MP is deserved.
He is a lot more than a local MP now though, and in a reversal of the usual
state of affairs Lewes Liberals may be more important than they think they are. Our Norm currently occupies a pivotal role in a coalition bent on freeing us from debt and sclerotic socialism by shrinking the state. Me likee, but its a long way from Baker`s past as Beveridge Group radical left wing Liberal.
Lewes Liberals have struck me as more pinky green than Orange Bookers with their bossy booted meddling instincts and faddy obessions with foxes, feminsim and foreigners very much intact . So heres the point ...
The Coalition will soon come under presurre from deficit deniers and those in real distress as the cuts bite. Charles, ( hic ..) Kennedy was plausibly rumoured to be going over to the reds and Clegg is slithering down the Polls. An AV referendum will probably be lost ,Clegg has already prepared the ground , he will ,I gather, face an ordeal by fire at the Conference.
Baker is a senior figure ,his words count which means Lewes Liberals , to some extent hold the fate of the National in their sweaty palms .
So tell me any Liberals out there , have you really concieved an unnatural affection for we righties or are you wriggling like Pepé Le Pew`s amorous quarry? Are you going to stick with the programme or not ?
Speke Your Branes
On 29 Aug 2010 at 9:24am Matt Kent wrote:
Norman, is that you? 
Cheers - Matt
On 29 Aug 2010 at 10:03am Sootikin wrote:
Onan the onanist?
Newmania, is that you?
On 29 Aug 2010 at 10:06am Clifford wrote:
Anyone who describes Labour as 'the reds' has the political acuity of a 10 year old.
On 29 Aug 2010 at 10:07am SHS wrote:
The coalition, whether left, right, liberal, conservative or up a tree, are doing a fantastic job. It really is a dream come true and only now do I realise how very repressed we really were under Brown & Blair (I figured I could claim political assylum in another country, due to persecution in the UK).
Finally, a govt that is slashing waste by the barrel load: ID cards, the telephone & email database, websites, advertising and marketing (no more TV ads), the audit commission, cutting civil servant redundancy gifts & stopping 1st class travel, eliminating quangos, loads more I can't list. Lately exposed the trillions of pounds wasted on external NHS management consultants (I've seen 'consultants' with 4 week's post-uni experience being charged out at £120+ per hour)...... Congratulations & keep it up.
On 29 Aug 2010 at 10:38am sashimi wrote:
Apart from the seventeenth century spelling, a very interesting challenge, Mr Barbarian. I think the Lib-Con government was a very intelligent choice by the electorate: a rejection of Gordon Brown and the softening of the brutal Tory cuts with progressive edge. The cuts were inevitable whoever won in May. I don't buy the timing argument. The £6.8bn taken out of this year's budget is just 1% of what has to be done to get the budget back in balance and on its own won't tip the economy into recession. If there is a second dip, it was coming anyway. Norman is on the left of the Party and he's still staunchly supporting the Coalition, so there's your answer Mr B. Yes, SHS, I agree about the chance to cut out some of that waste. Most pensioners don't need a winter fuel payment. The state shouldn't be starting trust funds for infants. It'll be difficult to reverse some of the stupidities of PFI and the bonuses paid to civil servants for doing what they were already overpaid for doing, etc. But don't forget the good things that were delivered: decent schools and hospitals etc.
On 29 Aug 2010 at 11:57am Onan The Barbarian wrote:
Clifford .. No Mr. Po face , I don`t think that New Labour are Soviet agents , just kidding , yeeesh (Commie subversives anyone ? )
SHS- Yes indeed, I agree with everyhting you say , when you look back at it how how how did we get so close to ID cards , in this country ?!?!
Sashimi also quite obviously much cleverer than me ,( not hard to be fair ) and I especially agree with you about timing, ( spelling courtesy of Molesworth akshually ... )
I went to a debate about Tom Paine a while ago and I was amazed to hear him described by what I took to be local Liberals as a sort of wet nurse state soppy socialist. Thats whyI wondered if they might be having a pop at Norm, who is currently part of an administration a world away from those attitudes . Consider the plans to follow Clintonian reform on welfare for example , scary stuff for a pinky and perky do gooder. Perhaps I got the wrong impression but it was all "Something must be done " at the time and never "Less must be done "
Honestly I`m just curious , what happened to Labour lite ?
On 29 Aug 2010 at 12:52pm sashimi wrote:
Hmmm, Mr B. An intellectual Tory. A rare beast indeed - and an interesting one. I suspect that all that really divides us is how you describe a glass with 50% liquid. We are probably collectively more optimistic than your lot. Like all political affilliations, liberals are a coalition of lots of different groups in the political centre. There are cross-overs with some conservative ideas - free enterprise perhaps and we share with the left ideas that are broadly social democratic. We probably rate 'liberal' values more highly than the other parties - but that doesn't mean some of their supporters aren't a bit liberal too. Likewise, we're greener than the other major parties, but obviously not as green as the Greens. All of which is a longwinded way of saying if you are looking for a consistent view of what any party stands for, you can't quote a few individuals - or is you do, expect to be able to prove they are all inconsistent.
On 29 Aug 2010 at 4:45pm Clifford wrote:
Onan - 'pinky and perky' is far more accurate.
On 31 Aug 2010 at 8:52pm stan wrote:
Not sure how popular norman is with his own party though.I know they are a party of mavericks but what with his David Kelly book and Uckfield-Lewes railway plans he does seem to off in fairy land sometimes! Nice bloke though and entertaining company and a good local M.P.
On 6 Sep 2010 at 11:43am NickRobinson wrote:
Too true Sashimi, the Lib Dems do seem to represent an ever-broadening church. I understand they even had that charming John Stockdale fellow represent them at some point recently. It all plays utter havoc with our Tory database thingy, I can tell you.
:-)