Liberal Democrat leadership hopeful visits Rochdale

Nick Clegg MP

Liberal Democrat leadership hopeful Nick Clegg MP spoke to 25 Lib Dem members at Newhey Social Club, last night, Thursday 7 December. He spoke about his leadership prospects before answering questions from the floor. Rochdale Lib Dem Councillors and MP Paul Rowen were pleased with what they heard and will continue to lend their support to Mr Clegg’s campaign.

The MP for Sheffield Hallam outlined his ambitious hopes to turn the Liberal Democrats into the leading party in government within two general elections. He said: “I think I am being realistic when I say that I think we can break the two party political system within two elections. It will be hugely challenging but it is very possible. To do it we need to start talking to people, to the voters, rather than talking among ourselves.”

He outlined that some radical policies would be needed to make that vision come true. The most contentious of these among the Lib Dem members present was the possibility, if all else fails, of introducing positive discrimination in order to encourage more ethnic minority and female members into the party set up.

“If Liberalism is to grow we have to have more contemporary Britain in us. If we do not succeed in doing this we need to take measures to give a head start to people that are under-represented.”

Mr Clegg told Rochdale Online about the importance of local media in the face of what he termed the “unfriendly and utterly biased national media”. “We need to concentrate on the local and regional media in order to get through to people below the radar,” he said. “We have given too much concern to getting a few column inches in the nationals when local outlets can give us more widespread and in depth coverage.”

Rochdale Councillors Wera Hobhouse and David Clayton played an active role in the meeting.

Councillor Hobhouse is the Lib Dem candidate for the Heywood amp; Middleton parliamentary seat and she spoke about her concerns of balancing family life with government responsibilities.

Nick Clegg said in response: “I think it’s true that parliament has diverted itself even further away from reality in the amount of time that can be reasonably expected of our MPs. It is very traditionally geared to the middle class male spending all his time there and not playing an active role in their children’s upbringing and that is something we have to work around.”

Councillor Clayton contradicted the Liberal stance by supporting the government’s ideas about the DNA database. Citing the case of Lesley Molseed and the wrongful conviction of Stefan Kiszko he said that the DNA database was essential in bringing about the eventual conviction of Ronald Castree.

Nick Clegg said: “I disagree with what the government is doing now, just cropping DNA from everywhere and retaining the DNA of innocent people and pretending that it is related to catching criminals.

“Retaining DNA at birth is something that does not sit comfortably with me. There are of course some good reasons for having DNA available but the government is dishonest about the way they go about it and I do not think that sits right with Lib Dem attitudes.”

Speaking after the meeting Paul Rowen MP said he was pleased to support Nick Clegg in his leadership campaign and spoke of Rochdale’s strong presence in parliament. He said: “Nick will take the Lib Dems forward and he is not afraid to speak his mind and it was great that he was able to come here to speak to us.

“Rochdale is hugely important to the Lib Dems. There are three statues of Rochdale’s Liberal sons in parliament in Richard Cobden, John Bright and Sir Cyril Smith, which is not bad for a small town and we get heard regularly in parliament today as well.”