Comments on: No turning back? A response to Compass

By: Geoffrey Payne

Geoffrey Payne — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 15:42:05 +0000

One think tank we should definitely pay attention to is the New Economics Foundation (NEF). Generally I approve of the other think tanks as well, we need to get away from the obsession with free markets.

By: Andrew Hickey

Andrew Hickey — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:40:57 +0000

No offence, Greg, and I wouldn’t want to dismiss the idea that we can learn from *any* organisation, but I think many of the organisations you list already have too much influence (and to my mind negative influence) over the other two major parties, and one reason I joined the Lib Dems is to be in a party where they *don’t* have a huge amount of influence…

By: Greg Simpson

Greg Simpson — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:20:36 +0000

For Information.

Over the last 6 months the Policy & Reserach Unit has been undertaking an outreach project with leading thinktanks, business and NGOs. This has resulted in the exchange of idea with think tanks such as IPPR, Policy Exchange, Social Market Foundation, Reform, CentreForum, Demos and Civitas among others. We have also held round tables with green groups, business groups and others who have sectoral interests (including the voluntary sector). We are in the process of setting up meetings with Compass and others as part of the next stage of that process.

By: Gareth Epps

Gareth Epps — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:07:17 +0000

A huge amount of what is wrong with the Labour Party, locally and nationally, is its Stalinist culture. But opportunities to engage on issues such as the Tobin Tax – an idea whose time just might have come at last – are especially useful.

By: Richard Grayson

Richard Grayson — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:55:58 +0000

There is a video to go with ‘No Turning Back’ at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PbKH1ukw2o

By: Rob Knight

Rob Knight — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:40:07 +0000

Not too sure about a maximum wage or a 35-hour working week. Quite aside from the principle, there’s a big question of enforceability. Haven’t given much thought to the Tobin Tax, but I’m wary of any ‘magic’ taxes that promise us lots of extra money at no cost. That said, if it spreads the tax base then it may well be a good thing. The general well-being index, in many ways, strikes me as the most problematic. Happiness is subjective, and part of the liberal ethos is that people should seek their own happiness in what they most desire for themselves, which could make having a general measurement difficult. Far better, I think, to focus on eradicating causes of suffering rather than promote the idea that there is a single measure of positive happiness.

By: Richard Kemp

Richard Kemp — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:52:42 +0000

I agree with Andrew Hickey! In local government we make appropriate partnerships all the time. I see no problem with an ‘ideas partnership’ around these issues to try and resolve fairly minor differences but also to work out how to take them forward.

By: Andrew Hickey

Andrew Hickey — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:27:05 +0000

Absolutely agree. I certainly don’t see anything in that ten-point list that looks *immediately* wrong in principle, though some may have problems in practice. The few Compass people I’ve spoken to seem to be on the side of the angels, and one of the best things about being a Lib Dem is precisely that we engage with people from other political traditions rather than petty partisan sniping.

So long as it doesn’t become like Liberal Conspiracy continually threatens to (but hasn’t yet *quite* become), where the Lib Dems are a figleaf for Labour electoral ambitions, I’m all for engaging with Compass and similar organisations.