Mumsnet Talk

Hello Nick

We were members of your party, at one stage I was asked to stand for a local seat.

I resigned recently because of the route the coalition was following: not so much the existence but the lack of a voice, of any real distinctive Lib Dem opinion.

I wrote to you, to my AM (which I was sad about as she is wonderful). I never had a reply although it was maybe three months ago. I am very disappointed and have since joined Labour because although they are far from perfect at least I can be part of a rebirth rather than a slow death, and maybe help create something to be proud of.

I am one of the many whose income has and will continue to drop under this government. My Dh has been made redundant; I am a carer and our HB has been cut. My sons have invisible disabilities that mean passing a DLA assessment will be harder, as per the worries voiced to you by the National Autistic Society. I am working towards retraining as a Social Worker (now just over a year away) and wondering if there will be any LA jobs left for me to apply to. My Husband has started his own business as well as studying and finds there are no business advisors about who can help, those who supply him are going under and those who buy from him are begging for discounts he can't give because they have no money either.

You are Mr Cameron say that the deficit is a first priority but do your realise that there are real vulnerable lives attached to these cuts? Real honest people who are working with very fibre towards honourable, self supporting goals that seem to slip further away? I don't watch the news any more, it scares me. I don’t sleep much either, tbh.

The deficit is a priority: there are others, including supporting those who never can themselves (such as one of my sons) and those who have hit hard times but trying to move forwards, because the unemployed don’t pay tax, they have lower health and employment outcomes for their families, they cost. Those who can manage to find solutions on the other hand pay taxes, take control, have a future beyond state dependency and state provided elderly care.

Ultimately, one day I will die and my son will need there to be a functioning state able to provide a social worker, support. I honestly do not believe any longer that it will be there.

So a question please: if deficit reduction as fast as possible (and I think too fast but let's agree too differ) is a number one in your priority list, where do we, as a family trying to tackle quite adverse conditions head on, come? As a number out of ten please (1 being highest). And was it really worth all those years of paying NI, tax, etc to be hailed as a burden? (don't worry, don’t need an answer to the latter- already know it. Yes, but for my sanity not the label of societal drain).

TIA

well said.

Thank you for coming on. I really hope you read this thread, fully, because I think it is important that you know how people feel about what has happened with the government.

I voted LibDem at the last election. Prior to the election, our LibDem candidate came round canvassing and I asked him "What will the LibDems do in the case of a hung parliament? I don't want to vote for you and end up having voted for a Tory government". He told me the LibDems would NOT be 'king-makers' and that in our area, only the Liberal Democrats to beat the Tories, so the only way to keep out the Tories was to vote Lib-Dem.

So I feel pretty bad now, that I was so let down by a party that has become regressive in its economic policies. And I am becoming increasingly tired of hearing LibDem ministers saying they had changed economic policies just after the election 'because of Greece'. Greece is a different country with a different economy. You changed policy because you wanted power, you wanted to be the first Liberals in government for decades.

So my question is this; Do you not feel that you would have had more sway in Government matters, and retained more integrity, by forcing David Cameron to form a minority Government, and then promising support on issues where you were in alignment, rather than betraying all the people like me who voted LibDem, having been promised it would 'keep the Tories out'? (And please please don't answer "we needed a strong and stable government" because I do not think this government is either of those things, with its regressive policies).

By the way, I joined the Labour Party after the election.

<wonders if there is anyone out there who still supports the Lib Dems>

I will apologise now for the erroneous too and are in my post; those who know me here realise I have a sight problem, I put it through word spellcheck somewhat unusually and clearly need to up my skills on that facility (and any here will remain as obvious typing problems are less embarssing than what looks like bad spelling and grammar IMO!).

I also voted Lib Dem in the last election. The area I live in is a Tory stronghold, and a vote for Labour felt like a "wasted" vote.

I feel completely and utterly swindled by the Liberal Democrats. I was stunned when they made the decision to go into government with the Conservatives, utterly stunned.

So, I haven't got a question for Nick Clegg, because I absolutely will not believe any answer he gives and therefore it seems completely pointless.

Oh, and that vote? That was the first one and it will be the absolute last one that the Lib Dems ever get from me; and I'm sure I'm not the only person in the country who feels exactly the same.

What a terrible shame. I think that the "third" party will have this term of office and then sink into obscurity.

I have voted Liberal/Liberal Democrat in every election, local, national, European since 1983. I shall never do so again.

Mr Clegg, how do you sleep at night?

I don't have any questions for Nick Clegg.

I wouldn't be able to believe any answers he might give.

Not a question to NC so please don't answer- already posted a far more important one. Please don't let the one Q per poster rule be wasted on this.

'<wonders if there is anyone out there who still supports the Lib Dems>'

A largely reduced number I would suggest.

As far as I can work it out, NC et al want to focus on getting any chance of pushing through PR with the idea that PR is their biggest chance of getting a majority Governmental role at any point.

Only logical if they had anyone much left to vote for them though- if it alienates people who now say they will never take LD seriously then it's completely self destructive as a policy and a lot of chances to do good and mitigate Tory extremes wasted.

ShirleyKnot, in a way I am strangely grateful to Mr Clegg as I will never again have a dilemma between Libdem and Lab. Lib Dems will NEVER get my vote again, and I am a 'classic' Lib-dem 'type'.

Lily - Yes, I know what you mean. I think it will ultimately be quite a Good Thing. I think that the people who used to feel that "split" will no longer be so torn and will instead vote for Labour.

Absolutely Lily; Somerset born (LD area) who moved to an area where LD and Lab shared power....

No more. And not just me; DH, my parents, friends.... it really is an ever growing list. I had hope for the coalition although it went against what I felt to be 'me'. I thought maybe a change from labour combined with the mitigating efforts of a progressive party would be a positive move <<daft cow>>.

Hi Nick

The MDGs aim to close the gender gap globally both in terms of access to education and women in paid employment. Part of the 2010 report mentions women rising to political power predominantly when boosted by quotas and other special measures - is this something you would support happening here in the UK?

Also, several areas in the report that are failing are due to lack of funding, are the coalition going to commit to maintain/increase spending on the achievement of MDGs?

Blimeyheck. I go away and have a life for a month or so and come back to this.....

No questions from me. But I very much look forward to him responding to Sancty's above post. If he dare.

Shirley and Sancti - I actually hate the LibDems more than the Tories - the tories are sticking with their core values (which I hate, but at least you know what you're getting). I despise and detest the LibDems who have signed up with the coalition.

I also think the Libdems are now unelectable, because if you want a progressive party, you vote Labour, if you want a right wing party you vote Tory, so why would anyone vote for the LibDems?

Question number 3: do you really think that anyone is going to want to focus on electoral reform in the midst of all the budget cuts which are being made?

I am with Lily, by the way. I dislike the Tory party as they essentially are the opposite of what I believe in value wise, however they have been the same for years and at least we know what we are getting.

For me, the Liberal party values are adequately demontrated by the personality and values of Lloyd George - desperate for power, immoral and untrustworthy.

I lived for nearly 30 years in a safe Liberal seat, and have seen first hand the inadequacy, venality and small mindedness of lib dem control.

I am SORRY MNHQ I know this isn't a 'what is your opinion of Nick Clegg' thread but I am afraid that he has inflamed opinion to such a degree that MNers will not be able to resist putting their two'pennorth across.

I voted Lib Dems for the first time at this election and now will never do so again. No question for you Mr Clegg just a feeling of great disappointment and a virtual slap round your face with a wet kipper.

I want to know when he's actually going to "cross the floor" (or in his case, stand up, change his tie to a blue one & sit down again

Congratulations on standing your ground to reduce the government debt.

Are you concerned that Quantative Easing will create a level of uncontrollable inflation in the future, devaluing the pound in our pocket?

<<marking place>>

Them that's got shall get
Them that's not shall lose

What will your focus at the conference be Nick? What do you think the single most effective thing is that could be done to improve MNH in poorer countries? Where will you start?

Regarding maternal mortality. 30 years ago women could deliver in hospital and stay in for 10 days to establish feeding and rest if necessary.

While most women these days probably wouldn't want that what has happened to maternity services that in some areas there aren't even enough delivery suites staffed let alone post natal wards?