Trans row threatens to overshadow Lib Dem conference

That is interesting, thanks. Looks like Lab/Lib/Tories are all losing members, while Reform and Greens gain.

It beats me why they would go to the Greens - they are as bad, if not worse.
I resigned my LibDem membership over this nonsense, but I will still deliver leaflets for them. I think you have to take a wider perspective. But my subs should be used for politics, not having to compensate Natalie Bird winning a court case for wearing a t shirt which stated the obvious.

Exactly. We know from Momentum that membership does not remotely translate to votes.

Most voters don’t join any political parties.

They are more politically engaged than any other party members on an active level.

I agree - I used to be one. And it’s the local politically engaged ones who have engaged with me who have ensured that I will never consider voting for them again. Very, very captured (I think it’s one or two individuals driving it).

Exactly Lib Dem members and councilors are very active. They punch above their weight. They have great tactics too in targeting seats. Their huge gains in 2024 were a lot to do with that.

The interesting point to me is that LD members actually do shit rather than join a party. They are more politically engaged than any other party members on an active level.

Yes, that’s what I meant by ramifications. If the captured element are in the ascendant, it will only get worse, and that might in itself depress membership further.

Party membership doesn't necessarily equate directly to votes, of course. But it will affect policy, when members vote on it.

It will all be to the ultimate benefit of Reform, which has a much wider appeal than the Greens. Farage is Teflon, but Hypnoboobs is going to spontaneously combust through an unstable mix of self promotion, hubris and reality denial.

That is interesting, thanks. Looks like Lab/Lib/Tories are all losing members, while Reform and Greens gain.

This is interesting, and perhaps comes with ramifications:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy5069p70x2o

Jill Foster

Why does a separate group for women exist within your party in the first place, Ben?
Quote

Ben Maguire MP
Oct 1
I also met LibDemWomen, who are campaigning for stronger representation, equality, and policies that make a real difference. Their tireless campaigning for the safety of women and girls is inspiring.

Has that been tested, though?

Would people prefer low wages and a 20% tax rate, or true market rate pay and, say, 22% income tax?

It seems the decision has been assumed, and not given to the electorate.

Even 20 years ago the Department of the Environment was a disaster - that was when the local flood plain scheme went thought on appeal.

The relationship between farmers and DEFRA has pretty much broken down, not helped by DEFRA pulling the SFI without warning despite promises to the contrary. I'm not a farmer, but I know enough of them to have got the general vibe.

.. but immigrants also work in public services,

True, but this statement is never qualified with the percentage of migrants that work in public services. I have no idea what the number is and am not sure how you would go about working it out accurately. It would be useful to know though.

Government seeks population increase as it brings a short term boost from house building as well as longer term income from personal tax, property tax etc.

Government has to seek more because they have already borrowed money based on assumed levels of growth. They (we) are already in the position where they can't pay the interest on the loans that they have already have.

We are like the gambler that keeps pumping the rent money into a Jackpot machine hoping that eventually it will pay out big before the landlord arrives

At some point the bubble has to burst - the question is now or further down the road when it is stretched even bigger.

DEFRA has undergone a multi pronged attack - chiefly that government has reduced staffing to the point that there is no one left to do increasing amounts of work. The assumption in favour of development has not helped either.

I can still remember the shock when I first heard that wandering around for a couple of weeks scooping up the protected wildlife into a pillowcase and then dumping it onto an unregulated 'receptor site' was now accepted 'mitigation'

These are the sort of tone deaf things that lead rural communities to distrust the main parties and look to the fringes

This is supporting business, not the work force

In part, yes, but immigrants also work in public services, and tax payers don't want want to pay more tax, and it's not as though Farage wants to protect worker's rights.

And they wonder why the electorate has lost faith in the political process and is turning to a worrying mix of utter apathy and noisy protests.

DEFRA is frankly not fit for purpose. It allowed through the flood plain building on appeal. And it allowed a new housing estate in a conservation area next to a much-loved local footpath while acknowledging that it would diminish the conservation area.

The problem is that large parts of our economy depend on people working for lower wages than people born in this country tolerate, either here or abroad.

A policy that floods the supply of labour leading to the surpression of wages. This is supporting business, not the work force, so its hardly surprising that lots of people affected arent thrilled with immigration.

Personally, I have much, much more red tape to deal with since Brexit.

But voters who hear "cutting red tape" are more likely to be thinking about rules in their life or business that cost them / businesses time and money, and have the opposite affect to that which was intended

Exactly that, councils must be getting backhanders but those who rubber stamp these should also be up for prison sentences when sewage leaks due to lack of planning happen - it's their job to double check it's sustainable after all. This slow erosion with zero accountability is where I can see the Farage movement working. BUT in my mind it's people like him profiting so I go down the opposing route to supporting him. I can't square the circle his supporters do when they look at him as some kind of "man of the people". He's the one cutting the "red tape" that would make these things (polluting the rivers and seas another prime example) possible.

.. trying to con local schools out of their older historical buildings

Yes, the old, if you give me your old 'not fit for purpose' buildings and play areas at the center of the village, I'll build you some soulless timber boxes on the outskirts accessible only by car trick