Christian MP announces leadership bid
-12/01/06
Liberal Democrat president Simon Hughes, well known for his Christian faith, has declared he is making his second bid for the leadership of his party.
If he is successful however he could be the shortest serving leader of his party ever as he has pledged to go to jail rather than carry the PM Tony Blairís proposed compulsory national identity card.
Countering accusations from supporters of other candidates, Sir Menzies Campbell and Mark Oaten, that he was an old-fashioned leftwinger the former candidate for London mayor says he comes from “the mainstream of the Liberal tradition”.
But at a press conference at the Oxo Tower overlooking the Thames today Simon Hughes pointed out than in a recent poll to elect a party president seven out of 10 of the 73,000 Liberal Democrat members voted for him.
In an implicit contrast to the aging Sir Menzies, the 54-year-old Mr Hughes stressed his vigour: “What I offer is my ambition, my enthusiasm and my passion. What I offer is the experience of many years in parliament and campaigning around the country to motivate people to join us.
“I believe that we now have our greatest ever opportunity. I believe that I have the ability to unite the party, to motivate the party and to bring us as a party in the mainstream of British politics to greater electoral success.”
Paying tribute to Charles Kennedy‘s leadership Mr Hughes told journalists that the general election result in May should be seen as “not the high water mark, but a stepping stone to greater success”.
He said the Lib Dems had been right about Iraq and the environment but now had to concentrate on more topics normally associated with the rightwing modernisers in the party.
“We now have to demonstrate that we can make the right judgments over other issues which matter to the British people: their finances; their homes; their pensions; their security.”
He rejected the idea of an “over-mighty state”, adding: “We have to be responsible.
“I was taught from an early age that as a family and as a country we had to earn our way in the world. This is a lesson that the Liberal Democrats understand.”
The MP for Bermondsey in inner city southeast London, was the first senior politician to publicly contemplate ëmartyrdomí on the issue of ID cards ñ and to sign up to a civil disobedience campaign which could involve tens of thousands of participants if the government presses ahead with its scheme.
Mr Hughes told the Observer newspaper: ìFor me it is a matter of fundamental principleÖ I was born in this country [and] I do not believe that I should have to identify myself as a matter of course.î
Nearly 12,000 people are already signed up to a ëwe will not carry an ID cardí pledge by online campaign group No2ID. They have donated at least £10 each to a legal defence fund to contest the governmentís right to enforce the scheme under European human rights legislation now enshrined in UK law.
Spokesperson Phil Booth said: ìI have no doubt that Simon Hughesí forthright position will give a new boost to the campaignî against a proposal looking ìincreasingly weak.î
At the press conference to announce his intention to stand for the leadership of his party, Mr Hughes added that he looked forward to working with “the brightest, best and most creative people in British Liberal politics to bring forward the policies fit for the new century.”
Mr Hughes stood for the leadership following the retirement of Paddy Ashdown in 1999, but was beaten into second place by Mr Kennedy.
But Sir Menzies Campbell’s poor performance at prime minister’s questions yesterday appears to have opened up the field and given heart to the supporters of Mr Hughes.
Simon Hughes is seen by many as a progressive Christian.
He recently supported measures to introduce civil partnerships.
Christian MP announces leadership bid
-12/01/06
Liberal Democrat president Simon Hughes, well known for his Christian faith, has declared he is making his second bid for the leadership of his party.
If he is successful however he could be the shortest serving leader of his party ever as he has pledged to go to jail rather than carry the PM Tony Blair’s proposed compulsory national identity card.
Countering accusations from supporters of other candidates, Sir Menzies Campbell and Mark Oaten, that he was an old-fashioned leftwinger the former candidate for London mayor says he comes from “the mainstream of the Liberal tradition”.
But at a press conference at the Oxo Tower overlooking the Thames today Simon Hughes pointed out than in a recent poll to elect a party president seven out of 10 of the 73,000 Liberal Democrat members voted for him.
In an implicit contrast to the aging Sir Menzies, the 54-year-old Mr Hughes stressed his vigour: “What I offer is my ambition, my enthusiasm and my passion. What I offer is the experience of many years in parliament and campaigning around the country to motivate people to join us.
“I believe that we now have our greatest ever opportunity. I believe that I have the ability to unite the party, to motivate the party and to bring us as a party in the mainstream of British politics to greater electoral success.”
Paying tribute to Charles Kennedy‘s leadership Mr Hughes told journalists that the general election result in May should be seen as “not the high water mark, but a stepping stone to greater success”.
He said the Lib Dems had been right about Iraq and the environment but now had to concentrate on more topics normally associated with the rightwing modernisers in the party.
“We now have to demonstrate that we can make the right judgments over other issues which matter to the British people: their finances; their homes; their pensions; their security.”
He rejected the idea of an “over-mighty state”, adding: “We have to be responsible.
“I was taught from an early age that as a family and as a country we had to earn our way in the world. This is a lesson that the Liberal Democrats understand.”
The MP for Bermondsey in inner city southeast London, was the first senior politician to publicly contemplate ëmartyrdom’ on the issue of ID cards – and to sign up to a civil disobedience campaign which could involve tens of thousands of participants if the government presses ahead with its scheme.
Mr Hughes told the Observer newspaper: ‘For me it is a matter of fundamental principleÖ I was born in this country [and] I do not believe that I should have to identify myself as a matter of course.’
Nearly 12,000 people are already signed up to a ëwe will not carry an ID card’ pledge by online campaign group No2ID. They have donated at least £10 each to a legal defence fund to contest the government’s right to enforce the scheme under European human rights legislation now enshrined in UK law.
Spokesperson Phil Booth said: ‘I have no doubt that Simon Hughes’ forthright position will give a new boost to the campaign’ against a proposal looking ‘increasingly weak.’
At the press conference to announce his intention to stand for the leadership of his party, Mr Hughes added that he looked forward to working with “the brightest, best and most creative people in British Liberal politics to bring forward the policies fit for the new century.”
Mr Hughes stood for the leadership following the retirement of Paddy Ashdown in 1999, but was beaten into second place by Mr Kennedy.
But Sir Menzies Campbell’s poor performance at prime minister’s questions yesterday appears to have opened up the field and given heart to the supporters of Mr Hughes.
Simon Hughes is seen by many as a progressive Christian.
He recently supported measures to introduce civil partnerships.