Freedom Fairness and Trust
April 4, 2005 8:56 AM
Stunell arguing against the war in Iraq
Just so you know, I voted against the Iraq invasion, I've challenged Ministers on the cancellation of the Metrolink tram, and voted for the abolition of Council Tax. I've steered my own Private Members Bill through Parliament, designed to cut crime and slow down climate change, and I've argued for free personal care for the elderly. I only mention these things because I meet so many people who say 'you politicians are all the same', often followed up by 'we don't know what you stand for'. As Liberal Democrat MPs Patsy Calton and I have been proud to represent this area - and hope to go on doing so! We're also proud to say we are NOT the same as all the others.
Part of the difference is our belief that local residents should have a chance to hear what's going on and to feedback your ideas and comments. You've certainly done that with post office closures, for instance, and we've taken your protests to the top as a result. In most areas once you've got an MP you don't hear from them again until the next election.
Another difference between the Liberal Democrats and the others is that we tell it how it is, with no kidding people that you can have your bread buttered on both sides. If you want good education, fair pensions, and a decent NHS then cutting spending won't work. We do want to improve the state pension, and we will abolish the unfair Council Tax, but we are honest in saying taxes will go up for those earning more than £100,000 to pay for these things. We plan to recruit 10,000 more police officers - and we are ready to pay for them by cancelling the costly and ineffective compulsory ID card scheme.
Maybe the most important difference is that we talk about the important things that don't get into the headlines that often. Like climate change. It's the biggest threat to the planet. Worse than terrorism. So says the Government's Chief Scientific Advisor. Yet amidst all the millions of words and thousands of political sound bites in the next few weeks, climate change will hardly get a mention. Except from us. My new law on sustainability may not be glamorous, but it will do more good than the Labour government's sneaky decision to slash targets for saving energy in our homes, or the Tories plans to cut back the Environment Agency.
So far so good? I know what the next line is: 'you politicians are always arguing'. Maybe that is because we are not all the same, after all. Which means, of course, that it will really make a difference which way you vote. If you want a sustainable planet, with a sustainable society and a sustainable economy, my advice is to vote Liberal Democrat.
End
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