PowerSwitch

http://johnhemming.blogspot.com/2006/01 ... ction.html

Given that John is considering standing for the leadership of his party, I look forward to seeing energy security as one of his major platforms.

If you look at my article on the Meeting the Challenge website you will find that peak oil (depletion) is one of the key issues I raise.

Is there some way we, as non party members, can support John and help to convince a few votes to go his way?

You would have to do things like writing to the press or writing to Lib Dem MPs or even doing press releases.

Ok, that can be done. John, is it official or are you still considering? If official, I?ll send a letter to who ever I can. Do you think email is OK or should it the old fashion way?

I'd vote for LibDem if John Hemming was leader. I wouldn't mind seeing John Pugh or Don Foster having a tilt at the leadership as well

Well hopefully someone will stand against Ming the Merciless

I would love to see John Hemming enter the contest and spark a debate Peak Oil.

And exactly how is 'Menzies' pronounced?

It's pronounced "Mingies". I believe it's a Scottish thing.

I'm glad Kennedy has "stepped down". Pity it took so much arm-twisting. I always saw him as a weak leader; he always seemed to back down too easily in debates.

My vote would be with Mingy 100%. He always argues his case well (e.g. on Question Time) and is one of the remaining politicians that I truly respect.

Bandidoz wrote:It's pronounced "Mingies". I believe it's a Scottish thing.

Most Menzies I know prefer "Mingus" but as they can't seem to agree among themselves it's probably not worth worrying about.

Bandidoz wrote: I'm glad Kennedy has "stepped down". Pity it took so much arm-twisting. I always saw him as a weak leader; he always seemed to back down too easily in debates.

My vote would be with Mingy 100%. He always argues his case well (e.g. on Question Time) and is one of the remaining politicians that I truly respect.

I liked Charlie Kennedy and hated to see him removed in a particularly messy and unpleasant way. My main wish is to see a proper leadership election, an appointment at this stage would result in terrible infighting. My fear is the parliamentary party or at least a significant part of it now sees its votes as having more value than the membership. Trouble for anyone elected by the party at large but not favoured by the MPs. I don't get a vote although most elections the libdems get mine.

revdode wrote: I liked Charlie Kennedy and hated to see him removed in a particularly messy and unpleasant way.

On the other hand, if he did truly miss important debates because he was incapacitated with drink, he should have resigned at that point, not required his team to cover up for him.

Tess wrote:

revdode wrote: I liked Charlie Kennedy and hated to see him removed in a particularly messy and unpleasant way.

On the other hand, if he did truly miss important debates because he was incapacitated with drink, he should have resigned at that point, not required his team to cover up for him.

I vaguely remember that because of his or at least a LibDem absence, we missed the chance of a government defeat on something (ID cards? terrorism bill? possibly before the last election). Can anyone confirm this? and do we now find out that it was alcohol-related?


On a more general note, it does seem to me that the LibDems have lost the chance to replace the Tories as the opposition, so perhaps going the energy/environment route wholeheartedly would be a smart move, positioning themselves for the big issue in the next few years,


Peter.

Blue Peter wrote:On a more general note, it does seem to me that the LibDems have lost the chance to replace the Tories as the opposition, so perhaps going the energy/environment route wholeheartedly would be a smart move, positioning themselves for the big issue in the next few years,

Peter.

I think the LibDems have a great opportunity to grasp the energy nettle in a way that neither Labour nor the Tories are able/willing to. It may not exactly be a vote winner or even seem all that important to the electorate right now but I think we can all agree that energy issues are going to become more important in the future. Putting energy at the centre of LibDem policy seems like a good idea and Hemming would be a good champion for that. Do the LibDems have an identified shadow for Malcolm Wicks, who is their energy spokesperson and why isn?t it John Hemming?

I'm moving out of Lib Dem Torbay in a couple of weeks, I think I'll send Adrian Sanders one last peak oil letter and encourage him to support John.

GD, if you don't mind me asking, where are you moving to?

I bet Mr Sanders is fed up of all your letters... I can picture you at 4am every day writing another letter to him... he's probably got a special bin marked "GD"... Heh heh just kidding