‘I uphold Lib Dem values,’ says Clegg

Deputy PM accuses ‘paternalists and conservatives’ of trying to block move to electoral reform as pro-AV camp loses ground Nick Clegg rounded on his critics who “vilify” his party’s role in coalition, insisting he is doing the “best I can” to shape government policies around Liberal Democrat values. The deputy prime minister issued a robust response to those who claim his unpopularity will hit support for the alternative vote in the 5 May referendum, insisting the poll was just one part of a range of reforms secured by the Lib Dems in coalition. In a speech delivered at the Institute for Public Policy Research, Clegg rounded on the “distractions and falsehoods” made by AV opponents and attacked “paternalists and conservatives” whom he accused of trying to block the move to give voters “more power and choice”. The intervention came amid signs that the pro-AV camp is losing ground. Another Lib Dem cabinet minister, Chris Huhne, warned earlier this week that the party’s alliance with the Tories was being damaged by bitter sniping, saying the No campaign was indulging in “downright lies”. Clegg said that those who argue that AV would lead to more coalitions and “broken promises”, yet claim to want a “different kind of politics” where parties can work together in the national interest, “have to grow up a bit”. “Compromise is not a betrayal,” he said. The Lib Dem leader, who has been lambasted for his party’s U-turn on tuition fees and its position on the pace and scale of public spending cuts, said “difficult compromises” had had to be made because the party had just 57 MPs out of 650. “If people want more Liberal Democrat policies, the way to get them is to elect a majority Liberal Democrat government. That didn’t happen,” he said. “In the meantime, I will continue to make what are sometimes difficult compromises, but ones which are always shaped as best I can by the liberal values I hold dear.” He criticised opponents on the left and right, saying: “You can’t claim to stand for a new kind of politics, for a new kind of pluralism, and then vilify those who try to practise it.” Clegg described AV as a “simple update” to the electoral system to give people more power and more choice, on the back of the expenses scandal of two years ago. “It means all MPs will have to try to win the support of a majority of their constituents instead of relying on their core vote. It means they will have to engage with people who are not their core supporters, listening to a wider range of views and bringing more people into the democratic process. It will help to reduce the complacency of MPs with jobs for life in safe seats. AV simply updates our voting system to give people more power, and more choice,” he said. “But as with almost all changes that give people more power and more choice, paternalists and conservatives are lining up to try and block it.” He dismissed the idea that AV would lead to more coalitions, saying Australia had experienced fewer hung parliaments than the UK. And he also rejected allegations that the voting system would require new, expensive counting machines. “This is simply untrue. There are no plans to bring in electronic machines. We won’t need them. It won’t happen,” he said. “This is the first time British people have ever had a choice on how to elect their MPs. They deserve a debate based on reason and reality, not prejudice and misinformation.” AV referendum Nick Clegg Alternative vote Conservatives Electoral reform Liberal-Conservative coalition Liberal Democrats Hélène Mulholland guardian.co.uk

Posted by on April 21, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.