A few random thoughts about the Lib Dem party conference

By David Higgerson on Sep 23, 09 10:42 PM

title="Wordle: Nick Clegg's Lib Dem Speech"> src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/1160294/Nick_Clegg%27s_Lib_Dem_Speech"
alt="Wordle: Nick Clegg's Lib Dem Speech"
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The above graphic is generated by wordle.com and, if you take it at face value, it reminds me a bit of a scene in The Simpsons.

Remember the one when the Navy was using subliminal advertising to try and get youngsters to sign up? The words "Join the Navy" were used again and again, in a way so you wouldn't notice, but they stuck in your brain?

Maybe that was one of the more forgettable episodes of The Simpsons, then. But what about Clegg's speech? The words Liberal, democrats and change pop up again and again, sometimes not together, but used often enough to be clear: they see themselves as the party of change.

Interestingly, the Lib Dems appear to have written off Labour, instead choosing to set out the stall against the Tories. Clegg is right, his party has been more open and honest than the others so far in saying what they'll do. He also played a clever game remembering the 1980s under the Tories, but he was also aware of the challenge he faces to get people to vote Lib Dem.

His speech, towards the end, sounded like a man desperate for people to take him seriously. And why shouldn't we? Any party with Vince Cable in the role of chancellor-elect deserves credit. But the challenge for the Lib Dems is how to take that leap from protest vote in certain seats to credible party in power.

Can they do it? On one hand, a lot of the policies the Lib Dems have spoken about this week will appeal to a lot of voters. However, a lot of the policies will also be opposed by many of those same people.

A mansion tax? That'll alienate many in the south east, where the Lib Dems should be taking on the Tories. Being honest about delaying the end of tuition fees? That hampers what should have been a vote winner in areas such as the Midlands and the North. Getting rid of Trident? That gives Labour an anti-manufacturing ticket to take into its northern heartlands. I can't see the Lib Dems taking Barrow, can you?

In many ways, the Lib Dems are what all the political parties aspire to. They're open and honest and they embrace debate. It was probably embarrassing for Nick Clegg to see a letter in the Guardian today from his policy committee opposing some of the policies he's put forward this week, and can you imagine any other party allowing a front-bench spokesman to speak out of turn against the leader?

But the Lib Dems still see conference as a chance to formulate policy, rather than a week-long stage show which is so scripted that any chance of dissent or criticism is about as likely to get past the metal detectors as a pen knife.

That's why pictures of David Miliband waving a banana in Manchester last year prompted so much discussion in the media - because there simply is nothing else to go at. At the Lib Dems, Lembit Opik could walk around with a fruit bowl on his head and he'd just be ignored - and not just because people would say "oh, that's Lembit.".

At the Lib Dems conference, there was open, frank, newsworthy discussion. But against two parties who still put image over substance, can it win out? Do the public want earnest democracy from a political party or will they go for a party which puts more effort into the illusion of decisiveness?

Rightly, Clegg didn't send his party out to win the general election - he sent them out there with a clear message - that if people want change, they have to take a gamble. But in 2010, I suspect a gamble is the last thing people will feel like taking. And that's a great shame.