There are just 100 days to stop the UK Independence Party becoming a permanent major force in British politics, Nick Clegg warns today.
His aim is to deny Ukip its “breakthrough moment” by mobilising pro-European voters. Nigel Farage’s party has been widely tipped to come top in the Euro polls, which are fought under proportional representation,
Strangely enough, at the last LibDem Conference, held in Glasgow, Charles Kennedy spoke from the platform (naturally broadcast by the BBC) saying very much the same thing and promising to be willing to debate at any time in support of the EU. Charles is one of the very few LDs I have some respect for so I emailed him, saying that I would be happy to arrange a public debate between UKIP speakers and his. And that it would be desirable to offer it to be broadcast, in the unlikely event that the BBC & co were not to oppose open debate.
I have yet to receive a reply.
So lets repeat it again.
Are the LibDems prepared to "go head to head" in a public debate on EU membership or does their "strategy" depend on assuming our state broadcaster will continue giving them massive coverage while censoring the sceptical case, even during an election campaign in which it is likely the large majority of British people will vote for scepticism?
And will our state broadcaster be willing to broadcast open formal debate, rather than only censoring and spinning as they do now?
Anybody want a side bet on whether they will put up?
Writing in The Independent, the Liberal Democrat leader reveals a high-risk strategy in which his party will go head-to-head with Ukip at the European Parliament elections in May. He will contrast the Liberal Democrats’ unashamedly pro-European stance as “the party of ‘in’” with Ukip’s policy of leaving the EU.
His aim is to deny Ukip its “breakthrough moment” by mobilising pro-European voters. Nigel Farage’s party has been widely tipped to come top in the Euro polls, which are fought under proportional representation,
Strangely enough, at the last LibDem Conference, held in Glasgow, Charles Kennedy spoke from the platform (naturally broadcast by the BBC) saying very much the same thing and promising to be willing to debate at any time in support of the EU. Charles is one of the very few LDs I have some respect for so I emailed him, saying that I would be happy to arrange a public debate between UKIP speakers and his. And that it would be desirable to offer it to be broadcast, in the unlikely event that the BBC & co were not to oppose open debate.
I have yet to receive a reply.
So lets repeat it again.
Are the LibDems prepared to "go head to head" in a public debate on EU membership or does their "strategy" depend on assuming our state broadcaster will continue giving them massive coverage while censoring the sceptical case, even during an election campaign in which it is likely the large majority of British people will vote for scepticism?
And will our state broadcaster be willing to broadcast open formal debate, rather than only censoring and spinning as they do now?
Anybody want a side bet on whether they will put up?
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