Two activities I have been involved with recently can only be called ‘old-fashioned politics’.  I would like to share them with you here, in the hope of re-igniting some faith that all is not lost in our national politics.

First, it has caused many a raised eyebrow and curious expression when people have seen us out and about doing surveys in Skipton and Ripon on Saturdays and in Settle on Tuesdays.  They are not used to seeing political parties actually being out there trying to communicate proactively with people, to find out the local and national issues.

From our point of view, it is fantastic!  You get such a broad view of what people are thinking and talking about, and you end up speaking to people of all political persuasions--from communists to (sadly) BNP supporters.  It can only be good to have this contact with people and I do only regard the experience as positive—and hopefully the people we talk to have the same view.

The second activity was the Lib Dem branch meeting I attended last night in Settle.  This had all the hallmarks of an old-fashioned political meeting--held in a church hall with a keen coterie of loyal members in attendance, not afraid to proffer their own views!  I don’t think anyone would mind if I said that most of the members were of a certain age, because this is one of the things I continue to find both amazing and humbling about many of my fellow members. 

They have been Liberals for most of their adult lives, and for a few that amounts to about 60 years of party membership.  They have lived through party leaders from Joe Grimond to Nick Clegg, with an assorted and distinguished few in between.  They have lived through times when we had only 6 MPs to now when we have over 60.  They have lived through the steady evolution of the party from the old Liberals to the modern Liberal Democrats.

This loyal, principled, optimistic group keeps the hope alive that one day we will have a Liberal Democrat leadership in Government.  That we will get our chance to put our long cherished policies into practice in the service of all the population.  That our values will have the chance to transform people’s lives for the better. 

Sometimes it’s hard fighting what is regarded as a Tory safe seat.  Last night made it a lot easier.  It has made me re-double my efforts to bring us closer to that idea that has been kept alive in the hearts and minds of so many for so long.