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Vince Cable has stood down as deputy leader of the party in order to concentrate on his role in cabinet and nude modelling. Several names are being punted about as a successor:
# Lorely Burt
# Tim Farron
# Lynne Featherstone
# Don Foster
# Simon Hughes
# Adrian Sanders
# Jo Swinson
# Sarah Teather
# Steve Webb
Some of those I would be agin instinctively, some I'm not bothered by, and two I would heartily support. Given the criteria the electorate (our MPs) ought to be considering, though, there's only one I'm going to shout for, and that's Jo Swinson. Simon Hughes is a lovely lovely man who knows everybody and inspires almost insane loyalty from his local party activists; but I don't think being lovely is enough to be deputy leader of the party, even for a Lib Dem, and I think his tenure as party president illustrates his well-intentioned ineffectiveness (Cthulhu, I'm going to get flamed for that). Tim Farron I adore, but I think he's too politically close to Nick to provide a balanced ticket. Adrian I don't think will want it. Don Foster or Lovely Butt or Sarah Pleather or Steve Webb would be OK... Lynne? Lynne would be AWESOME, but she's a minister (albeit a junior one) and I think it needs to be a back bencher.
Jo is non-ministerial. She is very astute and capable, and IMHO would easily and effectively take on the role without breaking stride. She has experience of the workings of both parliament and the party, and a thumping great intellect. And I believe she's a credible future leader of the party.
I would urge all of our parliamentarians to seriously consider voting for her, if she decides to stand.
# Lorely Burt
# Tim Farron
# Lynne Featherstone
# Don Foster
# Simon Hughes
# Adrian Sanders
# Jo Swinson
# Sarah Teather
# Steve Webb
Some of those I would be agin instinctively, some I'm not bothered by, and two I would heartily support. Given the criteria the electorate (our MPs) ought to be considering, though, there's only one I'm going to shout for, and that's Jo Swinson. Simon Hughes is a lovely lovely man who knows everybody and inspires almost insane loyalty from his local party activists; but I don't think being lovely is enough to be deputy leader of the party, even for a Lib Dem, and I think his tenure as party president illustrates his well-intentioned ineffectiveness (Cthulhu, I'm going to get flamed for that). Tim Farron I adore, but I think he's too politically close to Nick to provide a balanced ticket. Adrian I don't think will want it. Don Foster or Lovely Butt or Sarah Pleather or Steve Webb would be OK... Lynne? Lynne would be AWESOME, but she's a minister (albeit a junior one) and I think it needs to be a back bencher.
Jo is non-ministerial. She is very astute and capable, and IMHO would easily and effectively take on the role without breaking stride. She has experience of the workings of both parliament and the party, and a thumping great intellect. And I believe she's a credible future leader of the party.
I would urge all of our parliamentarians to seriously consider voting for her, if she decides to stand.
