Compass

‘Do you think Ed Davey is the right leader to tell the LibDems’ story?’

Vince Cable, answering this question from a BBC journalist:

“My only grievance against Ed Davey is that 30 years ago he contested the Twickenham seat against me.”

"Devolution isn’t just about regional government. What matters is what happens at the local level. Councils, parishes, community groups that are empowered to mobilise ordinary people."

Vince Cable, former LibDem Party leader

How do the LibDems fight back against populism?

For Vince Cable, the first thing is: “don’t feed the beast” and “be the adult in the room” The country is not as broken as populists would have you believe. Don’t let them exaggerate.

What stuck out in Roz Savage MP's new paper for
Vince Cable:

“The one thing you have to know is where you’re going. Otherwise you’re going in circles.

As a party, we’ve become really good at the technical stuff, the campaigning, but where’s the story?”

“You can’t impose the empowerment of a community from a centralised Government. So we need to rethink Government as a Gardener.”

Roz Savage MP, South Cotswolds

“I’ve been experimenting with this in my own constituency in the South Cotswolds.
I asked: does power come from the top-down, the bottom-up, or the middle down?

The answer I found is: yes.”

Roz Savage MP, South Cotswolds

"To sum up my paper in one line: we need to decentralise power."

Power is concentrating like never before. We have less opportunities to make decisions that affect our lives, live through the consequences, and therefore to learn.

That’s how liberalism can regain relevance against populism - because the frustration of feeling powerless is what is giving populism traction today.

Roz Savage MP, South Cotswolds

"What unites us is the belief that people should have the ability to shape their own worlds. If we don’t get that point right, there’s some really dark and dangerous forces waiting in the wings."

Neal Lawson, Director of Compass opening our panel with Roz Savage MP and Vince Cable on what the LibDems can offer in a world of growing populism.

🌹NEXT WEEK: The two-party era is over, and multi-party politics brings a new terrain for Labour to navigate.

Mark Drakeford , Elly Baker AM and David Wilson join us to discuss how Labour can lead a progressive majority without losing what it means to be Labour.

No conference pass needed.

🕊️TOMORROW: Can liberalism still answer Britain’s crises?

Headed to Lib Dem Autumn Conference? Join us, Roz Savage MP and Mike Martin to discuss Roz's new paper on liberalism's place amid rising populism.

Please note you do not need a conference pass to attend our event.