FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT, or not

Richard Morris asks a good question in his blog post Olly Grender vs. Mark Pack FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT where he points out that Olly has praised ministers sticking to long-term policy priorities whilst I’ve talked about the importance of day-by-day rebuttal.

In fact it’s such a good question I’d asked it myself of Olly two days previously at the Islington Liberal Democrats pizza and politics meeting that she charmed.

As our discussion then confirmed and clarified, we’re really of the same mind – the importance of ministers concentrating on getting the substance right and the importance of the wider party, especially (given limited resources) in the voluntary wing, doing the day-by-day rebuttal and promotion.

Or in other words, whilst ministers are ministering, we need to be writing, leafleting, tweeting, phoning and blogging.

Although my immediate reaction on being run at 6:55am a couple of weeks ago by Radio 5 asking me to go on air to defend a Liberal Democrat policy at 7:05am (thank you internet for my hurried research in between times) was to wonder why a minister was not in the front line, actually on reflection I’m happy to do those sort of last minute requests if that means others can concentrate on the longer-term work.

There’s a part in that we all can play, whether it is someone writing a letter to a newspaper or Olly appearing on Newsnight. Let’s all do our bit.