u/jpa420

I know this is likely to stir controversy just that it’s from the IEA, and there are parts I disagree with (like the general dismissal of most regulations and the final paragraph in particular).

But it makes some really startling points (£300 billion spent on benefits this year) and raises some uncomfortable truths (“we say we want growth, but our revealed preferences tell a different story”).

I would love to see the party engage with these issues more forcefully, especially since a Liberal Democrat solution would not involve a bonfire of the welfare state like the plans that Reform just came out with (and likely to soon be followed by the Tories).

If we cede this national discussion the country will end up trapped between Labour’s statist paternalism (not even mentioning the Greens) and the right’s Thatcherism on steroids.

I was looking through the conference policy motions and came away with a strong sense of despair that the party is continuing to focus on niche issues and gimmicks rather than tackling the major challenges Britain faces. That recent irrelevance poll is strongly reflected here.

I welcome measures to boost defence spending and vague formulations like “strengthening business.” I also know that there are more policies on the docket.

But where is the vision? Where is the diagnosis of our challenges and how to overcome them? What would a more “liberal” Britain look like? This what we need to communicate to voters. Whereas the agenda looks to me more like a nationalised local election platform.

I’m personally in favour of an economically liberal, personal choice, shrink the state agenda. But I’d be heartened if there was a more left/progressive vision, just so we could debate ideas and big picture issues rather than a string of loosely connected policies with no overarching narrative.

Britain is choosing to be poor

Disappointed with conference policy line up