I was appalled to read an article in the Local Government Association magazine, First, written by Councillor Richard Kemp. He is in Brighton this week for Liberal Democrat Annual Conference and describes how the week will be.
"Life at a Liberal Democrat conference is gruelling. We start with meetings from 8am and finish drinking at 7am! We train and drink, we talk and drink, we pass resolutions and drink, we sometimes drink and pass resolutions - which is not thought to be in the right order. But we do work hard!"
This raises so many concerns that I hardly know where to start.
We have already seen some LibDem resolutions from previous conferences where we know they have voted to lower the drinking age to 16 years old. We know they oppose the use of ASBOs and have never come up with any real plans to tackle yob culture. Now we know why, they are too drunk to come up with any sensible policies.
We know that Charles Kennedy had a drink problem, it would seem he is not alone, they are all at it!
I read in the Liverpool Echo last week that Cllr Kemp wants to do something about the numbers of pubs and bars on Allerton Road, what an irony! He should be encouraging them to open more, surely, so that when his Party holds its annual Spring Conference in Liverpool next year, and LibDems come from all over the country, they will have somewhere local to carry on their "sessions".
At a time when binge drinking is a really big issue in this country, when young and old alike are suffering from the effects of this, either as drinkers or victims of drinkers, this advertisement of their heavy drinking is in extremely bad taste.
(Richard Kemp represents Church ward in Liverpool and is the leader of the Liberal Democrats in Local Government)
9 comments:
Perhaps Kmepy can do something about the pubs offies and booze opportunities on kensington adn prescot road when he sorting allerton out. for photo evidence read the blog
This is Steve's blog about rampant drinking in Kensington.
http://stevefaragher.wordpress.com/2007/09/15/just-how-many-places-to-get-pissed-does-one-area-need/
Dawn to dusk drinking explains Tipsy Dick's Boot Estate disaster - Norris Green's still suffering the hangover from hell, inflicted when he was head of housing.
Louise that blog post is disgusting. Clearly Richard is being ironic and clearly he is saying it with his tongue planted in his cheek.
To even mention Charles Kennedy like that is also disgusting. Kennedy was a brilliant leader for the party and is a brilliant MP and what's more a lovely, lovely guy.
Before you get on your moral high horse about the Lib Dems please remember it is because of YOUR party that bombs are dropping over Iraq and killing innocent men, women and children.
It is because of YOUR party that students pay tution fees and are consigned to debt for possibly the rest of their lives.
It is because of YOUR party that it is illegal to protest outside parliament and doing so can land youin prison for 28 days (soon to be 52) for no reason what so ever.
Labour are disgusting and you truly are a horrible human being.
I'll drink to that, Marek another shot of Polish spirit, that's hit the spot
As the leader of the Liberal Democrats in Local Government, Kemp should know better than to write such an article. If it was ironic and tongue in the cheek, then I suggest he has seriously poor judgement.
Imagine if Gordon Brown or Menzies Campbell or David Cameron wrote an article in a national magazine, saying they drink throughout conference and make decisions when drunk.
You cannot imagine it, because it would not happen.
No wonder people dont take local government seriously if this is how your leader expresses himself.
Frankly the whole article is a total disgrace.
He closed it by the way by saying that he spends conference "doing just a little listening".
If I was a LibDem councillor I would be making sure he was not re-elected into this prestigious position.
If I was a Lib Dem at Annual Conference, I'd sure need a few drinks!
You badly need to get laid.
Not by a LibDem though, promise?
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