New directions….
Our current times are calling out for fresh ideas and new hope.
Now more than ever, everyone who believes in liberalism and democracy – whether inside or outside the Liberal Democrats – should seize the moment.
That’s what a group of us did ten years ago when we published The Green Book – New Directions for Liberals in Government.
Then we said the need to preserve the natural world on which we all depend for our health, wellbeing and prosperity should be central to public policy making.
We regrouped in 2023 – this time with a podcast series where external experts and Lib Dem party insiders explored the major challenges facing the UK in the run up to the expected general election in 2024.
We teamed up with LibDem Podcasts to propose innovative, radical and robust solutions with realistic strategies to deliver them. You can listen to all the podcasts on this website and read summaries of the proposals they generated.
We will be back later in 2024 to carry on the dialogue.
The Economy
Concerns about the economy, be they low paid jobs, insecurity or our apparent inability to fund decent public services and infrastructure, are at the top of most people’s concerns.
Lack of investment, both public and private, led to this situation. However, the standard answer from most of our politicians has been ‘but there is no money’ – the excuse for the austerity of the last 13 years – which has only made things worse. Meanwhile our debts, both personal and public, have just got bigger.
What’s needed is a different approach and a new way of thinking about political economy.
More about the economy podcast
The Net Zero debate
We need no reminding that climate change is the biggest threat to humanity. It is directly contributing to humanitarian emergencies from heatwaves, wildfires, floods, tropical storms and hurricanes, and they are increasing in scale, frequency and intensity.
This second episode of Green Book Pod examines the place of the Liberal Democrats in the net zero debate. Do the Liberal Democrats have the robust policies needed to achieve the UK’s net zero targets and, at the same time, build a lasting prosperity?
View the Net Zero Debate podcast
LibDem messaging on Brexit
A clear majority of voters now say they would support Remain (or Rejoin) in a new referendum, and yet many of them have no desire to go back to the divisiveness of the pre- and post-referendum period.
That makes the route back into the EU one that has to be handled with great delicacy – a question that we explore in the third episode of the Green Book Pod series.
More about the Brexit Debate podcast
Artificial intelligence – opportunity or threat?
The use of AI is becoming pervasive, whether we like it or not. Some say it offers huge potential to transform business and government, reducing costs and creating entirely new capabilities.
Others worry about threats to democracy, the potential for job losses, and the concentration of power in a few hands – and that’s even before dire warnings about AI systems taking over humanity altogether.
Our three expert guests discuss how policy makers should respond.
More about the artificial intelligence podcast
Health – the elephant in the room
Worries about health and the NHS top most voters’ lists of concerns, from accessing GPs to long waiting lists and much more. Growing demand from an ageing population coinciding with a squeeze on resources is creating a ‘perfect storm’.
Is there a way through the crisis? Our four expert guests discuss the ‘elephant on the bedroom’ issue – how to combat ill health at source.
Future debates
Later in 2024 we will be returning for more debate and discussion.
Meanwhile you can also find us on LibDem Voice where you can join the debate https://www.libdemvoice.org/