Why I'm (still) a member of the Liberal Democrats

One of the great things about blogging is the possiblities it offers to interact with all kinds of people - especially those who don't necessarily share my views.

A question I'm often asked is why I am a Liberal Democrat. Sometimes this takes other forms, such as "why are you not a member of the SNP?" I am at least relieved that no-one has seriously suggested my authentic political home is with the Conservatives.

The reason I am a member of the Liberal Democrats is because I define myself by values I believe are Liberal. I don't define myself by whoever the party leader is or even policy terms (there will always be some areas of policy I have disagreements with); leaders come and go and policies change but values are consistent and permanent. 

What are these liberal values?  Inclusivity. Embracing diversity. Secularism. Freedom from oppression and conformity. Respecting differences. Internationalism. Democracy. Decisions being made as locally as possible. Empowering communities. Openness. And open-mindedness - even accepting I/we can sometimes be wrong. This is far from an exhaustive list but it should give an idea of the core values I identify with.

The Liberal Democrats are a party that, in much the same way as any other, have their problems and weaknesses. We also, again like other parties,are a broad church containing all kinds of people from those whose views are more centre-right economically liberal to philosophically liberal social democrats like myself. (The SNP is similarly broad and is home to people with such diverse political opinions as Michael Fry and Pete Wishart). Of course this sometimes results in fireworks at conference, but generally speaking diversity is a strength and, while we have different views on detail, most liberals share the values I outline above. 

The preamble to the Liberal Democrats' constitution states that "[we] exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity." That is as neat a summary of my political outlook as anything I could write myself. It is a statement of who I am - and of what I aspire to as a Liberal.

And that is why I am a Liberal Democrat. Not because I'm unaware of problems or decisions taken in the recent past that I may not agree with. I'm not a Liberal Democrat because I love the party leader. My membership isn't dependent on agreeing with everything our MPs do in Westminster or our MSPs in Holyrood. It certainly isn't rooted in our position on the EU (which I have broadly agreed with in recent years but which has had little bearing on my membership). Instead, my continued membership is based on my belief that the Liberal Democrats are the party best placed to campaign for a liberal society. I belong to a Liberal family even if, as in all families, some of our embarrassing uncles get out of hand occasionally. I'm not going to abandon the cause of liberalism to such people. 

Sometimes I'm asked why I remain in the Liberal Democrats if I support Scottish independence and don't find a new home with the SNP instead. So here's my answer.

Firstly, I don't support Scottish independence as a default position - in 2014 I found it to be a preferable option to the constitutional status quo. I still do, and I cannot ever bring myself to defend or support a Union I consider dysfunctional and unfit for purpose. However, my preferred option is for a federal Britain. That might not seem a likely political outcome but it is something I believe the Liberal Democrats should be championing and we need to move away from the shallow Unionism of Better Together. It may be that federalism is a non-starter in which case I may well come round to advocating independence if, in the next referendum (whenever it is, but I have no doubt there will be one) we're presented with the same binary choice as in 2014. Politics is, after all, the art of the possible. But nothing is certain and as Liberals we need to be true to ourselves, so we should be pushing federalism until we either it becomes reality or obviously unachievable. 

Secondly, the majority of people in Scotland who support independence are not members of the SNP. The SNP are not even the only pro-independence party. If Scottish independence is achieved, then it will have been won through pluralism, not tribalism. I see absolutely no reason why simply believing that independence is preferable to the status quo should necessitate prioritising that particular political belief above all others to join the SNP. 

Thirdly, the SNP are not - and would never describe themselves as - a Liberal party. Of course there are overlaps in some policy positions and I'm not averse to collaboration where appropriate. I admire several SNP parliamentarians and councillors. The same applies (probably more so!) to the Scottish Greens, who are more progressive than the SNP on many issues I care about. But I'm essentially Liberal and so I belong in a Liberal party. I might be able to join one of these parties, but I doubt it would ever authentically feel like "home". 

Sometimes I'm asked how I can stay in a party when I've openly criticised some of its leaders (although it's curious no-one seems to notice if I praise them). The answer is simple - the party is bigger than they are. I joined a Liberal movement, not the Tim Farron Fan Club, the Jo Swinson Supporters' Group or the Willie Rennie Appreciation Society. I generally have mixed and nuanced views on our leaders and their achievements - after all, like all people, they have their respective strengths and weaknesses. While it's important to understand our recent history it's arguably more important not to lose sight of the need to build for the future. 

Liberalism matters to me. It is for that reason that I am still - 11 years after joining - a Liberal Democrat. It is also the reason I choose to stay put and bat with fellow liberals rather than bowl bouncers from the other end.