Why your vote counts on Thursday 4th June 2009!

9.01.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 2nd Jun 2009

Vince Cable with Grahame Hudson

WHY YOUR VOTE IS ESSENTIAL ON THURSDAY

There has rarely been a previous occasion when it was more essential for Liberal Democrats to cast their votes than it will be this coming Thursday in the European and Leicestershire local government elections.

Simon Galton, Grahame Hudson, Ian Ridley, Richard Morris and Jeffrey Morris are fighting the seats in Leicestershire not only to try to enlarge the Liberal Democratic voice in Leicestershire County Council but also to raise the profile of the party across Rutland and Melton and to provide a real alternative to the Conservative domination in County Hall. At a time when public trust in our politicians is at an all time low due to the expenses scandal, the Liberal Democrats are winning the arguments on the economy with Vince Cable and civil liberties with Chris Huhne.

In the European Elections Lib Dems votes must create a buffer not only against the extremist parties such as UKIP and the BNP but against the Tories whose leader has pledged a grouping of UK Tories in Europe with Poland's deeply conservative Law and Justice Party, whose leaders have banned gay marches, and the Czech ODS party whose leader disputes that global warming is man-made (Guardian). The Tories have also been talking to the Latvian Fatherland and Freedom party, some of whose members attend ceremonies to commemorate a Latvian unit of the Waffen SS (Guardian).

David Cameron, if he became PM, promises to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty if it has not been ratified by all member states. Moderate members of his own party think it would be a "great tragedy" if such renegotiations take place. As to the details, on how Cameron is going to persuade the other 26 nations in the EU to look at the Treaty again, the answer is still in William Hague's head (Andrew Rawnsley, The Observer). So there we have it, there is not a lot of difference over Europe in principle between the Tories and UKIP, although it is some consolation that the Tories at least become active in Brussels and Strasbourg when they are elected. Some UKIP MEPs, on the other hand, prefer to attend only to collect their EU pay and allowances. They have the worst record of attendance of any UK party (The Independent). So much for democracy!

On Europe one Party is showing the way. The Observer leader on 31st May ends with -

"This Thursday's vote is being held in a uniquely febrile climate. It should be about Europe; it will be about the expenses scandal. On both counts, it is a moment to reward the principled consistency of the Liberal Democrats."

"the Lib Dems can hold their heads high"

Daily Mail, 1st June 2009

http://tinyurl.com/lg669z

Other quotes:

"vote for Lib Dems"

The Guardian, 1st June 2009

http://tinyurl.com/nfotvz

"Thursday's vote ... is a moment to reward the principled consistency of the Liberal Democrats"

The Observer, 31st May 2009

http://tinyurl.com/kuhq5z

"The case for supporting the Liberal Democrats is now very strong"

The Guardian (Editorial), 2nd June 2009

http://tinyurl.com/nhxucq

"It is the Liberal Democrats who have been the most consistently constructive British party on the European Union, a stance which has given their honest criticisms of Brussels' shortcomings all the more credibility"

The Independent (Editorial), 1st June 2009