Don’t Do Politics? A Word from our Lorely…

Do you care about tuition fees? Do you care about violence on the streets? Do you care about how your grandparents are looked after in their old age? Do you care about ending racism, sexism and homophobia? Do you care about freedom of speech? If you care about any of these things then you care about politics.

Politics is about trying to change the country in the way that you want it changed. It is about taking a vision of how you want society to be and putting that vision into reality. People say this isn’t easy, that it can’t be done, but this is not the case.

Through politics you really can put your vision into reality – the Liberal Democrats prove you can. Where we are in Government in Scotland, the Liberal Democrats have abolished tuition fees; introduced free personal care for the elderly; and introduced free bus travel for pensioners.

In Westminster, where we are only the third largest party, we have consistently managed to change the Labour Government’s mind on important on issues like civil liberties and equality. It was the Liberal Democrats who stood firm and helped stop the Government making laws where someone could be locked up without a trial, or even charge, for three months; it was the Liberal Democrats who tabled the Bill in Parliament that now means gay couples are able to have civil partnership; and it was the Liberal Democrats who opposed “religious hatred” laws which could, in some circumstances, have stopped people joking or even criticising other religions.

We were also the only major party to vote against the war in Iraq, even though, on that occasion, the combined Labour and Conservative parties steamrollered the decision through.

Even in Local Government we have shown that real progress can be made. In Liberal Democrat run Liverpool we have managed to cut burglary by 20% and in Newcastle we have cut violent crime fell by 12%.

Politics does matter and you can change things.

You want to abolish your tuition fees? You want to feel safe on the streets? You want to end discrimination and protect freedom of speech? The Liberal Democrats show that this all can be done. Whether or not this is your vision, it proves that you can make a difference.

Lorely Burt is MP for Solihull and one of the society’s honorary presidents