I walk down the street with my head held high; I am a proud member of the Liberal Democrats and a proud citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Of course, I desire much more from the coalition and greater protection of liberty and a more radical economic strategy. But being a liberal is something I am still proud to be.
The government, probably,would be much more authoritarian and continuing to operate a anti-terrorism stance based purely on coercion; the immigration policy could’ve seen Britain implement a inhumane opposition to the free movement of people. It is a unjustified restriction on the ability of the individual to live their lives; non-security immigration restrictions can never be fully tolerated by a liberal.
Yes, I’m disappointed by the Freedom Bill – the potential was there for something far greater; but it’s a start and I’ll accept it. The alternative was far worse. Doing nothing. This should be viewed as the foundation to maintain, and build, a pro-active defence for civil liberties and rights – the coalition needs to providing more controls on arbitrary power. If the coalition is to survive post 2013, it needs to build on some recent, albeit timid, achievements.
Being a liberal should not be negative or a risky dilemma; liberals are proud people. Unlike socialists and conservatives, we trust people – not the state or corporations. As a former US President once said;
“If by a “Liberal” they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people-their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties-someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a “Liberal”, then I’m proud to say I’m a “Liberal.”
― John F. Kennedy
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