Liberal Movement
Do we need another ‘Liberal Movement’? The Liberal Movement was formed in February 1988 as a forum for the maintenance for Liberal principles in British politics following the merger of the Liberal Party and the SDP to form the Liberal Democrats (SLD). The Liberal Movement was not a political party and did not promote candidates for election. Its membership included individuals from the Liberal Democrats, the re-launched Liberal Party, Alliance Party NI and the Green Party. The founding conference on 20 February 1988 elected an interim steering committee to initiate the work of the group, which was replaced by an Executive Committee in summer 1988. The Liberal Movement has a commitment to regional organisation which was reflected in the development of local groups; the Devon Liberal Movement was formed in March 1988. The Liberal Movement's stated aim was to 'begin a longterm re-evaluation of liberal principles', and to this end it organised assemblies and publications, including a range of briefings and discussion papers, it was a powerhouse of ideas. The animosity and hurt, created by the re-launch of the Liberal Party in 1989 deprived the Libeal Movement of some of its key thinkers and leaders, and the move of sponsorship from the LM to the re-launched Liberal Party sealed the movement’s fate, closing down in 1991. The only other place Liberals came together, albeit uneasily was the British Group of the Liberal International.

Liberal Movement
Although this would appear a good idea as you saw in reality it doesn't work. Rather like some religions the Liberal Democrats conduct one-sided arguments believing that the Liberal Party should “ see sense” and give up and that the Green Party should merge with the Lib Dems. In Bournemouth I have common cause with the Conservatives, Labour, and the Green Party because the Lib-Dem vote is entirely dependent in telling people “ Labour can’t win here “ and voting for anyone else will “Let in the Conservatives”. This contrasts to the Liberal Party who believes people should vote for the candidate they believe in and believes in democracy. A more positive method of advancing Liberalism is to encourage debate within this forum.

on this one, re-evaluate bill
Fellow Liberal Bill, I feel you have been very dismissive of our fellow Liberals views on the Liberal Movement. So please re-evaluate your comments, we have to encourage new members on this forum, so please not dismiss the authors comments. Lets look for positives. Karl-James

No offence taken Bill. Liberals are currently dispersed in a number of parties and no party at all. The magazine Liberator, The Liberal magazine and this site certainly allows the exchange of liberal ideas. But not to the in-depth level that the Liberal Movement achieved in its short existence, Liberals should be able to agree to differ. The Liberal Movement was of intellectual benefit to Liberalism in general and thus to both the Liberal Party and the Liberal Democrats. Liberals aren’t Trots we don’t claim an ideological purity, remember how many left wing groups hated other left wing groups more than the Right - memorably parodied in the Life of Brian “Listen, the only people we hate more than the Romans are the f$*king Judean People's Front…..Yeah... Splitters….Splitters... and the Judean Popular People's Front…yeah. Oh, yeah. Splitters Splitters…and the People's Front of Judea… hand on we are the People’s Front of Judea…”

If ever there was a need for the Liberal Movement, it is demonstrated in an article penned by Blair’s speechwriter in the Blairite house journal Prospect magazine. The long class war winter is over and it will Liberalism versus Conservatism. “For New Labour to survive, it must become new Liberal. The key dividing line in politics is no longer between left and right, but, increasingly, between liberal and authoritarian. The Labour government too often finds itself on the wrong side of this divide….” Great to see the true brilliance of Hobhouse recognised. http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article_details.php?id=10177