The Police & Political Harrassment

Yesterday I called the police.

A few days ago I wrote this post about the behaviour and maturity of a number of members of the National Committee of the Liberal Youth. A day later, during a council meeting, I recieved an extremely rude text message from an unknown number referring to that post. I also rejected a number of very, very abusive comments on this blog.

The next morning I recieved a number of calls from various companies saying I had requested information on their services. These calls were taken by my wife and we were both a little bit shaken by them all coming so close together. In each case, my name and mobile phone number were given. I enquired further and discovered that each internet log was made within minutes of the text message arriving.

I absolutely reserve the right to pass comment on my political opponents as they would about me. We then thrash out differences in a debate and then a vote - ironically we were doing just that, with myself and Brian Watkins locking horns for the first time, when the text arrived. However, I do not and will not tolerate abuse nor the abuse of my name and contact details. Or indeed anything that brings my family into it.

It was very immature, deeply disturbing and not knowing what was to come I phoned the police and gave them these details. The police phoned the number of the texter and they were warned about their behaviour and told not to do so again. All this was done in half an hour (remarkably kind, sensitive and polite service it was too.)

Whoever it was, and I do not seek to point the finger, but the link between the post, the text and the calls is too obvious to miss. But whoever did it has absolutely no concept of the way a democracy works or how to conduct themselves in public life.

I am writing this post not to "name and shame" them but to lay down a marker for everyone who is fed up of the mindless, childish behaviour of a few people in society.

Worrying side of the Liberal Youth

I had been entertaining myself tonight with the lighter side of politics - browsing through the new website of the Liberal Youth, formerly LDYS. However on reading some of the profiles of the people involved it has worried me a great deal about the type of person getting involved on the organisation.

The new Chairman, Mark Gettleson, claims he most wants to be like Chancellor Palpatine - the eveil Emperor in the Star Wars films, who committs mass murder and genocide. He plunges the universe into an imperialistic state and dominates by force. Hmmm, not exactly a Liberal icon?

The Campaigns Chief, Adi Smith, chooses his historical hero as Nikita Khruschev - I'm not even going there with this one, but this seems a bizarre choice for anyone, let alone an aspiring LibDem MP.

And then there is the "hilarious" Jon Massey who idolises Papa Smurf ... please do not let this man near any actual political power.

Bearing in mind that other members of their Exec chose Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King, David Lloyd-George, Roy Jenkins, Gladstone or Elizabeth I then it shows that decency does have its place in Liberal Youth!

Now, I'm no old fart and I know that political youth organisations will contain people who are a bit wacky, but these choices made in a public arena must make you question their judgement. And the fact that one of them is Chairman makes it worse.

If I were the LibDems, I'd want this brand new organisation sorted out from the beginning - or its gonna make for some bad headlines for Nick Clegg, who has personally associated himself with them.

Liberal Youth: Blog first, think later

The brilliant post here, by the brilliant blogger Dizzy is slightly annoying.

I knew about the re-branding of the LDYS into the Liberal Youth some weeks ago and also of the plans by new Leader Nick Clegg to kidnapp the launch for his own spin purposes. This has been frustrating a lot of the leading lights of the LDYS and even Clegg backers arefuming about his decision.

The name - which you have to admit does rather bring to mind the Hitler Youth, even only in title rather than operation - isn't the only problem for the youthful LibDem chief. Apparently he is preparing the hijack the movement as a vehicle for his own brand of Liberalism, leaving a lot of the more social democratic-minded members high and dry. It's certainly causing a fuss at grassroots level.

So, Dizzy beat me to it - how? I didn't blog it because it fell under the "will anyone care" category in my brain. Clearly they do - both the gleefull bloggers having fun with it and the "shock and horror" reaction by the faithful LibDems.