Election Hustings in Hammersmith (Hammersmith and Fulham Liberal Democrats)

Hammersmith and Fulham Liberal Democrats <info@hflibdems.org.uk>

Election Hustings in Hammersmith

April 23, 2010 7:03 PM

Merlene Emerson, the Liberal Democrat's candidate for the new parliamentary seat of Hammersmith, last night joined her Labour, Conservative and Green rivals at an Elections Hustings at St Paul's Church in Hammersmith.

The evening was well attended, especially given the rival attraction of staying at home and watching TV, probably the first time Merlene has competed head-to-head with Nick Clegg for attention.

The evening started with a questioner, the owner of a small business, wanting to know which party would best safeguard her business. Merlene gave the clearest assurance, that the Liberal Democrat economic team, led by Vince Cable, had predicted the disaster that had befallen our economy under Labour's stewardship, and had promoted policies, which when Labour eventually adopted them, had proved successful. Our Economy team could be trusted to anticipate correctly what needed to be done and see that it was done.

Merlene also made a strong argument for the Liberal Democrat policy of offering an earned route to citizenship for people who had been in Britain illegally for more than 10 years but who had a clean record and had settled here. She argued that pulling law-abiding people into the formal economy and into paying tax would be a benefit to the country, quite apart from the human and personal issues.

One question concerned a Conservative front bench spokesman who had suggested in private that Christian bed and breakfast owners had a right to turn away homosexual couples. Merlene was quite clear that conscience had its place but that equalities legislation must be followed, and reminded that Christians are also taught to "judge not and you will not be judged".

The most contentious issue discussed, the accusation that H&F Council intends to hand over council estates to private developers, was one which it seemed most of the audience had already made up their minds. Merlene was concerned about the social impact, and tried to bring some facts to the debate, explaining that the proposals denied by the Conservatives were in their 15-year development framework, and that the replacement housing that had been promised would not provide as many homes, and would not deal with the waiting list of 9000 in the borough.

On the subject of voting reform, a key Liberal Democrat policy, she put the case for a fair voting system, in which she was supported by both the Labour and Green candidates. Labour's Andrew Slaughter explained his conversion to reform on the realisation that safe seats led to corruption and complacency, but Merlene questioned the Labour party's "death-bed" conversion.

She ended with a passionate speech reminding voters that for the first time in many years they did not need to choose their second choice candidate or party, simply to keep out the party they feared. She got the biggest laugh of the night with the comment that voters might not know much about her: "You never read about me in H&F News..." but that voters should and could vote for what they believe in.

"For the first time in decades, you have the opportunity to change the face of politics for good. It can happen here too in Hammersmith."