Lib Dem debate latest
This afternoon's discussion at the Lib Dem conference on tax cuts was one of the best debates I have heard at a party conference in many a year. In fact, not since Labour's big nuclear disarmament debate of the 1980s have I heard exchanges so passionate and genuine.
The Lib Dems managed to organise it so that both sides were properly represented without trying to stage manage things in the way that other parties are occasionally suspected of doing. And I even got the impression that one or two people may have cast their votes on the basis of the arguments they had heard - it's pretty rare that happens in politics these days.
But the best little feature - amidst a long series of five minutes speeches - was a ten minutes gap where ten delegates were given just 60 seconds to make their point. And it was remarkable how people spoke better in 60 seconds than they would probably have done in 5 or 10 minutes.
When I come to power I will pass a new law making it obligatory for all debates at party conferences to limit speeches from the floor to just 60 seconds.
(Mind you, critics say that if I were ever to come to power there probably wouldn't be political parties anymore anyway.)
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 15th Sep 2008, NickThornsby wrote:'it's pretty rare that happens in politics these days'
Believe it or not people, the Lib Dems are telling the truth when they say they believe in democracy. And that has to start within the party.
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Comment number 2.
At 15th Sep 2008, Hal wrote:Mr Paxman put Mr Clegg under pressure to identify where £20bn of expenditure cuts were to be made. Mr Clegg's biggest number was £13bn from the NHS computer system. Unfortunately that spending is a one off capital cost and would only allow tax reductions for one year only. That could produce a bigger outcry than Mr Brown's half baked plan to double the 10p tax rate.
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Comment number 3.
At 16th Sep 2008, Steve_London wrote:What Defense cut's are they talking about ?
I would have thought with the new resurgent Russia, the last thing we need is more Defense cuts !
Have they seen the new Russian SU-35 promo (nice CGI btw) , shooting down Eurofighters and B-17's ?
Weakness is seen as a invitation for trouble(Falklands as a example) , when will they ever learn , when will they ever learn !
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Comment number 4.
At 16th Sep 2008, leftieoddbod wrote:Jeremy did an excellent job last night, he managed to conduct three separate interviews with home based and New York based commentators and yet you could hardly see the join. Congrats Pax. I do not see Jeremy as a lightweight in financial matters and so Evan may beat him on the mechanics but Paxman asks the questions we want to ask and makes it easier to understand as a lot of financial stuff is gobbledygook. It must be bad as a lot of those guys leaving Lehmans looked as though they were stealing the computers. I mean you don't need a cardboard box for sarnies do you?
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