Local Lib Dem Councillors Play Major role in Manifesto Preparation

3.26.41pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 24th Jan 2008

Libera; Democrat leader Nick Clegg spoke to Walthamstow Liberal Democrats about his plans to reform local services

Liberal Democrat councillors from Walthamstow met with colleagues from all over the UK in London recently to discuss the party's manifesto for the next General Election in the first major public appearance of new Leader, Nick Clegg.

Local councillors discussed how the Liberal Democrats could act to combat the disconnection between people and government at all levels and restore trust in government.

The meeting came just weeks after local Liberal Democrat councillors in Waltham Forest rejected plans that would see deposed councillors handed a 'golden goodbye' payment, a proposal that has been controversially backed by local Labour councillors.

Liberal Democrat councillor for Chapel End, John Macklin, attended the event alongside local colleagues, and welcomed the opportunity to contribute to discussions that will form the basis of future Lib Dem policy.

"This conference was another demonstration that the Liberal Democrats are taking practical steps to ensure that the voices of local representatives are represented in the formulation of party policy.

"Liberal Democrat councillors across Waltham Forest interact with our residents all year round, and sessions like this offer a great opportunity for us to give those residents a voice in relation to what they want us to offer them in our manifesto

Cllr Macklin went on to claim that the Liberal Democrats were the only party giving real power to their grassroots, expressing his dismay at the continued centralisation of successive Conservative and Labour Governments.

"We are firm believers in 'bottom up' government, with policy led by those at the grassroots.

"To achieve this, parties need to have productive and substantive meetings with local representatives, such as that held by the Lib Dems, rather than paying lip-service to localism, as Labour and the Tories continue to do."