ICELE's BLOGINABOX goes Beta
From:
Mary Reid
Date:
Apr 26 09:54 UTC
Short link
> Also, which local political parties do not allow their members to blog
unedited/moderated by higher ups?
I can only speak for my party, Liberal Democrats, where this kind of
moderation would be against fundamental liberal principles (although I am
aware of one illiberal instance some years ago).
Council group policy is decided by the Liberal Democrat councillors - a
process that will not be without disagreements. Each council group will have
its own standing orders, but the usual pattern is to ask everyone to respect
the majority decision, but always with a conscience clause in place. We
certainly don't have a whip.
It would be unthinkable for anyone to check my blog before it goes out, but
on the other hand if I used it to campaign against my own group's policy
then I would expect the group to be pretty cross about it!
The council group as a whole can apply sanctions to anyone who acts against
the interests of the party, but it is a pretty serious step to withdraw
membership of the group, so these things are usually resolved internally.
Finally, it may surprise you to know that there is no national Liberal
Democrat Party! Instead, the Liberal Democrats (note plural) is a federation
of local parties, usually based on constituencies. So at a national level,
policy is decided at conference by delegates from the local parties, and
can't be overruled by the Leader.
That means that party members are never told from the centre what to think
or how to vote. In fact, the term 'higher-up' has no meaning. We are
Liberal, after all.
Mary
Mary Reid
020 8397 1396
www.maryreid.org.uk