Quite right

I never thought I'd say this...

...but go, Ming, go!

Finally someone stands up in the party and tells some of our more 'enthusiastic' MPs where to shove it. Not that Ming is beyond taking the top-down approach himself. But really, it's become exasperating that our elected representatives seem to think they have a greater say in party policy than the wider membership.

Because of the visibility of our MPs over our councillors and other party members and affiliated organisations, it's perhaps inevitable they get more publicity by the media (limited as it is!). The nature of Parliament which enables political parties present there to be more organised than their grass roots also doesn't help.

Admittedly our policy-making system could well do with an overhaul. Were I going to conference for the whole thing I'd be interested to hear Jeremy Hargreaves at the Liberator fringe meeting on 'wasted trees' (relating to the mountains of paper used for policy motions). But it's good that finally a senior politician in the party has pointed out what needs saying.

And to think that I never thought we saw things the same way. Being interviewed by him a few years ago for a particular job I came out thinking that he and I would never see eye-to-eye on certain subjects.

How wrong I was.