Differences?

[ProudEnglander]

Can someone explain to me what the difference is between the Liberal Party and the National Liberal Party?

It seems very strange to me that if they are both classic Liberals why are there 2 parties splintering any membership and votes.

[Tom Wilde]

Well to put it simply, the Liberal Party is centre left, non-socialist and eurosceptical. Despite doing very badly in the last local elections it still has about 20 local councillors (some of whom have been Liberal councillors for decades) and within a few tiny pockets of the country it remains a real political force.

The National Liberal Party is not a real political party but a front organisation set up by Patrick Harrington and a few friends from one of the National Front splinter groups. Harrington collaborates very closely with Nick Griffin and the National Liberal party's website was until recently hosted on the same server as the BNP website. If you take the National Liberal party's ideological pronouncements seriously (and there must be a few sincere people within it), it is both nationalist and liberal. It it tiny; it has never won any election under its own name, though one of its leaders was once elected councillor under another description.

Therefore the two parties are chalk and cheese. Does this help at all?

[ProudEnglander]

Cheers

[MAZZINI]

ProudEnglander Tom is partially right. The two liberal parties represent the two 'wings' of liberalism. National Liberalism and left (social) liberalism. In the 19th century NL was the predominant wing. As national questions became more settled i.e. unified Italy, Germany etc social rather than national issues became more urgent and thus social liberalism began to win over the majority of liberals. Today 'national' questions have once again become more urgent i.e. on sovereignty (EU and within the UK), Identity (migration) etc.

The NLP (UK) is a little more centrist and social than centre-right than its predecessors and the Liberal party a lttle bit less left-wing on sovereignty issues. They should be able to work together on certain issues. As an aside, I think Tom is confusing the NLP with the Third Way think-tank formed in 1990. My understanding is that Mr Harrington was once a member of the NLP and used his contacts to help them when they formed in 2007 but has since moved on and is no longer a member of any party. The NLP has two councillors, one under the banner of a party that it is in an alliance with.

[ProudEnglander]

Just had an interesting chat with a party member of the NLP who confirmed all this to me Mazzini. Harrington has not been involved for 2 years or more and is not a party member. The Third Way was being used by the NLP to get them registered as a Political Party as they couldn't register as the NLP due the EC rules on not registering parties with similar names.

They look interesting and certainly open to working with other parties in collaboration. Unlike the SDP's Party Leader who is completely closed to that idea.

[Glenfunnyman]

You are indeed correct with your information.When I joined the party, I went to great pains and to many meetings to make sure I wasn't joining a party that supported racism in any way shape or form. I'm glad to say I wasn't.

This is why I have issues with the moderaters of this site who will give the BNP and such like a platform,but won't recognise a Patriotic but anti-racist and Liberal party.Bizarre !

We have doubled in size since the coalition government came to power and this is a mix of people but largely ex-LibDems who aren't thoroughly sold on Europe Union and like The NLP want a referendum to let the people decide.

We will be standing candidates at all future major elections.

I have a LOT of respect for The Liberal Party and the work that they do.There are fundamental differences, although not that many.

[ProudEnglander]

You are indeed correct with your information.When I joined the party, I went to great pains and to many meetings to make sure I wasn't joining a party that supported racism in any way shape or form. I'm glad to say I wasn't.

This is why I have issues with the moderaters of this site who will give the BNP and such like a platform,but won't recognise a Patriotic but anti-racist and Liberal party.Bizarre !

We have doubled in size since the coalition government came to power and this is a mix of people but largely ex-LibDems who aren't thoroughly sold on Europe Union and like The NLP want a referendum to let the people decide.

We will be standing candidates at all future major elections.

I have a LOT of respect for The Liberal Party and the work that they do.There are fundamental differences, although not that many.

You are right. I have been told by the owners of this forum that they will not allow the NLP its own section as they are not convinced that the NLP is not a racist party. Its a joke, really. As you say, they allow the out right racist BNP and it's offshoots a platform here? Yet a Liberal Party, no!

There is a very poor and out dated Wikipedia entry on the Party that really should be challenged and that doesn't help the Parties cause. However as you say, we are pulling in many disgruntled LibDem members presently on several fronts, the EU and the Coalition.

At the end of the day this is their platform so they control what happens, however the reasons they use for not allowing the NLP a forum is totally wrong and unfair.

[Rebirth]

You are right. I have been told by the owners of this forum that they will not allow the NLP its own section as they are not convinced that the NLP is not a racist party. Its a joke, really. As you say, they allow the out right racist BNP and it's offshoots a platform here? Yet a Liberal Party, no!

There is a very poor and out dated Wikipedia entry on the Party that really should be challenged and that doesn't help the Parties cause. However as you say, we are pulling in many disgruntled LibDem members presently on several fronts, the EU and the Coalition.

At the end of the day this is their platform so they control what happens, however the reasons they use for not allowing the NLP a forum is totally wrong and unfair.

Considering UKIP have failed to win a single seat in the UK, I am fairly convinced that it is just a Tory offshoot to play with the idea of eurosceptism. The fact that they give you no platform might be a good thing on here. It will only be used against you.