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EDITED BY
COLIN MCDOUGALL
GEORGE KENDALL
WENDY CHAMBERLAIN MP
THE FUTURE OF
SOCIAL DEMOCRACY
Essays to Mark the 40th Anniversary of the
Limehouse Declaration
First published in Great Britain in 2021 by
Policy Press, an imprint of
Bristol University Press
University of Bristol
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Selection and editorial matter © Colin McDougall, George Kendall and Wendy Chamberlain 2021
Individual chapters © chapter authors 2021
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-1-4473-6126-8 paperback
ISBN 978-1-4473-6127-5 ePub
ISBN 978-1-4473-6128-2 ePdf
The right of Colin McDougall, George Kendall and Wendy Chamberlain to be identified as editors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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Cover design: Clifford Hayes
Front cover image: ARROW DOOR
This book is dedicated to Roy Jenkins, Shirley Williams and Bill Rogers, founders of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who came with the party to form the Liberal Democrats.
Contents
Notes on the authors
Foreword
Colin McDougall, George Kendall and Wendy Chamberlain MP
Introduction: what are the priorities for social democrats?
Vince Cable
oneAfter the failed alternative vote referendum, how can electoral reform have a future?
Wendy Chamberlain MP
twoHow could a government actually deliver more housing?
Chris Huhne
threeHow will technology change the future of work?
Ian Kearns
fourCan better public ownership promote efficiency and social justice?
Roger Liddle
fiveHow do we grow the economy without damaging the environment?
Dick Newby
sixHow can global free trade work for everyone?
Sarah Olney
sevenTowards a social democratic foreign policy?
Julie Smith
eightHow do we deliver social justice through education?
Stephen Williams
nineWhat is the Social Democrat Group?
Colin McDougall and George Kendall
Index
Vince Cable was leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2017 to 2019. He stood for Parliament as a member of the SDP and was elected as Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament (MP) for Twickenham in 1997. He has been the party’s Deputy Leader, Treasury Spokesperson, then Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in the Coalition government (2010–15). He has a professional background as an economist.
Wendy Chamberlain is MP for North East Fife, the Liberal Democrats’ Chief Whip in the House of Commons and Spokesperson for Work and Pensions, and also for Scotland and Wales. She has served 12 years as a police officer and joined the Liberal Democrats in 2015.
Chris Huhne is an energy and climate change consultant. He stood for Parliament as a member of the SDP, becoming a Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament (MEP), MP and then Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change in the Coalition government (2010–12). He has a professional background in journalism and the City.
Ian Kearns is Director of the Social Liberal Forum. He has worked as Deputy Director of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and co-founded the European Leadership Network. He has written for The Guardian, The Times and many other major media outlets. He joined the Liberal Democrats from Labour in 2018.
George Kendall is Chair of the Social Democrat Group. He joined the Liberal Democrats from the SDP. He has since served as a councillor and a Liberal Democrat campaigns officer. He has a professional background in software development.
Roger Liddle is a Labour peer, chair of the Policy Network, county councillor and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lancaster. While in the SDP, he served on its National Policy Committee. After returning to Labour, he was Special Advisor on European Matters to Tony Blair and Principal Advisor to the President of the European Commission.
Colin McDougall is Secretary of the Social Democrat Group. He is also the Liberal Democrat Campaigns Officer for the South Central Region. He has a professional background in project management. He joined the Liberal Democrats from Labour in 2017.
Dick Newby is Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords. He was National Secretary of the SDP. In the Liberal Democrats, he was Charles Kennedy’s Chief of Staff from 1999 to 2006. While in the Lords, he has also served as Chief Whip and Treasury Spokesperson. He has a professional background as a director, a consultant and in charity work.
Sarah Olney is MP for Richmond Park and the Liberal Democrats’ Spokesperson on Transport, Business and Industrial Strategy, and Energy and Climate Change. She has previously served as the party’s Spokesperson for International Trade and Education. She has a professional background