Anders Hanson

Never has the famous Liberal Democrat slogan used on countless leaflets across the country never been more appropriate for a candidate. It is rare for us to have a candidate who has experience that is so closely matched to the job they are going for and with a profile and background that proves they can do the job.

If what I have read about the launch of Brian Paddick’s candidacy is anything to go by, then this could be an exciting mayoral election for Liberal Democrats in London. I am not denying it is going to be a tough contest to win, but I think we have the best candidate to do that. I also like the slogan “Serious about London”, which fits well with the fact he can do the job, that the other candidates are engaged in some superficial personality contest, and that this election is so important for the future direction of the city.

Brian also has a pretty impressive website. It reminds me a lot of the sort of websites that presidential candidates have in the United States, which I imagine is the inspiration. But for an election that is so focused on the individual that is highly appropriate. It is clear, easy to use and actually makes Brian Paddick and his campaign appear both accessible and something that people will want to join in with.

But as ever I have caveats. Brian will I am sure do a great job of working with the media, getting out there campaigning and generally meeting the right people. But the biggest handicap to his campaign is the fact that Liberal Democrat strength across London is so haphazard. Brian can do well by being seen in the media, (something that is probably disproportionately important in a London mayoral election than in most other elections), but as most Lib Dems know, it is the campaigning on the ground that matters the most. Although the Liberal Democrats are doing better and better in London, I imagine there are huge parts of the city that never ever see a Liberal Democrat leaflet, and there is no way the party can turn that round before May the 1st. I suspect the same may be said of the Tories and Labour, but their reliance on leaflets is less than ours. It is the lack of Lib Dem campaigners and campaigning activity across the whole of London that could prove the achilles heel in the campaign.

Despite all of that, I really wish the campaign well. Not only because I would always back the Lib Dem candidate anyway, but also because Brian has impressed me with his speaking ability since I first heard him and by his willingness to engage with members (and to put me right on some things when he had to). Brian has previously described himself as the “high risk, high return candidate“. Well that was to some extent what Nick Clegg was trying to be in the leadership election, but which only really came in to effect afterwards. So with Brian Paddick and Nick Clegg as figureheads for the campaign, and with some new exciting people on the Lib Dem GLA list, this campaign should enthuse many people to get involved. Brian is probably the ideal candidate for Nick to be campaigning with at the start of his leadership, as it fits well with the style he seems to be trying to adopt.

I am not usually this effusive about an election contest, and perhaps I am overstating the wonders of Brian and his campaign a bit, but I believe this is the best opportunity the party will ever have to use a high profile candidate, that is competent, that is genuinely different from what we usually put forward, and will allow us to make a real impact on the politics of London.

I found too many good articles and blog postings about Brian’s mayoral launch so I have had to list all the ones that I think are worth reading here:

ALEX WILCOCK: Go Brian!
EVENING STANDARD: How I would cut crime and make London safer
JONATHAN FRYER: Paddick does the Lambeth walk
ROSS LYDALL: No more ’softly, softly’ as slick Paddick launches mayoral bid
LIBERAL DEMOCRAT VOICE: Paddick launches Mayoral campaign

A year ago I did my review of the best and worst of 2007, but not until the 29th of January. So doing it on the 14th of January is a significant improvement, although it still isn’t exactly timely. So once again, here are a few pointers to last year based on the things that mean the most to me, with some of the same categories as last time, but some different ones to reflect the different year I’ve had.

The best fiction I read in 2007

The best fiction was without a doubt Jake Arnott’s The Long Firm. This is a crime thriller about gangsters in the East End. It feels realistic (although how I would ever know that I don’t know), it is cleverly put together with an unusual way of writing and it keeps you hooked. The best marker for a book is if you want to keep reading everytime you put it down to find out what happens next. This book did.

The best political book I read in 2007

I am not sure if this is political exactly, but politics is about people and so I suppose in that sense it is. The books is Welcome to Everytown by Julian Baggini. The book gave an interesting, although at times predictable, overview of what life is like in the most typical postcode in the country - S66. Despite the predictability of some of it, and the fact that Julian Baggini lives clearly apart from the ‘typical’ Briton in his normal life, it was interesting in the way that it explained some of the paradoxes of life and why people do the things they do. Well worth a read, particularly if you know the sorts of areas that he was living in.

The best single of 2007

There are two that stand out for me. The first is Rehab by Amy Winehouse. It seems slightly dated already, given everything that has happened to her in the last year, but she is still a brilliant singer, songwriter and this song was one of the rare ones that I fell in love with instantly. The other one is Let Me Know by Róisín Murphy, which is a catchy pop tune, has a retro feel, but is not in the least bit cheesey. Someone that I hope, particularly after seeing her perform live, will go on to great things in 2008.

The best album of 2007

Amy MacDonald was a singer I had never even heard of at the start of the year, but her album This is the Life is the album that I listen to over and over again this year. She’s not just typical singer-songwriter, she isn’t your mockney female soloist that we’ve had loads of, she is a feisty Glaswegian who writes some beautiful songs but with at times quite tough lyrics. She also performs brilliantly live.

The best thing I’ve bought in 2007

As is probably clear from this website, I listen to a lot of music. So in a way it a surprise that I didn’t own an iPod until late in the year. I couldn’t afford to buy a new one and so when a friend replaced his, I bought his from him and it has transformed my music listening. I listen to far more music now than before, in more places and I listen to more of a variety than I did. The fact that something so small can contain over 3,000 tracks is amazing really, when my CD collection used to take up so much room. I spent so little on it, and it has made such a difference that buying the iPod was without question the best buy of the year.

The best political moment of 2007

This is actually a difficult one as much of what I do politically is fairly run of the mill and mundane, and of the highs it is difficult to pick one over the other. So here is a selection of three.

The first is the local elections in Sheffield where the Lib Dems managed to gain four seats, (three from Labour and one from the Conservatives), all of which were great for different reasons. All of the seats we gained had candidates that were both competent and lovely people. Some were people who have tried to get elected before and failed and so it was great to see them elected at last.

The second is the Sedgefield by-election where the Lib Dems moved from third to second place. Not so much for the result, although it was very satisfying, but for the great camaraderie. Rather than simply being run by the national campaigns department, this was a by-election that was essentially run by the party’s constituency staff from the North of England, Midlands and Scotland. Everyone worked incredibly hard, had a lot of fun and got a good result at the end.

The third is Nick Clegg being elected as Leader of the Liberal Democrats. As the result was announced I felt more a sense of relief than one of celebration. But I suppose what makes it particularly enjoyable for me is to see how much things have changed in my time as a member. I first met Nick in 1999 on a very wet day, in a particularly damp barn near Wigston when I was a party activist who had gone to label European Election freeposts and he was the top candidate on the list. Now, nine years later I work for him as Constituency Organiser in the seat that I grew up in and he is both the MP and party leader.

The best place I’ve been in 2007

I have been to a lot of places in the last year that I’ve enjoyed - Padstow, Inverness, Southwold, Mevagissey, London, Aberystwyth, Cardiff to name just a few. But I think the one that has been particularly enjoyable was on my holiday to Cornwall, and that was going out on with friends on a boat that belongs to the father of one of those friends. We went from the jetty at Trelissick around Carrick Roads, Restronguet Point before being dropped off at the harbour in Falmouth. A very enjoyable day in a nice place and with some great friends.

The most surprising thing I’ve done in 2007

Two things. One was to learn about whisky by doing two tutored nosings on my holiday to Scotland in July. I went away with friends who were very in to their whisky and wanted to do two very different short courses on whisky - one at Aberlour and another at Macallan. I enjoyed both and much to my surprise I can now appreciate whisky more and have an opinion on which ones I like.

The other surprise was applying for the job of Chief Executive of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. It isn’t something I had expected to do, but it is the most enthused and fired up I have ever been for a job application. Although I didn’t get the job, I was very pleased to be in the final two and I know that Jo Foster who did get the job will be excellent.

The best thing I’ve done in 2007

This is a difficult one, but I think it has to be moving out of my parents’ house in Crosspool and in to a flat in the city centre. The flat might belong to a friend and I may just be the lodger, but after having lived with my Mum and Dad for two years it has made a big difference to me.

The worst thing I’ve done in 2007

Had another year where I have failed in my love life, and made a mess of any potential relationships I could have had.  All together now… aaaah!