In it to win it!

Last Monday I met with the "In it to win it" group of Euro candidates, initiated by Catherine Bearder and Kay Barnard. Left to right are Dinti Batstone(London) Ed Maxfield(East Midlands) Kay Barnard(South West) me, Phil Benyon (West Midlands) and Catherine Bearder (South East) - Chris Foote-Wood from North East also attended.

I have to say it was one of the most inspirational meetings I have been in in a long time. We are all not only "In it to win it" we are also all 100% up for making the next Euro Elections our best results ever! We all believe we have a unique opportunity to really move forward and take Lib Dem ground. We are known as the pro Europe party, so let's stop doing the Fawlty Toweresque - "don't mention Europe" routine and nail our colours firmly to the mast. We also need to recognise that if we take ground in the European elections it gives us a broader base for taking future Westminster seats.

So, we will work together to encourage the party to take the Euro elections as seriously as they do the Westminster elections. It feels as if our campaigns department is not a whole party campaigns operation, but a target seat campaign department. This leaves the method of PR elections adrift from planning strategy and our feeling was that the party should put in the resources to support PR elections which in turn will benefit the party.

We are all keen that the forthcoming Euro campaign is positive and bold. Emphasising the benefits we have all accrued from Europe but also being prepared to be a critical friend and campaign hard on the issues of concern.

We are all "In it to Win it" ..............are you?