Lib Dem Peer Comes to Milton Keynes

12.00.00am GMT Thu 24th Nov 2005

Freedom and fairness were the keynotes of top Lib Dem peer Tom McNally's speech to local Liberal Democrats at their recent Annual General Meeting -"Freedom for everyone to develop their full potential and grasp all the opportunities that come their way, and fairness because we are all one society in which everyone must participate and no-one can be excluded."

Lord McNally is Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords. He described the main themes of the Party's current post-election policy review "Meeting the Challenge", highlighting its commitment to local democracy, internationalism, sustainable growth and economic prosperity.

"We know what we stand for and how to fight for it," he told local members. He said that being a Lib Dem Lord, at this point in time, was tremendously exciting because the House of Lords is where the real opposition to the current proposals on ID cards, imprisonment without trial and issues of freedom and liberty were being fought.

Pic shows from left: Jane Carr (newly elected as Chair of MK Lib Dems from 1 January 2006), Lord Tom McNally, Graham Mabbutt (outgoing 2005 MK Lib Dems Chair) and Susan Hassett (MK Lib Dems Vice-chair) discussing the "Meeting the Challenge" document which was the main focus of Lord McNally’s speech.

Lord McNally congratulated the women at the top of the Lib Dems in Milton Keynes. Just elected are Jane Carr as the 2006 Local Party Chair and Susan Hassett as Vice-Chair. The Council Leader is also a woman, Isobel McCall, so "Women are very definitely on top in Milton Keynes" said Lord McNally. Jane Carr, who was the candidate for North East Milton Keynes at the General Election, made her first speech as the Chair designate by thanking Lord Tom McNally for taking time out of a busy schedule to speak at the AGM and highlighting the Party's long term strategy.