Notable Luminaries Back The Liberal Democrats
April 30, 2010 3:20 PM
John le Carré, Richard Dawkins and Philip Pullman were among a list of well-known luminaries who have issued a joint statement published in the Guardian newspaper on Wednesday 28 April expressing their support for the Liberal Democrats and their desire to see politics re-shaped for the better.
The statement talks of this election potentially being a historic moment, which could establish a Parliament that will "see cherished progressive liberal aspirations realised: a proportional electoral system; wider and better-defended civil liberties; a new, internationalist approach to foreign affairs and immigration; reform of the tax system to share wealth and curb carbon emissions; and an assault on the vested interests of the financial sector."
The statement then goes on to conclude that the Liberal Democrats are the only Party offering real change that will lead to a fair system of politics and that this opportunity to elect a Party representing progressive liberal ideas must be seized, "the stronger the performance of the Liberal Democrats on 6 May the better the chances of progressive reform."
Many of these notable names have switched their support from the Labour Party and are backing the Liberal Democrats for the first time. Commenting on this development, Stephen Williams, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Bristol West, said, "I am delighted that such a well-known group of people have decided to back the Liberal Democrats in the General Election. Many of these people have a long-standing record of support for progressive politics. Only a major breakthrough by the Liberal Democrats next Thursday will deliver a fairer Britain and a Parliament that treats the environment seriously and protects our civil liberties."
The full list is as follows: Richard Reeves, John Kampfner, Professor Noreena Hertz, Susie Orbach, Shazia Mirza, Camilla Toulmin, Brian Eno, John le Carré, Henry Porter, Alex Layton, Gordon Roddick, Yasmin Alibhai Brown, Philip Pullman, David Aukin, Nick Harkaway, Lisa Appignanesi, Francis Wheen, Alan Ryan, Raymond Tallis, Julian Baggini, Jeanette Winterson, Rodric Braithwaite, Richard Dawkins, George Monbiot, Ken Macdonald, Philippe Sands, Misha Glenny, Anthony Barnett, Richard Sennett, David Marquand.
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