Oakeshott calls for Libdem change and Clegg to go

Lord Oakeshott's comments on Radio 4 today made difficult reading on today's Telegraph website - but necessary.

We have lost over half our market share... Since the election and any business that had done that would be looking very hard now at both strategy and its management to see how we get some of that back because otherwise we are going to lose a large number of seats.

Very true. It is something I've dwelt on and something we're working hard on in the Medway towns.

Lord Oakeshott also points out that 39 out of our 57 MPs were holding their seats against the Conservatives - now we've served in Government with them the obvious anti-government swing is to vote Labour. Also in seats we're we've won against Labour there will no doubt be a big swing away from us.

But I don't really need to state the obvious.

We do have a very good brand and very good policies which are popular... we have to fight very hard just to put the message across but to get it implemented in Government.

This is very true, Lords reform, AV referendum, Pupil premium, rising the Income tax threshold etc etc... these are our policies and we need to shout about them on the door step now and get into the press.

We can't be stood on the doorsteps in three years time shrugging our shoulders and blaming the Tories for not implementing our stuff with a coy We tried attitude.

We're angry that Clegg's "emergency rich tax" hasn't gone through because George Osborne (heir to a fortune/ lordship) doesn't like it and dubbed it Envy Tax. So we need to be shouting about it now and making the public aware that what we were doing.

What of Nick?

I can understand the calls for Nick to go. He has done a difficult thing by leading us into Coalition with the Conservatives and his tenor as DPM has been met with mixed reviews unfortunately he lags behind Cameron and Miliband in the poles despite the hard work of balancing a Coalition.

I'd like to see him stay, I think he's done a good job but as a figure in the media, he is roundly disliked and hated. May be a fresher face would help in the next election - then again who would take the charge, especially when it looks like we could nose dive! Maybe Nick should lead us through the election and stand down in 2015 for a new face/leadership to begin the somewhat inevitable repair?

The other option is for Nick to stand up. Lets take this righteous wrath over Lords reform and Wealth tax and shout. Stand up against Cameron, be vocal - you are our leader, Deputy Prime Minister - bang some heads and make a loud stand and not go quietly into the night.

If we show our independence as a party with our own Liberal agenda and school of thought and different to the Tories now - we can achieve more popularity and backing.