Swiss Cheese

After a year’s virtual silence the man who claims to be the leader of a party which claims to be libertarian has finally made a statement.

Most notable was the absence of any word of apology. Instead he provided an implausible narrative of how elements within the party had launched an attempted coup and engaged in all manner of dirty tricks in order to destroy the party.

Those who have any personal knowledge of these matters, know how nonsensical his account is, and what lacunae lie in the story, such as the episode when he resigned along with his faithful chairman and they tried to de-register the party. The ‘coup’, therefore refers to the NCC meeting held after his resignation, as at least one of the current rump NCC knows, because he was present and voted for the replacements to fill the vacant positions.

He skates very lightly indeed over the central bone of contention; that being his refusal to hand over the party accounts for inspection – accounts which he should have already surrendered to the treasurer at least four months previously.

Had he done this, and had there been nothing untoward, had he had the courage or the sense of responsibility to face the party members, although he may indeed have had to give up the leadership, he could at least have left with some credibility intact.

Instead of this, he decided to lay low for a year, issuing the occasional cryptic message via his blog and waited until all the people who actually cared were no longer members. In this way, I suppose, he has won, and whatever it was he was so desperate that ordinary members, such as myself, could not see remains a secret.

Still, life goes on, and we have bigger fish to fry.

An empty taxi pulled up and the UK Libertarian Party got out

Much as my reason tells me I should leave it alone and not give it the oxygen of publicity, there is the counter argument that it should be rebutted, and there is the little fact that I can't help rubber-necking the car crash which is what's left of the Libertarian Party UK.

Apparently there was an AGM held last week end. There is certainly a new website in operation and a Facebook page, but there is a strange absence of names. Who is the leader? The website gives no clue. Who is the treasurer, referred to in a recent post? No one knows. Is it the same person? Is anyone else in the party? I can but guess.

However, post the AGM, some actions have been taken, one being a YouTube video, purporting to explain what the party stands for. Well, it's libertarianism Jim, but not as we know it. This is not particularly surprising, for whatever skills the erstwhile and presumably current party leader has, his grasp of the political philosophy he claims to espouse has never matched his vice-like grip over the party financial records. The only thing that hints in the right direction is a statement that the party wants to reduce taxation. Well done! What party doesn't claim that. However, this is wholly negated by the party's proclaimed belief in government-run healthcare, pensions, education and all manner of interventions. "What about drugs?" the video asks. The party's policy; 'we favour a debate' or words to that effect.

So the mystery continues, although I expect we will learn more as time passes and the party slips away to the place where so many minor parties go.

Ex-party business

Leaving aside for the moment the situation in London, I will turn my attention to something of far more limited interest: namely The Libertarian Party.

Much later than most, I have come to the conclusion that there's nothing worth saving within the party. All that is worth saving can and will be salvaged, but the party name and the party vehicle cannot.

The reasons for this lie in the constitution of the party. Not only does it contain clauses that are virtually bullet-proof from amendment, which need amendment, but it has prove utterly ineffectual when faced with a crisis.

That crisis is well-known to bloggers. No resolution was found, and the leadership have managed to barricade themselves in position and keep hold of the financial records, preventing anyone from seeing what happened to the money.

At this point, it no longer matters whether the so-called leader did anything wrong prior to the crisis. It is his actions, and the actions of his lieutenants, since the crisis emerged that have lain the party low. It boggles the mind that this little cabal imagine that ordinary members will tolerate their behaviour.

From the very start, all I wanted was openness. I wanted the financial records to be examined, and I wanted a Special General Meeting to be called, so that party members could judge for themselves. Some time back, I thought that we were winning. The chairman resigned. The leader also resigned. They tried to de-register the party, but that was prevented, and new people were appointed to those positions, with the new leader promising to call the necessary SGM.

However, through a behind-the-scenes campaign, which I can only guess at, the old leader and chairman have managed to hold on to the party and the positions they'd resigned from, and are now emerging from hiding, intending to sally forth, with no mention of all the unfinished business, other than snide remarks aimed at those who tried to get answers. I can only advise members and non-members alike to steer well clear of the party in its present form.

It's not been all bad, though. I'm glad I joined because through it I've met a lot of decent people, who I hope will help build the libertarian movement in London and England in ways that are not possible with that busted flush of a party, and will find innovative ways to advance the agenda, campaign on specific issues and support libertarians who want to stand in elections, whether as members of a party or as independents.

One part of this new direction is the website Libertarian Home, which has been set up by a couple of my friends from the London party. I haven't started writing there yet, but I will do, God willing, as soon as London stops burning around me.

Night of the Libertarian Zombies Party

I've just received a strange email from somebody called Nic Coome who claims to be the chairman of the Libertarian Party UK. The funny thing is, the party used to have a chairman called Nic Coome, but he resigned about four months ago, around the time that Andrew 'the Hamsterphage' Withers went into hiding with all the party funds (what was left, that is: circa 29p).

It seems that all the NCC people who resigned and tried to kill the party in order to prevent anyone else looking at the books are all back from the dead, acting natural.

Personally, If I see Swiss Andy or any of his gravedigger chums, I shall be following standard anti-zombie technique - better safe than sorry.

(pic)

Andrew Withers is a [fill in the blank]

What can I say about the one-time leader of the Libertarian Party (UK) Andrew 'Hamster' Withers, bearing in mind his propensity to threaten legal action against all and sundry? I wouldn't want to libel him, nor would I want to state things that I don't know to be true, so I will refrain from drawing final conclusions.

Ever since Anna Raccoon's rocket up his arse, he has been laying very low. His websites are all offline to outsiders now, and Ian Parker Joseph has taken on the - presumably - unpaid role of media mouthpiece for his chum.

What is clear, is that in his capacity as leader of the party, he has acted in an appalling way. He has made no real attempt to rebut the accusations, or put his side of the story, and rather than do the decent thing and stand down, no matter what the truth of the matters under review, he has rather sought to destroy the party, to break it, so if he can't have it, no one can have it.

How to explain such behaviour? It indicates his utter contempt for ordinary members of the party. Also he has, as far as I am aware, obstinately tried to hang on to the party accounts. Why would he take this action? Even if he had nothing to hide, his behaviour suggests that he does indeed have something to hide.

Basically, in Anglo-Saxon, he's acted like a total cunt, and every party member has every reason to revile him for dragging the party down and refusing to explain himself, and Ian Parker Joseph shares his ignominy, for launching a pathetic smear against another party member who dared to question the Wither'd one, and accusing those who have tried to rescue the party.

Whatever the future for the party, or whatever phoenix rises from its ashes if Withers and his crew get their way, we will at least have the satisfaction of being rid of them.

Amending the Party Constitution; part 1

2.3 The Party aims to further the libertarian cause by:

(a) bringing to greater public awareness libertarian philosophy;

(b) encouraging and supporting libertarian political activity within the legal framework of the

electoral system;

(c) pursuing policies which seek at all times to minimise state intervention in the lives of

citizens;

(d) legally codifying and protecting the rights of citizens, now and into the future, through

such measures as introducing a formal Constitution and Bill of Rights within the United

Kingdom;

(e) not making any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious

observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion; and shall ensure that no

religious test be required as a qualification for any public office within the United Kingdom.