Why I quit Lib Dems and became a Tory

Last week I resigned as a member of the Camden Liberal Democrats and joined the Conservatives. This was not an easy decision. I had high hopes back in the years 2000 to 2007 that the Lib Dems offered the right approach and vision for Britain. However, it

Last week I resigned as a member of the Camden Liberal Democrats and joined the Conservatives. This was not an easy decision.

I had high hopes back in the years 2000 to 2007 that the Lib Dems offered the right approach and vision for Britain. However, it has become clear that on national as opposed to international issues, there is often a 'sitting on the fence mindset' which I find hard to accept during these challenging times.

As an active member of the Lib Dem team, I have become increasingly frustrated at the way in which high hopes and expectations are offered to communities in Camden but with an uncertain ability on how to deliver.

For example, dealing with the very considerable difficulties of a PFI project gone wrong such as that at the Chalcots, I have seen first hand the failure to deliver value for money, let alone quality of provision.

I acknowledge that the joint administration inherited this highly contentious scheme from Labour in 2006. But notwithstanding this, the Lib Dems, who have held the homes and housing strategy portfolio, have been unable to tame this titanic PFI scheme.

Frustration with this 'sitting on the fence' style of governance has helped persuade me to make this move to the Conservatives, who offer a demonstrably more inclusive community vision approach, ushered in under the leadership of David Cameron.

Here in Camden I firmly believe we have the vision and business experience to deliver 'value for money' whilst keeping the perspective on the achievable, rather than spreading thinly a veil of open-ended pleasing gestures.

Nigel Rumble

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