Having taken some time off to write my memoirs, I've been catching up with things. You know, the 1500 pieces of e-mail awaiting filing, reading or action, that sort of thing (it's going quite well, since you ask...).
Now, I've dipped back into the outside world, only to discover that our little relationship with the Conservatives is under the spotlight. The Economist's recent front page, depicting David Cameron with a Union Jack mohican, suggests that Britain may have one of the world's most radical governments. Now, whilst radical isn't necessarily good, it does attract attention.
I'm told that interest in our Federal Conference from overseas is higher than ever before, and people want to know how coalition works in our generally confrontational style of democracy. Our sister parties, such as the Liberal Party of Canada, are particularly keen to get a grasp of how the internal management of a party such as ours holds together under the stresses created by its factions. Interestingly, in their case, they want to understand how a bigger party, as they are, handles a smaller one, such as the New Democrats, in a coalition environment, should such a scenario come to pass.
The ongoing debate about the size and form of government and the public sector is of interest in a number of countries. The emphasis on budget cuts rather than tax rises is in contrast to that of a number of our neighbours and major trading partners - albeit that our deficit was relatively larger to begin with.
How we handle this will define our maturity as a political force. I hope, for example, that the way in which we interact with our international sister parties will improve, that we learn from their experiences and open ourselves up to new ideas. At the same time, it would be reassuring if the Party chose not to circle the wagons, to maintain its belief in open debate of sometimes sensitive issues, and hold true to its tradition of inclusivity and involvement.
I will watch developments with interest...
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