Lib Dem's Praise Leader's First 100 Days

6.19.37pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 1st Apr 2008

Nick Clegg and Jonathan Chatfield discuss Crime Survey as part of the "We Can Cut Crime" Campaign

Taking on the Speaker of the House of Commons to have MP's expense claims published without delay typifies the first 100 days of Nick Clegg the new leader of the Liberal Democrats says Jonathan Chatfield the parliamentary spokesperson for South East Cambridgeshire.

Nick Clegg has called on the Speaker to release details of the claims but not the addresses of second homes which has been the reason given by the Parliamentary authorities to seek a High Court injunction against publication of the claims under the Freedom of Information Act.

Jonathan Chatfield said:

"In most major policy areas there is little to distinguish between Conservatives and Labour. It's clear from the Northern Rock fiasco that neither have economic competence. And when it comes to taking tough decisions to combat climate change such as challenging the growth of flying both are found lacking.

"Our parliamentary procedures and the House of Commons are designed for adversarial two party politics and a third party has to punch above its weight to be taken notice of and taken seriously.

"Nick Clegg is his first 100 days is managing to do this, taking the party forward to a position where our core values of openness, fairness and respect for the environment are getting across to the public.

"He is willing to challenge the undemocratic systems of Parliament which are now so out of step with modern life. For example astonishingly 6% of Labour MPs and 10% of Conservative MPs have no email address.

" And taking a major step to reach out to new voters he has spearheaded the launch of Liberal Youth to motivate young people to engage in politics.

"Our spring conference in Liverpool with over 2,000 delegates was the biggest in the party's history and was totally united behind Nick and the vision he has for the Lib Dems.

"With Nick Clegg's first 100 days under our belt we are confident that we will continue to progress and totally confound those so called political experts who two years ago had us written off following Charles Kennedy's resignation."