Thursday, May 21, 2009
A short tribute to Chris Rennard
As reported first on Freedom Central, the Liberal Democrat Chief Executive, Chris Rennard is to step down from that role in the summer.
Despite the recent controversy that has emerged around Chris I think it is right that we concentrate on the enormous contribution he has made to the party. It is also right that he depart with the dignity that he has been afforded and with the grateful thanks of the many thousands of elected Liberal Democrats who owe their position to his work.
Chris first came to my attention as David Alton's agent in the 1979 Edge Hill by-election. It was the contest that saved the Liberal Party from being devastated in the subsequent General Election and which helped many of us realise that previously safe Labour seats could be won by the party with the right campaigning techniques, policies and messages.
In the three decades since that by-election Chris has made himself virtually indispensable to the party. He has masterminded many by-election wins and it was his strategy that gave us our breakthrough in 1997 that we have since sustained. He has never been backward in passing on his knowledge and it is no coincidence that any training event he runs is always oversubscribed.
If Chris had resigned in this way even five years ago I would have said that the hole in our organisation that he had left could not be filled. However, it is a credit to him and the way that he has managed the party that he leaves behind a very talented and capable campaigns department that collectively can more than fill his shoes.
The party is in good health financially, though we can always do with more money and we are more than ready to take whatever opportunities come our way as the result of the principled stance taken by Nick Clegg and Vince Cable on a whole range of issues including the economy, political ethics and people's rights.
Chris will of course continue to serve in the House of Lords where he is an effective and respected performer. In the meantime I and many others wish him the best of luck in whatever he decides to do next as well as our eternal gratitude for his services to liberalism and the party.
Despite the recent controversy that has emerged around Chris I think it is right that we concentrate on the enormous contribution he has made to the party. It is also right that he depart with the dignity that he has been afforded and with the grateful thanks of the many thousands of elected Liberal Democrats who owe their position to his work.
Chris first came to my attention as David Alton's agent in the 1979 Edge Hill by-election. It was the contest that saved the Liberal Party from being devastated in the subsequent General Election and which helped many of us realise that previously safe Labour seats could be won by the party with the right campaigning techniques, policies and messages.
In the three decades since that by-election Chris has made himself virtually indispensable to the party. He has masterminded many by-election wins and it was his strategy that gave us our breakthrough in 1997 that we have since sustained. He has never been backward in passing on his knowledge and it is no coincidence that any training event he runs is always oversubscribed.
If Chris had resigned in this way even five years ago I would have said that the hole in our organisation that he had left could not be filled. However, it is a credit to him and the way that he has managed the party that he leaves behind a very talented and capable campaigns department that collectively can more than fill his shoes.
The party is in good health financially, though we can always do with more money and we are more than ready to take whatever opportunities come our way as the result of the principled stance taken by Nick Clegg and Vince Cable on a whole range of issues including the economy, political ethics and people's rights.
Chris will of course continue to serve in the House of Lords where he is an effective and respected performer. In the meantime I and many others wish him the best of luck in whatever he decides to do next as well as our eternal gratitude for his services to liberalism and the party.
