tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post5684530975264682112..comments2023-10-08T10:24:24.396+01:00Comments on Stephen's Liberal Journal: Open Letter to STVStephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post-55726845619427352312008-09-27T00:32:00.000+01:002008-09-27T00:32:00.000+01:00Simple answer to this...As a party which lost its ...Simple answer to this...<br><br>As a party which lost its deposit in Glasgow East, and whose latest accounts doubt whether it can be described as a "going concern", the Liberal Democrats cannot be described as a major party.Sean McLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11813692928502917466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post-12193967974066166472008-09-29T07:18:00.000+01:002008-09-29T07:18:00.000+01:00Except Sean they are in terms of the Broadcasting ...Except Sean they are in terms of the Broadcasting Standards Commisions code of political election coverage.<br><br>As for the latest accounts were the Lib Dems not more solvent that Labour, the Conservatives and the SNP in the last financial year indeed the only party of the 4 in the black.<br><br>Bad attempt to spin that one.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post-41135272534910468482008-09-29T22:48:00.000+01:002008-09-29T22:48:00.000+01:00Stephen -You are right that the OFCOM guidance cur...Stephen -<br><br>You are right that the OFCOM guidance currently defines "major party" as including the Liberal Democrats.<br><br>But you missed the definition of "election period" which comes next - "For a parliamentary by-election, this period begins with the issuing of a writ or on such earlier date as is notified in the London Gazette."<br><br>So, the election period has not started.<br><br>So, your complaint is without merit.<br><br>And, if you care to look at the accounts for the real major parties there is no "going concern" qualification by the auditors... Only the Scottish Liberal Democrats have that in their accounts.<br><br>No spin - what the Scottish Liberal Democrat Auditors think of the state of the party.Sean McLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11813692928502917466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post-85047718194235752012008-09-30T07:29:00.000+01:002008-09-30T07:29:00.000+01:00Yeah i read that in the auditors comments as well ...Yeah i read that in the auditors comments as well but we're nowhere near as bad as we were back in 1988 or several other points in recent history. Just because our auditors are a little more honest in assessment that others clawing back millions of debt doesn't make us the party that is worse off when facts point elsewhere.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post-46906828392499998322008-09-30T19:10:00.000+01:002008-09-30T19:10:00.000+01:00Your response is, itself, a dreadful spin and a sl...Your response is, itself, a dreadful spin and a slight on the respectable Auditors who audit the books of the other parties – which include “Big Five” – or whatever number it is now – firms.<br><br>If Scottish Lib Dem membership levels were decent, that is at a level able to sustain the party financially, there would have been no “going concern” qualification.Sean McLeodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11813692928502917466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post-66402014415460291392008-10-01T07:53:00.000+01:002008-10-01T07:53:00.000+01:00I see you are relating only to an isolationist Sco...I see you are relating only to an isolationist Scottish party rather than one strand in a federalist UK-wide party.<br><br>Although the membership numbers, as most of the local parties will assure you, has no direct correlation on the ability of Lib Dems to raise funds.Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.com