Open Letter to our New Leader
Dear Ed
Many congratulations from the Green Lib Dems on becoming the new leader of the Liberal Democrats. Well done!
As you will have seen Green Lib Dems made our decision from the outset to be completely neutral in the contest. Indeed, as GLD Chair, I went so far as to `Abstain Positively` (see article) so that we could build a new partnership to tackle the huge existential problems we all face with no hidden agenda and with no uncomfortable `baggage` between us.
So, now the hard work begins!
I was particularly pleased you made the Environment one of the central pillars of your campaign, introducing your £150 billion Green Plan early in your campaign. I was also pleased to see you propose to continue putting green issues front and centre in the Party`s policy platform as we move onwards. As you know this is something the Green Lib Dems have advocated for a very long time and we will be delighted to help develop this platform with you.
Indeed, can I take this opportunity to invite you and your senior team to `meet` with GLD officers in the very near future to make a rapid start on developing an appropriate strategy, in terms of both organisational development and policy formulation. If we are to succeed with this ambition, we really do need to start sooner rather than later - and we are not short of ideas to bring to the table, as you may have gathered!
As I indicated in my earlier `campaign open letter` I hope you will be able to be `with us` at our first fringe meeting at the forthcoming conference, as per our invitation. You will, of course, be most welcome and we feel sure it establish a fruitful start to our future partnership - we look forward to your company.
CONGRATULATIONS!
I think for a first `open letter` in the new regime it is important to be succinct and supportive, so let me simply repeat my heartfelt Congratulations to you on winning the Leadership. The Green Liberal Democrat family wishes you all the very best in your endeavours to place our environmental concerns at the very heart of the party as we move into the next phase of our political story. Let us hope that, together, we can make this new green story a real bestseller!
Speaking both personally, and as GLD Chair, I am looking forward to working with you to make our world a greener, safer place.
With very warm wishes for the future,
I remain yours sincerely
Keith M Melton
Chair, Green Liberal Democrats
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To Layla
PS As this is an `Open` letter, may I also add this postscript for Layla, offering our commiserations. For me, one of the outstanding facets of this contest was the fact that there was such a wide measure of agreement between you both on policy content, particularly on the environmental front. We would certainly like to carry on working with you to develop your environmental ambitions, too - it is very positive for the party to have such an environmentally conscious team at the top. We wish you well in your endeavours, too, and look forward to working with you on future green campaigning.