Scott Collins Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for South Northamptonshire

On the 23rd May 2014 I made  a personal decision to be amongst the first members to sign an open letter to Deputy Prime Minister and Party Leader Nick Clegg MP asking him to consider his position as leader of the leader of the Liberal Democrats.

The open letter organised by #libdems4change praises Nick for his bravery and doggedness in the coalition but highlights that many feel he has lost the ear of voters and the media due to his position in government and being soiled with some of the worst decisions of the Conservative administration.

The decision the party took in 2010 was endorsed by many in the party and has delivered many, many top line Liberal Democrat policies in Tax threshold benefiting those low paid workers ignored by both Labour and |Conservatives alike, the triple lock guarantee on pensions ensuring pensioners never again suffer the indignity of a Labour 75p pension rise  and of course the pupil premium making sure young students are given the best possible start in their educational life.

But the fact remains in the year up to the May 2015 General Election we need as a party a new voice, someone who can reconnect the party with voters, the media and perhaps as important activists and members.

Nick has been a great leader and I have no personal animosity against him nor do I regret the party entering the coalition but its time for a change in direction.

As i sit hear tonight watching us lose seat after seat in the European elections on the back of the dramatic losses of key Councillors and councils on Friday morning I feel the time is right to look seriously at our direction and leadership. As such I believe a change in leadership.

The text of the open letter is below.

”

Dear Nick,

You made a tough decision to lead the Liberal Democrats into coalition in 2010. It was the right decision for the country. You have since served as our Deputy Prime Minister; the first Liberal Leader in a peacetime government at Westminster for almost 80 years, and we owe you a debt of gratitude for that.

You haven’t been alone in those achievements, but have led a Party that has delivered many of the things we sought office for, not least starting a tax revolution, taking millions of people out of income tax altogether; giving children in England a fairer start in life via the pupil premium; transforming pension provision; making society more tolerant and inclusive, for instance by defending the Human Rights Act and introducing same-sex marriage.

However, this week the electorate has delivered another stark message about the Party’s performance and direction. This week we have lost hundreds of brilliant councillors across the country and in some areas we have lost every seat we were defending. We consider it vital that at the 2015 General Election the Party should be led by someone who will receive a fair hearing about our achievements and ambitions for the future. It is clear to us that this person is not you, as the loss of so many of our hard working Councillors highlights.

You have fulfilled a range of objectives in Government, but we now believe that progress will be best achieved under a new leader. We therefore ask that you stand down, allowing the membership to select your successor this summer.

Yours sincerely,”