Thank you Sir Vince
Yesterday, following the best local election results in the Liberal Democrats' history and a surge in Lib Dem support, our leader Sir Vince Cable announced he would be stepping down to make way for the next leader.
Unlike the other big news story of yesterday, where Theresa May quit as Conservative Leader after virtually being dragged from her post after a disastarous stint as prime minister, Sir Vince announced his plans back in March allowing an organised and dignified succession plan for the party.
Cllr Philip Mynott, Deputy Leader of the Brentwood Liberal Democrat group. had this to say:
"On a day of two announced resignations, what a contrast between them!
"Instead of leading his party into the policy wilderness, via ongoing defections, vitriolic infighting and electoral meltdown, Vince Cable has overseen a Lib Dem resurgence. A resurgence at the polls, amid a snowballing phenomenon of endorsements from erstwhile political enemies, but more importantly a resurgence not based on blowing this way and that in search of the popular vote, but on standing firm.
"Vince Cable, following on from Tim Farron before him, has led by being bravely determined that the Lib Dems should remain true to their core beliefs, despite baying media and political populism having tried to hound everyone off to left and right. It is reminiscent of the late, great Charles Kennedy too - standing firm on his opposition to the Iraq War no matter what vitriol was thrown his way as a consequence and, eventually, being proven right,
"Vince has been conscientiously prepared to stand up for sensible, progressive action on the biggest issues of the our times, whilst all too many around us have parroted worthless phrases, pursued their narrow, egotistical interests, ignored the best of our collective knowledge and buried their heads in the sand.
"In short, the biggest contrast between Vince Cable and Theresa May is that the Lib Dems will be sad to see our current leader go. And the biggest contrast between us and the Tories is that we (and maybe many others in this country, still prepared to fight to make things better), can look forward optimistically to his successor - whomever that turns out to be.
"There is a huge job still to be done, and Britain needs those who are courageous enough to step forward."
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