Susan Kramer: How does Scotland get the best out of HS2?

Liberal Democrat Transport Minister Susan Kramer came to Glasgow yesterday to talk about a new study which will look at how to make sure that Scotland gets the best out of HS2.

She spoke to the BBC here.

Former Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Nicol Stephen heads to the Lords

Congratulations to former Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Nicol Stephen as he prepares to take up his seat in the House of Lords. He has just been announced as one of 15 new Liberal Democrat peers.  His experience of being Deputy First Minister in a Coalition Government will be invaluable. He's also passionate about making sure young people have the best possible opportunities to succeed.

Others I am pleased to see on that list are Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel Chair Monroe Palmer - not just because 17 years ago his kind words of encouragement helped me make my first ever (and I think only, to be honest)  speech to a Federal Conference, Sal Brinton, who came so close in Watford at the General Election and Susan Kramer.

All fifteen will be strong additions to the team in the Lords. I am annoyed, though, that when our gender balance is so rubbish at virtually every level of the Parliamentary Party and in Government, that only 6 of the 15 are women. This was an opportunity to try and restore some of that imbalance and it hasn't been taken up.

As far as the other parties are concerned, interesting names include Dame Joan Bakewell and defeated mayoral candidate Oona King  for Labour and Fiona Shackleton, Paul McCartney's divorce lawyer, famed for her dignified behaviour after having water chucked over her by his ex wife Heather Mills and the man who created the dastardly Francis Urquhart, Michael Dobbs, for the Tories. Anyone in favour of freedom of information should beware though, as the man who tried to stop MPs' expenses being published, David McLean is also there as a Tory peer. They really haven't changed, these Tories.

Helen Duffett chairs Presidential Hustings with Susan Kramer and Tim Farron

I have just had an e-mail from them at Lib Dem HQ alerting me to the fact that the online presidential hustings I mentioned the other day is now up on You Tube here.

Helen Duffett did a fabulous job, clear, assured and confident, of keeping the two candidates under control - although, to be fair, there was just high quality debate.

You already know that I'm supporting Tim Farron, and I'd recommend you read Sara Bedford's endorsement of him which she's posted today. 

Anyway, sit back with a cup of tea and a biscuit and enjoy the almost hour long hustings in full, where the candidates talk about how to maintain our distinctive message, grassroots campaigning, the AV referendum, tuition fees, diversity and keeping members onside.

Tim Farron and Susan Kramer woo Scottish Conference & set for Glasgow hustings tonight

Party Presidential candidates Tim Farron and Susan Kramer were at Scottish Liberal Democrat Conference in Dunfermline last Saturday and both made a good impression on everybody. They were each given a chance to speak in a debate of their choice during the day and made very different choices. Susan chose to speak in the pre-manifesto debate, but acknowledged that our policy in Scotland was our business and focused on how she saw the role of President and the contribution she could make. A safe and solid choice, you could say, one which gave the representatives the chance to hear her pitch for the presidency. She talked about improving communication within the party to make sure that our distinct message was not lost. She spoke about how she was prepared to travel up and down the country to listen to grassroots members.  I couldn't fault anything she said as it all seemed to be complete common sense.

Tim, on the other hand, took a very big risk, diving feet first into the most controversial debate of the day, on whether the Scottish Party, having always advocated free education and delivered the abolition of tuition fees in office, should introduce some sort of graduate contribution. Now, either Tim took a calculated risk, as he'd spoken to so many people by the time the debate came round, to have assessed the mood of the room and how it was likely to vote - a good skill in itself, or he just piled in there and stood up for what he believed in. Either option shows good qualities. He got up there and basically told us that while the amendment under discussion  would be an improvement on the "basket case" of a system they had down south, it would be a massive step back for us and we shouldn't take it.  He also talked about the "immense credibility" our record in Government had given him as a northern campaigner and then MP. He also mentioned that Westmorland had once been in the Kingdom of Scotland and offered his greetings from an occupied part of our country.

I spoke at length to both of them - and actually gave Tim a pretty hard time, almost to the point of being rude. I tackled him on my biggest barrier to voting for him, the fact that he's an MP. His response was that the President isn't supposed to be some sort of opposition leadership but he'd be sure to represent the views of the party to the leadership, highlighting his long standing record of speaking his mind on things. I also asked him about time and he said that he reckoned that his party spokesmanship (on DEFRA) had taken up 25 hours a week which he would now have free to concentrate on the Presidency.

I asked Susan about whether she was too much in the London bubble -which was equally rude, given that she'd clearly thought Scottish Conference was important enough to go to, and I know she's helped campaigns up here under the radar over the last few years. She was clear that she intended to continue the work of Ros Scott in travelling the country supporting campaigning and listening to the grassroots. Ros, as a woman from the south of England has represented us very ably so in principle it can be done.

I have to be honest and say that I saw more Farron badges around on Saturday - although they were the bright dayglo orange I miss so much, so you couldn't really avoid them and Susan's were more subtle and traditional yellow and aqua. The supporters on either side were equally passionate about the merits of their candidate.

As for deciding who to vote for, I'm still no further forward. They are both very, very good and able candidates. I will make my mind up at some point in the next week before the ballot papers come out, but it's not going to be an easy decision. It's one of the hardest internal election decisions I can remember. I wish it were as easy as my head going one way and my heart another, but in fact both are split in two. I suppose it's a credit to both of them that I've at least become engaged in the election.

If you're a Scottish member who wants to see more of Tim and Susan, the amazing Norman Fraser has organised what he rather grandly describes as a "Presidential Showcase" tonight at Partick Burgh Halls in Glasgow at 6pm.  There wasn't going to be an "official"  hustings at all in Scotland so it's fantastic that he put the effort in to making one happen.

Ok, Tim Farron and Susan Kramer, why should I vote for you?

I am feeling completely scunnered with this Party Presidential Election. And while I'm at it, much though I love Liberal Youth to bits, I share Michael's unimpressedness that their Executive were so quick to back any candidate, especially at a time when they were signing up new members as the university terms start who were perfectly capable of making up their own minds without direction. Being told what to do by any organisation winds me up immensely, so their move may yet be counterproductive.

Ros Scott is the best president this party has ever had, bar none. She is a brilliant chair of the Federal Executive - and steering it through the Coalition negotiations in relative harmony took calmness, the best interpersonal skills and empathetic leadership.  She threw her heart and soul into supporting campaigning across the country. She's been contactable and she listens to what people have to say. She comes as close as you can get to being irreplaceable.

And then Jennie, the only genuine grassroots candidate for President didn't get on the ballot. She would have really added a realism and a perspective to the election that will now just not be there. It was always going to be a tough challenge to get the required nominations in 2 weeks. Ros Scott spent a year and a half at least touring the country before the 2008 election in which she so comprehensively beat the frontrunner, Lembit Opik. Jennie had two weeks. She has loads to offer this party and I hope that whoever becomes President listens to her.

I'm in a dilemma now, because I genuinely don't know who to vote for. I think I'm just going to enjoy that for a while, and let them fight for my vote. All too often, I determine I'm going to be neutral in these internal party elections, but then I make my mind up quickly and end up throwing myself into a campaign. My track record isn't good, but I'm determined not to this time, for at least two weeks anyway.

Both Tim Farron and Susan Kramer have enormous strengths. I've telephone canvassed in Tim's constituency during local elections and I know that the very mention of his name, even to someone who says they're voting Conservative, brings forth a string of compliments that's almost embarrassing. You have to admire someone who increases his majority from next to nothing to 12,000.

But good people lose, too. Some of the best campaigners in the party lost their seats in May and that's no reflection on them. Sadly, Susan lost out to the eye-wateringly rich Zac Goldsmith in a very tough fight. She's a huge loss as an MP. I still remember her 2000 campaign for London Mayor. Her's was the first high profile political speech Anna ever listened to - as a 3 month old at the Party Conference in Harrogate in 1999. I was instantly impressed with Susan and her pledge to walk along every single High Street in London. I seem to remember yellow Doc Martens as well, but I can't find any evidence to back that up.

Just as an aside, if websites were my only deciding factor, Susan would win my vote hands down. Clicking on Tim's you get a block of text with a massive "endorse me" form. Susan's has video, 3 clear points as to why to back her and all the information you need on the front page.

But it's not down to that. Both of them, fabulous though they are, have issues that worry me greatly.  Put simply, they're so much a part of the London Centric Westminster Bubble that I don't see how either of them can properly represent my views as a member. In addition, as far as Tim is concerned, I don't see how as an MP working 70 hours per week minimum, even he will have the energy to put another 30 in to do the job of President properly. Although if anyone can, I concede that it's him.

Susan may not be an MP any more, but she's only just outside the bubble. Tim is still at its heart. But representing a northern constituency, he has at least a feel for what life up north is like.

I guess who gets my vote will boil down to who answers these four questions to my satisfaction:

If the Party membership is uneasy about action taken by the Government, what will you do?

We all know that the Liberal Democrats are distinctive and independent but how will you work to get that message across to the voters?

What will you do practically to support Scottish Liberal Democrats between now and their elections next year? (and the same could be said for Wales, too)

How will you improve diversity in our representation at UK level?

These are not the only questions, but they're the issues which are weighing heaviest on my mind right at this moment.

And as an added bonus, thanks to a lovely Facebook friend who phoned me and pointed me in their direction, are two 90 second videos in which Tim and Susan set out their stalls, filmed by Alex Folkes and posted here and here on You Tube, and embedded here in no particular order