Saturday
I have just spent the day at Liberty 2005, the Libertarian Alliance run conference being held over this weekend at the magnificent National Liberal Club. As well as listening attentively, I snapped photos.
Here is speaker number three today, Syed Kamall MEP, in action:
And here is Gabriel Calzada who will be first up tomorrow morning:
Syed was most impressive, and I am confident Gabriel will be too. No time to elaborate now on what is actually being said at this gathering, but I hope I will manage to later.
These two pictures, and another eighteen, at my place.
Could someone please publish the full text of the Marie Antionette International Dead Liberty Award for Mugabe on here?
Many Thanks
Posted by Julian Taylor at November 20, 2005 01:21 PM
From Syed Kamall's website the only possible clue that he might be a libertarian is in his biography where he mentions global free trade. Otherwise, there is not much to distinguish him form the state-worshipping social control freaks with whom he shares a party.
Posted by Robert Alderson at November 21, 2005 03:15 AM
Robert, knowing Syed as I do, I can assure you that your suspoicions are unfounded, though I wonder for how long such a good man can remain in politics. We need a hundred Syed's.
Posted by Johnathan at November 21, 2005 10:38 AM
Errr ... the only this is, is this event being held in a urinal? What's with the tiled walls?
Posted by Verity at November 21, 2005 04:16 PM
The picture doesn't give the right impression of how fancy the tiling was, or the decor generally. Each of those huge curtains must have cost a few thou for a start.
I used to work at the Treasury, not so far away from the National Liberal Club where this event was held, and we were always told that the Treasury building was originally designed to be a viceregal palace in Bombay. The same could be true of the National Liberal Club from the looks of it. The tiles and vast, airy spaces seemed as if they were intended for a tropical climate.
It's a splendid place - including the ladies' loos.
By the way, Brian, your link doesn't work for me at the moment.
Posted by Natalie Solent at November 21, 2005 04:49 PM
Verity, my fiancee made exactly the same remark about some of the tiles!!!
Seriously, the club has a wonderful spiral staircase and is full of portraits of these wonderful characters who were real liberals: Gladstone, of course, but also Richard Cobden, John Bright, etc. It is almost heartbreaking to wonder what has happened to the Liberal Party since, particularly starting with that prize conman, David Lloyd George, the proto-Blair of his time.
Posted by Johnathan Pearce at November 22, 2005 08:48 AM
I have known Syed Kamall for many years. He is a libertarian - a strong supporter of economic and personal liberty. We are very fortunate to have Syed representing London in the European Parliament. Brian Micklethwait does not hand out compliments lightly.
Mr Alderson should not judge him by his colleagues. I recommend that he takes a look at the web site of the Global Business Research Institute which Syed founded with Adrian Pepper.
Posted by Kenneth Irvine at November 22, 2005 06:16 PM
