Clear, costed, credible
Charles Kennedy believes that the tectonic plates of British politics have shifted and that a genuine three-party landscape has emerged
Rt Hon Charles Kennedy MP

Listening liberally
Lord Dholakia looks back over his presidency of the party and relishes the valid and viable alternative that the Liberal Democrats now offer to the other main parties
Lord Dholakia

Unlimited opportunity
Lord Razzall argues that local and by-election Liberal Democrat successes are not mere flashes in the pan, and that the party has the policies and personalities to sustain its steady progress
Lord Razzall CBE

Fit for office?
Charles Kennedy has worked wonders in driving the Liberal Democrats forward but, as Michael White wonders, does he possess the Blair-like drive and stamina required for power?
Michael White

Young turks urge tough love
Colin Brown explains how a new wave of talented Liberal Democrat MPs, who launch their mini-manifesto The Orange Book this week, are determined to challenge traditional Liberal thinking
Colin Brown

The team that Charles built
Simon Hoggart looks at the current Liberal Democrat frontbench line-up and identifies those who have caught the eye over the last parliamentary year
Simon Hoggart

Back to the future
A return to old style liberalism combined with a modern day emphasis on trust means that the Liberal Democrats are finding a successful niche in the political marketplace, says George Parker
George Parker

Banking on Tory breakdown
Peter Kellner considers where the limit to the Liberal Democrats’ electoral aspirations should realistically lie
Peter Kellner

New friends in the north
If Charles Kennedy is to reach his goal of making the Liberal Democrats the official opposition, then he must continue to woo disaffected Labour voters while not putting off his more conservative followers, argues Greg Hurst
Greg Hurst

The winning habit
Mark Oaten recalls a year that began with the Conservatives trumpeting the dawn of Michael Howard’s leadership as the return of two party politics, but which saw the Liberal Democrats continue to shake the system
Mark Oaten MP

Back to the home front
The Liberal Democrats’ cause has become interlinked with their stance on the Iraq war, but with a new breed of young MPs pushing for tough and radical domestic reform, it is time for Charles Kennedy to fully formulate his party’s public services agenda, writes Peter Riddell
Peter Riddell

Tackling taxing troubles
In contrast to the Chancellor’s confused complications and unfair council tax, the Liberal Democrats would restructure the tax system and take a far more equitable and transparent approach, states Vince Cable
Vince Cable MP

Skills in short supply
Labour’s broken promises and botched plans mean that we are becoming a nation facing a serious skills deficit, says Phil Willis
Phil Willis MP

Combining control with choice
Paul Burstow attacks the government’s posturing over giving ‘choice’ to patients, and explains how the Liberal Democrats would put health in the hands of locally elected representatives
Paul Burstow MP

Pension pandemonium
Britain has been plunged into a pensions crisis, and the government’s policy of wielding power without taking responsibility hardly bodes well for the future, states Lord Oakeshott
Lord Oakeshott

Plane crazy
When considering transport policy the government must look beyond short term benefits to the economy and plan for the protection of the planet not just the next general election, argues John Thurso
John Thurso MP

Words cannot fill the action vacuum
Andrew Stunell argues that the government must join up its legislative, regulatory and fiscal policies to ensure that targets for carbon reduction and improved quality of life are attainable
Andrew Stunell MP

Tough talk fails to deliver
The government’s aggressive words may appease the tabloid press, but in reality inefficiency and unfairness lie behind its robust rhetoric on asylum seekers, argues Mark Oaten
Mark Oaten MP

Government loses its cool
New Labour leapt on the Cool Britannia bandwagon when it suited them, but it is now time that the government invested fully to deliver a much needed boost to the British arts industries, argues Don Foster
Don Foster MP

Westminster’s warmer welcome
Paul Tyler believes that for the democratic process of this country to remain healthy the electorate must no longer be treated as ‘strangers’ in their own Parliament
Paul Tyler CBE MP

Centralism to the sword
Edward Davey shows why the classic Liberal argument of devolving power from Whitehall to local communities makes perfect practical and political sense
Edward Davey MP

The challenges of incumbency
Howard Sykes explains how Liberal Democrats are adapting to the task of defending rather than seizing control of councils
Howard Sykes

How the north was won
Peter Arnold describes how a combination of Labour complacency and a relentlessly focused Liberal Democrat campaign brought regime change in Newcastle
Peter Arnold

Looking beyond tomorrow
Jim Wallace outlines the achievements of the Liberal Democrats in Scotland, showing how their strong liberal agenda focuses on radical long term changes rather than short term fillips
Rt Hon Jim Wallace QC MSP

Ready to rock the boat
Mike German rues the tentative tactics of the Labour-led Welsh Assembly, and argues that the Liberal Democrats must do more to provide a resourceful and resilient opposition
Mike German

The way forward
Lord Goodhart outlines the changing character of the House of Lords, but argues that radical reform is still long overdue and explains why the Liberal Democrats have the clear and credible answer
Lord Goodhart QC

Repairing ruined reputations
The international standing of the UK has been heavily hit after the invasion of Iraq, and lessons of humility, democracy and warfare have to be learned, writes Sir Menzies Campbell
Rt Hon Sir Menzies Campbell CBE QC

Put our people first
Paul Keetch says that restructuring our armed forces to make them compatible with their US counterparts is leading us up an operational and diplomatic cul-de-sac
Paul Keetch MP

Conspiracy of clowns will crumble
UKIP’s result in the European elections is no claim to the zeitgeist, and their plans for wrecking the European Union will undoubtedly fail, writes Graham Watson
Graham Watson MEP

Emissions statement
With the US and Russia stalling over the Kyoto treaty, Tony Blair must use Britain’s forthcoming presidencies of the EU and the G8 to push climate change onto the international agenda, argues Norman Baker
Norman Baker MP

Crisis creeping closer
The government must clamp down on the small arms trade and review its own policy of poaching medical workers from developing countries if the growing HIV/Aids crisis is to be halted, says Tom Brake
Tom Brake MP

Liberty - the new faultline
With the Conservatives out of touch and Labour distrusted, young people are turning to the Liberal Democrats, as Chris Lomax explains
Chris Lomax

History’s debt to four of the finest
Chris Moncrieff looks back at the achievements and near-misses of the Gang of Four, and wonders whether the onset of the Falklands conflict prevented them from reaching even greater success
Chris Moncrieff