The Orange Book: Reclaiming Liberalism

by Paul Marshall (Editor), David Laws (Editor)

In this stimulating collection, the next generation of Liberal Democrat leaders, including MPs and MEPs, proposes a vigorous future for the party and its policies. Up to the minute, original, and persuasively argued, the thinking in this book demonstrates the Liberal Democrats' vitality and social commitment, and gives a valuable insight into how the party will move in the future.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

302 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2004

Reviews

[Nick Harriss · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading this book, written 13 years ago when Charles Kennedy was at the peak of his anti-Iraq War popularity and the likes of Nick Clegg and David Laws were new kids on the political block, brought me to a conclusion regarding the biggest political problem that the LibDems face; they are rather good at coming up with sensible, moderate policies, but rather poor in producing policies that get people excited. This book is rather similar; dry, uninspiring but makes some good points.

[Dean MacKinnon-Thomson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

An interesting collection of political agendas to transform the LibDem Party of the UK away from being social liberals, and back to Gladstonian liberals.

Many of the contributors now occupy senior positions inside the party which more than anything betrayed a generation of younger voters in the pursuit of power.

The Orange Book is a must read political collection of essays by some of the most ruthless men to ever lead a third party in British politics.

You probably won't agree much with this free markets privatisation libertarian wet-dream; but that doesn't matter. What is important is that you won't understand or comprehend the modern LibDems unless you purchase a copy of this.

[Matteo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 2004, the Orange Book was authored by a host of Liberal Democrats who would later achieve high office in the coalition government (including Nick Clegg, Sir Vince Cable and Sir Ed Davey).

At the heart of the book is its core message that the Liberal Democrats have forgotten and must reignite a commitment to Gladstonian economic liberalism, rather than embrace "nanny-state liberalism". Putting this core message into practice, the Orange Book suggested policies that the Liberal Democrats could pursue in an array of fields from local government to pension reforms.

Reading the Orange Book fourteen years on from its publication, I couldn't help but feel a little underwhelmed: it is not what I expected it to be - but it's still an interesting and insightful read!

Some of the policies advocated in the Orange Book, such as the privatisation of the Royal Mail, were executed by the coalition government of 2010-15. For this reason, the Orange Book is sometimes portrayed as the founding creed of the Liberal Democrats who partook in the coalition government. In my received knowledge, that is what the Orange Book was all about. I understood that the Orange Book has its place in Liberal Democrat history as a revolution in the party - the somersault that brought it from Ashdown and Kennedy to the coalition, from the centre-left (back then, maybe even from the left of Labour) to the centre-right. I remember one commentator precising that from 2006, Lib Dem conferences passed Orange Book motions.

Now, having read the book, I am surprised to find out that this isn't what the Orange Book is really about. It is not a call to arms; it is not the manifesto of a radical quasi-libertarian faction within the party. It does not castigate pre-existing Liberal Democrat policies or lay bare the intraparty divisions. In fact, it advocates a recognition of positive liberty and it draws inspiration from William Beveridge, who, by the book's own admission, had a "semi-socialistic view" of liberalism.

Moreover, the Orange Book is a collection of carefully-constructed policy papers. Its observations and conclusions are well-researched and thought-provoking, especially on international governance and the environment. Although the book is specific to its time, much of its relevance has not been lost in fourteen years. At times, fuller justifications could have made the arguments more convincing: it feels as though some conclusions are unjustified, especially its more controversial ones, such as those relating to reform of the NHS. It is also important to stress that the 300-page book is not exhaustive, and neither provides nor seeks to provide an encyclopaedia of classical liberal responses to the British political issues of 2004. In terms of content, the Orange Book could sit well alongside briefings from Britain's classical liberal thinktanks.

I wouldn't say that the Orange Book 'explains' the Liberal Democrats or their participation in the coalition government: that interpretation might exaggerate factional divisions within the party and it feels somewhat like a rewriting of history in order to distinguish the electorally-unpopular, pro-coalition 'Orange Book' Liberal Democrats from the electorally-popular, anti-coalition 'Beveridge Group' Liberal Democrats. Maybe that is why this book has become mythologised in the first place, given the party's unfinished conversation on its purpose and future in the post-coalition era.

Yet even if the Orange Book's pivotal place in the history of the Liberal Democrats is undeserved, it makes for interesting reading as a reflection on what it means to be a liberal both in political theory and in policymaking. Even if it was written for a different time, it is a book that could continue to guide and inspire the party as it seeks to define itself in the aftermath of the coalition. For a party that has focussed its campaigning on Brexit, perhaps it is also high-time for another Orange Book, replicating the broad policy direction and overview that the first one furnished.

[Archie Sykes · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's now quite outdated, lots of talk about reforming the EU and how policies relate to the UK and it's role in Europe, but apart from that it's still incredibly good.

It's relatively well written and presents some important points. Some people have suggested this is some Libertarian manifesto, but it's more of a re-imagination of how the state can do what it currently does. Many of the points raised are important and issues around local government, pension reform and economic reform are useful to see.

[Teoman Sevgen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shockingly boring presentation of relatively intriguing ideas, wasted opportunity in book form

[Jack Palmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Orange Book is a political manifesto of sorts for the current generation of Liberal Democrat leaders. It is most interesting as a way to understand what the Liberal Democrats actually stand for (something most of the British public are probably not quite sure about), and the answers are surprising, although less surprising at the end of their coalition government with the Tories. Most see the Liberal Democrats as the party of protest. The party against Iraq, against tuition fees, for voting reform. The essays in The Orange Book however focus primarily on liberal economic policy, and move away from social liberalism.

[Brent Usewils · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that made me understand why the LibDems lost the 2015 election, which would not have happened if all their voters read this book instead of their 2010 manifesto. Good ideas for the future of "political" liberalism.

[Chris Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely good read. Even though it's a been around for a while and we're 2 years in to a coalition government, the LIb Dems could do a lot worse than referring back to this book for inspiration.