The basics
What kind of a website is this?
This is a political magazine and discussion forum in the form of a multi-user blog. It is intended to be a forum and resource for those who see themselves on the liberal-left.

What do you hope to achieve with this site?
We aim to bring together and re-invigorate the liberal-left in Britain. We want this movement to be built, sustained and developed over the long-term. See our mission statement for a better explanation.

How do you define the liberal-left? Am I part of it?
We don’t define what it means to be on the liberal-left. Instead we want to challenge conventional ideas by constantly asking: ‘what should the liberal-left position be on this issue?’ You can join in as long as you somewhat share our broad goals and aims (social justice, equality, eradicating poverty etc.)

Are you in bed with a particular political party?
No we are not. See the section below on political parties.

Are you against single-issue groups?
We have nothing against single-issue groups that concentrate on civil-liberties, feminist ideals or the environment. But there should also be a space to bring them together as a political movement so they can be united to support each other’s agendas. Otherwise there is a danger they fail individually and the progressive movement fails under attack from the conservative right.

I’m a bit right-wing and loathe liberals. Can I join in?
If your comments are not constructive they will be deleted. See our comments policy below.

Comments policy
Please don’t be under the misapprehension that this blog has a laissez-faire comments policy where commenters can get away with whatever they want to say on account of their ‘freedom of speech’. That is most definitely not the case.

Liberal Conspiracy aims to foster a culture of constructive comments and useful dialogue between contributors and readers. We see that as vitally important in our efforts to reinvigorate the liberal-left with fresh ideas, challenge orthodoxies and forge a way forward.

We have a stringent comments policy. We welcome constructive scrutiny of our views but will deal harshly with off-topic, diversionary or trollish comments.

We believe in freedom of speech, but unwanted commenters are more than welcome to exercise their free speech elsewhere on the blogosphere. We don’t wish to censor them there.

But we reserve the right to delete comments deemed abusive or troll-like in our space. We are not obliged to provide space to right-wing or left-wing loonies to abuse others or throw vitriol at writers.

Abusive, sarcastic and troll-ish comments (aimed at writers or other commenters) will be deleted.

Misogynist, racist, homophobic and xenophobic comments will be deleted.

You are welcome to write a complaint to the editors if you feel you are constantly treated unfairly. We may get back to you but we are under no obligation to.

Allow us to stress once again: this is our collective blog and we have the right to set a stringent comments policy. If you do not like it you are under no obligation to participate. We value quality over quantity.

Political parties
Our collective allegiance is towards liberal-left policies and ideas than specific parties. Unlike other blogs dedicated to promoting specific political parties, we are dedicated to developing, discussion and promoting good ideas and policies.

Contributors to LC may be, and are in some cases, members of the Labour, Libdem and Green party.
This does not violate our rules or compromise our position – our aim is to encompass a broad church.

Writers and commenters are free to criticise any political party as long as they do so constructively and back it up with an argument.