Blogosphere rowlocks #9954

Iain Dale goes into hyper-ventilate mode:

According to Dizzy, LibDem Youth & Students is about to change its name to Liberal Youth. Not LibDem Youth, Not Liberal Democrat Youth, but Liberal Youth. Couple this with Nick Clegg's constant use of the word 'liberal' in his speeches, I just wonder if he is subconciously preparing his party for a name change back to the Liberal Party. What would our LibDem friends think of this, I wonder?

Well, if LDYS are going to change their name, they will do it, not Nick Clegg. So there is no "subconscious" preparation. Similarly, the party would review its name, not Nick Clegg. And it isn't going to.

The reason the party won't even consider touching its name is probably the same reason why the Queen will never abdicate. In her case, the inherited memories of the Edward VIII shambles are too painful to even consider abdication. In the case of the LibDems, the memories of the 1980s when we seemed to be changing our name every two weeks (and were the butt of many jokes as a result), are also too painful.

I recall when Jeremy Browne was asked in the autumn on Newsnight about a name change.

"It's the first I have heard about it" he said.