Lembit: The Interview

• Lembit's Manifesto
• Personal Message
• Lembit on Video
• Back Lembit's Campaign

It's been a pretty tough year for Lembit Öpik. His private life has been endlessly reported in the press, and in August his best friend died suddenly without warning. In a frank interview, Lembit speaks to Henley by-election candidate Stephen Kearney about his politics and his ambitions for the Presidency.

Stephen Kearney: Tell us about yourself?

Lembit Öpik: My heritage is Estonian. I was born in Northern Ireland but my parents both came from Estonia during World War II. My first language was actually Estonian, and I learned English at school. I went to school in Belfast and to University in Bristol - where I studied philosophy - the nearest there is to a degree in thinking!

Stephen: When did politics first interest you?

Lembit: Really, it's been a part of my life since I was a kid. My parents' experience as refugees from war torn Eastern Europe was always in the background. As it happens, I made my first political speech when I was 10 in a debate about something called the Icelandic Cod War - I was defending Iceland, and I'm pleased to say I won!

Stephen: That was quite early to get political!

Lembit: In reality, the real political activity began at college. I got involved in student campaigns at University - and was elected to President of the University of Bristol Union in 1985. I even managed to get voted onto the National Union of Students National Executive at a time when usually the Labour Party swept the board. Indeed, I nearly won the NUS Presidency in 1988. I learned a lot from those experiences - it was a very brutal and unforgiving environment if you weren't in Labour.

Stephen: Were you ever interested in local politics?

Lembit: More than that, I was IN local politics. In the 1990's I was a key activist in Newcastle upon Tyne, where I served as a City Councillor for 5 years. It was the time when we seriously began thinking about taking power in Newcastle, and exciting to be there are the beginning. I've always felt good about my former colleagues taking charge of the city - they really earned that right.

Stephen: So why did you stand for Parliament?

Lembit: In 1992, they were looking for a candidate in Newcastle Central, and I was selected to that role. We got around 14%, and I remember thinking how hard is was to be a Lib Dem - you really had to motivate yourself to keep looking for the positive and to believe the future was going to be easier. I'm glad to say it has got easier, but those were the days you found the steel inside to put up with those harder times.

Stephen: And then you got elected to Parliament?

Lembit: Well, yes, but first, in 1994 I stood for the European Parliament, up in a seat in the North East. That was a huge effort, because of the size of the constituency. I really respect our Euro Candidates today who have to handle an even bigger area. My experience as a Euro candidate then has given me a good insight into the key drivers in a Euro Election. That's useful experience in the run up to next year's European elections.

After that, as you say, I was elected to Parliament in 1997. One of the greatest moments of my political career was walking into the Commons for the first time and seeing almost 50 Lib Dem MPs on the benches. All the tough years up till then seemed worth it, but I also felt for those candidates who hadn't made it.

I think it's always important to remember that, even if you win yourself, there's a great deal of work to be done to get others to join you there. That's one of the important outlooks I'd bring to the Presidency.

Stephen: For much for that time, you've been a member of the Party's Shadow Cabinet.

Lembit: Yes, I've been privileged to hold a number of high profile Shadow Cabinet positions.

I was closely involved in the delicate and time consuming Northern Ireland peace talks. I also served as Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Enterprise and Shadow Minister for Housing. It's the only way to really understand the workings of Parliament.

I should say that, while the President does not hold responsibility for setting the Party's policy direction, understanding how Parliamentary works is a very valuable thing for a President. It helps you know what can be achieved and how best to achieve it, given the human factors and natural tensions which arise in any Parliamentary group with ambitions for Government.

Stephen: Tell us about your Party experience, Lembit. Are you basically an anorak?

Lembit: Anorak? If you say so. If you define anorak as someone who's done the committees, conferences and all that, then I suppose you've got a point!

I first got elected to the Federal Executive in 1990 or 1991, so at least 17 years ago. I'm actually the longest service member of that committee now. Not surprisingly, I'm now the Senior Federal Vice President for the Party, and Vice Chair of the Executive. When President Simon Hughes isn't there, I chair the meetings, which I enjoy doing, and, I hope, which I do reasonably well.

I've also served on most of the other key committees - Federal Finance Committee, Federal Policy Committee, International Relations Committee, various training groups, Campaigns and Communications Committee and so on. You could say I've had a pretty comprehensive education in how the party structure operates. It means I go into the Presidency with clarity of what's effective and what isn't.

Stephen: Okay then, what isn't effective in that structure?

Lembit: The main problem is the committees spend too much time revisiting each other's decisions. There's a lack of ability to delegate sufficiently, and this wastes time. We've got to speed up decisions if we want to be robust in Government. That's actually an attitudinal change, which is in fact harder than a structural one. But it's a challenge I'd have to take on because we need to alter our approach to become more effective.

Stephen: Why can you do it if others can't?

Lembit: Maybe others can, but with me the thing is I come from a Human Resources background. I used to improve organisational systems for a living. It was what I did in Procter & Gamble when I worked there. I think I can do the same for the Party, though I don't underestimate the amount of investment of energy that will take.

Stephen: Why did you resign the leadership of the Welsh Liberal Democrats last year?

Lembit: In 2001, I was elected Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, and, as you say, I served in that role for 6 years. During that time, we doubled the number of Parliamentary seats we held in Wales, becoming the Official Opposition in Westminster for Welsh politics. But I felt it was time to let the Welsh Party Leadership move towards the Assembly. That appeared to me consistent with our devolutionary polities. In a process sense, it was tidier.

Stephen: How did you feel about the coalition talks with the other parties, which, ultimately, didn't put the Lib Dems into power?

Lembit: I made my views about that very clear at the time. I think supporting proportional representation carries with it certain responsibilities. However, it's important to remember this sort of issue is policy and leadership - NOT presidency - led. If the same situation happened in the General Election, I mean a hung parliament, it would be for the Leader to lead the Party on it.

My role as President would be to reflect the Party's view TO the leadership, and, crucially, to ensure the Party is robust enough to handle the situation logically and objectively. This is one of the absolutely key lessons I've learned, and a vital aspect of the role I'm standing for.

Stephen: Was it wise to appear in Hello! And those types of media?

Lembit: It's my nature to connect. Often, that's through the conventional media channels like Question Time and Newsnight. But, because of the person I am, I seem to be able to reach beyond the usual channels, out to the people who don't really follow politics but do clock the fact that I'm a Lib Dem MP.

I've been surprised how many people know me, and the fact that, almost universally, they take a warm attitude towards me. Now, personally, I believe this does the Party, and politics, a lot of good. Nick Clegg seems to feel the same, which is why he's doing interviews in mags like GQ and appearing on the more left field television. I think he's right to do that, and can only do us good.

Stephen: But what do you say to the accusation that it makes you look lightweight?

Lembit: The people who tend to make that accusation are usually other politicians in competition with me! Or they don't "get" the popular culture connection. Look, I've been doing this kind of media for over a decade now, including Hello!

I got 51% of the popular vote in my constituency last time, and the biggest majority since 1962. I think the public are a bit more savvy than the critics.

You've seen me work a pub or café Stephen, at your by-election. I'd suggest that there aren't many politicians who could cold call an entire bar and get the kind of response we did in Henley.

If the Party wants that sort of outreach to the public, that's something which, almost uniquely, I can do. And a part of that is the non-political coverage too.

Stephen: Yes, that was really impressive. You reached to people who do not trust politicians and they responded very positively to you. But why should people in our party vote for you?

Lembit: Well, on the first thing, that's exactly my point. I know you're trying to be neutral in conducting this interview but my ability to make that sort of link with the public is undeniable and provable. On your question, people in the Lib Dems should vote for me because, as well as this quality, I also happen to know how the Party works. I'm an organiser, and on this score I've got unrivalled experience within the Party structure.

Stephen: There's a choice here though. What have you got which the other candidate hasn't got?

Lembit: Well, they've obviously got a choice. I respect and like my fellow candidate - she's good value. So the only honest way I can answer the question is that I've said I'll stand for President for 8 years. I did stand against Simon in 2004 when I said I'd stand again in 2008. And here I am. And, if members feel I've got the determination, experience, organisational skill and inspiration to do a good job, I hope they'll give me the chance to do so.

Personally, it's been a hard year for me. For example, my best friend, David Hamer, died in August this year without warning, and that was tough. But you pick yourself up and move on. It's given me a clarity of purpose, a certainty that you've got to focus on where you're heading. I really want to do this job. I've learned that, as with life, you get out of it what you put into it. I'm outcomes focussed, and haven't got much time for process obsessed politics which doesn't deliver results.

If you elect me, you'll have an experienced President who knows how to deliver the goods for the Party. I do my politics in primary colours - there's no space for pastels if you want to make a big impression.

I've got a lot of heart and soul for this Party - if that's what the Lib Dems want from their President, that's exactly what you'll get by voting for me.