Lib Dems

The title is naturally sarcastic. I didn't really want to write about the Lib Dems again for a while, but after a recent by election I campaigned in fighting them, I've actually realised just how low their tactics are, and thought I'd share them with anyone who's not already familiar with them.
 
For a start they lie. They will say that only the Lib Dems can win here (even though they recorded barely 20% of the vote in May). This is backed up by dubious bar charts from even more dubious canvassing. They will then proceed to throw as much dirt about their opponents as possible. The truth doesn't enter into this much. A leaflet saying the candidate lives 10 miles away when it's actually only 3, whilst their candidate has been local for about 3 weeks since he registered in the ward. I'm sure anyone who has fought the Lib Dems is fully aware of these tactics, but I just don't understand where this reputation as the nice party comes form. They are negative and dishonest with voters to a degree that take politics into the gutter.
 
There is a side effect of these tactics which the Lib Dems don't seem to realise. By portraying Labour and Conservatives as self serving good for nothings, they damage politics as a whole and aid the cause of the BNP. For when politics is portrayed in a sleazy way, some voters will kick all 3 main parties and side with the protest party. This is what the BNP is taking advantage of. To simply call them racist and nazi's seems to be spurring voters on who feel the BNP are being ganged up on by the establishment. To take on the BNP, parties must expose their far left economics and the implications of their far right immigration policies. Would people be so happy to vote for the BNP, if the generous owner of their football club would be slung out of the country by them. We need to explain implications rather than look like bullies to stem the BNP.

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Whilst this isn't www.libdemradio.com it is the season of goodwill to all men, women, and even Lib Dems, so for your "enjoyment" here is Nick Cleggs speech following his victory in the Lib Dem leadership content.

Click the download button or listen to the speech in our inbuilt player.

Enjoy.

And for any Lib Dems visiting who want to do something extremely charitable, whilst also ensuring that this Tory really will suffer some pain, just visit this link.

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Nick Clegg becomes leader of the Lib Dems securing 20,988 votes compared to the 20,477 secured by Chris Huhne.

I have to say that given the Lib Dems see themselves as a major force inUK politics, the fact that it only takes around 21,000 votes for you to become party leader does strike me as very interesting.

I suspect there will be sound defeated Parliamentary candidates that got more votes in a single constiuency than that.

Interesting times ahead.

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One of the big impacts of Brown vs Cameron has been the squeeze on the Liberal Democrats, who are heading rapidly towards single figure polling. Now while this is a traditional trend mid term, this real substantial drop seems to indicate something more fundamental and it's not all about the leader.
 
Obviously Ming is pretty inept at leading his party. I always thought of him as the only real substantial statesman like figure in the Lib Dems when he was foreign affairs spokesman. Taken out of his brief though and he's been found wanting. Lamentable PMQ performances and no real connection with the public. However, the Lib Dems have a far more wide reaching problem than that, and that's identity.
 
What do the Lib Dems stand for. Are candidates in Newcastle council elections telling the same stories as those standing in rural Hampshire. I think we all know the answer to that. The point is the Lib Dems need to work out if they are going to go to the left of Labour or portray themselves as a soft Tory party. The real problem they have is the seats won in by elections from Tories. They want to hold on to these but don't want to pursue a policy agenda to do so, as they prefer to be on the left.
 
So what do they do. Well there is much talk of having a female leader to be distinctive. Looking at their benches, there is no one at all suitable due to age, incompetence and the marginal nature of their seat. In any case, that is only a superficial fix. They instead need to work out what they are for and who they appeal to. Do they go after disaffected Labour voters in places like Liverpool and Newcastle, and in doing so risk their southern soft Tory seats or do they try to compete with Cameron as soft Tories. That would be very courageous. At this moment in time their future must surely be in the North chasing Labour seats. Their hatred for Tories will probably see this doesn't happen. My only forecast is there will be trouble ahead.

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Things are not looking good for Ming Campbell or the Lib Dems.

Ben Brogan has pointed out that on Electoral Calculus using recent polling, the Lib Dems would end up with a total of zero seats, and now a Populus poll for the Times is indicating that they have dropped 3 point to only 12%.

Ming has consistently stated that he will lead the party into the next election, which certainly looked likely with the possibility of a snap election. Now Brown has ruled that out, and suggested that an election isnt likely in 2008, the Lib Dems surely must be having a sertious look at not if Ming will be challenged, but when.

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