Star comment: Huge task ahead for Lib Dems
It has been a tumultuous year in politics. Those who thought they would find plenty of favour with the electorate – Theresa May and the Liberal Democrats – fell short of their expectations.
Those who were written off before they started – Jeremy Corbyn and his Labour Party – seemed to capture the zeitgeist.
More change is afoot following the recent General Election as Liberal Democrat MPs line up to wrest control of their party. The resignation of the popular Tim Farron, who was unable to reconcile his religious beliefs with his political career, will pave the way for a new leader. His successor faces a tough task. Although the Liberal Democrats’ position improved in the election, it was not as dramatic as the party faithful had hoped.
The party’s stance on Brexit creates clear water between themselves and the other main parties. And, given that 48 per cent of Brexit voters wished to remain in the EU, rational thought might suggest this would prove popular. However, there seems to be little appetite to revisit a bruising and bloody Referendum. And the Liberal Democrats’ policy of giving Britain a second vote on Brexit – given the party’s showing in the election – seems to be out of kilter with popular feeling.
It is not just the Liberal Democrats’ position on Europe that alienated some voters. Many remain scarred by the unlikely alliance with the Conservatives to forge a coalition Government in 2010. Nick Clegg’s U-turn on student fees and other key policy decisions have not been easily forgiven or forgotten.
Having said that, and compared to the present state of seeming never-ending flux, that coalition Government paradoxically gave Britain precisely the sort of strong and stable leadership that has been absent in recent times.
Sir Vince Cable, a veteran from that era who served as Business Secretary, will contest the leadership with fellow ex-ministers Norman Lamb and Sir Ed Davey, following the withdrawal of potential candidate Jo Swinson.
The recent election in Shropshire hinted at the task that lies ahead. Liberal Democrats in Ludlow finished a distant third to the Conservatives and Labour, having held the seat until 2005. Their downfall could not be demonstrated more eloquently.
And with voters still scarred by a period in coalition, the new leader must seek to put that behind them if the party is to become a force on the political scene again.
