They Can’t

The liberal fightback starts now. Can the Lib Dems lead it?

Because they are not liberal.

Could 2017 be the year of a Liberal Democrat revival? With the party reduced to a rump of eight MPs at the last election, down from 57 the time before, it’s hard to believe there is a future for them. But let’s look for a moment at the Richmond Park byelection. A Conservative majority of more than 22,000 was overturned by one of the most energetic campaigns of recent years. Voters report phone calls throughout the day, visits to offer lifts, with up to four checks made on canvassed voters during election day to make sure they went to the polling booth.

One by-election does not a summer make. The Liberal Democrats have long since abandoned the liberal part of their name, having displayed some rather unpleasant authoritarian tendencies in recent years. Indeed, given Farron’s disdain and active attempts to undermine a referendum result, the democrat part of it is looking decidedly iffy.

A liberal is someone who is happy to live and let live. Someone who is relaxed about allowing people to speak openly – even if that speech is repugnant, for the liberal is aware that free, open speech, may be countered in the sunlight. A liberal does not try to stifle speech using political correctness, – throught-crime by any other name. A liberal respects the outcome of referenda. These people are not liberals. So, how can they lead a liberal fight back?