Political

Widespread public support for “a new centre-ground political party”

The latest polling from ComRes includes the finding that 41% of voters agree that there is “a need for a new centre-ground political party”. Only just over a quarter (26%) disagree and the rest are don’t knows.

That agree figure is fairly similar across ages and social classes but rises to 58% among current Lib Dem voters. Which illustrates both the danger and opportunity for the Liberal Democrats.

The danger? That so many voters, including many currently in the Lib Dem camp, think a new party is needed rather than that the Liberal Democrats are the answer.

The opportunity? That so many voters currently in the camps of other parties think a new party is needed.

The challenge is to persuade both groups that the Liberal Democrats are the realisation of that hypothetical party they like the sound of.

Manchester Gorton is the next big opportunity to build a convincing case which will win over such people. Showing that the Liberal Democrats can beat Labour, struggling in the polls, in urban, northern England and that post-Article 50 Brexit is still very much a live political issue would very much help make the case that voting for, donating to and joining the Liberal Democrats is the way to get a new look British party system. That’s why Manchester Gorton is so important to the Liberal Democrats.

There’s a huge softness to the Labour vote in Gorton, as I discovered when campaigning there today. So much so that I’m now booking a train ticket to go back again. Details of how you too can help are here (and accommodation with local members is available for anyone able to go for more than a day).

Look what impact the campaign has already had:

Extracts from The Guardian and The Times on Lib Dem campaign in Gorton by-election

Postal votes start landing on doormats in less than a week. So if you haven’t got local elections in your own patch (hello, fellow Londoners), what are you waiting for?

4 responses to “Widespread public support for “a new centre-ground political party””

  1. I agree with Mark ….. donate, phone canvass, visit for Manchester Gorton and our excellent candidate, Dr Jackie Pearcey 🙂

  2. In the unlikely event that a new centre ground party is formed, I will not be a member of it, irrespective of whether the Liberal Democrats stand outside it or are dissolved within it. I suspect many activists feel the same.

  3. I agree – it does deserve a debate at Bournemouth. The Federal Conference Committee’s record on selecting topics for debate probably means it won’t get one. Doesn’t stop us having that debate outside the conference auditorium, however!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All comments and data you submit with them will be handled in line with the privacy and moderation policies.