Lib Dems hit the millionth door this weekend as membership up again

Over this weekend, the millionth door will be knocked on by Liberal Democrat campaigners since the start of the year.* That’s not counting the several hundred thousand phone calls also made and is an important part of the party’s attempt to buck the national trend in both key Westminster constituencies and also many local council wards. Two different recent constituency polls (in London and Scotland) have shown the promising prospects for doing just that.

Paddy Ashdown, chair of the Lib Dem General Election campaign, says of this achievement:

We have a tough fight on our hands, which is perhaps the toughest we have ever fought. But there is no doubt our plans are well laid.

Our message is clear – to create a stronger economy, a fairer society, where there is opportunity for everyone – and we have the right strategy and a united team, which is up for the fight ahead.

Meanwhile, the party’s membership is also continuing to grow and is set to go back above 45,000 any day now, continuing what is now nearly two years of sustained membership growth (and something which makes London’s plan to change the rules to better welcome new members all the more sensible).

Also doing well is the party’s fundraising, with a second ‘match funding exercise’ ending in a few days time. So if you donate now, a group of donors have agreed to match (i.e. double) up to £300,000 in donations from supporters made up until the end of the month:

Donate and get your donation doubled here. [now closed]

So far over £180,000 has been donated – and doubled. But there’s only a few days left to make full use of the generous doubling offer [now closed].

* +5 points if you remember Nick Clegg’s Million Door Challenge before 2010. +10 points if you also remember Ming Campbell’s Million Door Challenge before that. These million, however, are in a shorter time period and more precisely counted.