December election looks to be on… and here’s why it’s good news for the Lib Dems
With Labour now also supporting a pre-Christmas general election, it’s looking about as certain as anything can be in current British politics.
It’s a contest that the Liberal Democrats can enter with a high degree of optimism:
- It will be a general election in which the future of Brexit can be determined. Giving people that decision is good for democracy. What’s more, from a narrower Lib Dem self-interest it gives a chance to change the Parliamentary maths from the current set-up which has voted against a People’s Vote seven times.
- The election can be made about Brexit yes or no, rather than no deal Brexit yes or no. This gives the Lib Dems the best chance to win votes over from Labour and its life-long Euro-sceptic leader.
- When balanced media coverage kicks in for broadcast media at the general election, this will give the party a significant boost. The usual default to paying much more attention to the government than to anyone else outside of election time will cease.
- Without giving away any confidential information, you can tell from some of the party’s pairing of (prospective) candidates and seats how positive the party’s data and polling is looking.
- The Lib Dems are particularly reliant on voluntary labour, while Labour and the Conservatives in particular rely much more on money. People are already getting exhausted from the intensive period of heightened pre-election campaigning. An election sooner rather than later gives much more chance of keeping up that tempo until polling day.
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I hope this push for a December election does not facilitate a Johnson majority government before the commons has a chance to pull apart his Brexit withdrawal bill? It is a risky strategy given that Johnson is also very eager for an election now! Why? I will not forgive the Lib Dems if this gamble gives the Tories a working majority and I am not sure the country wants an election in the run up to Christmas.
I really do not want to fight an election two weeks before Christmas. I do not want to go out delivering leaflets on cold wet dark nights.
None of us want an election in December, but then almost none of want Brexit or worse still a no-deal Brexit.
Given that the HoC can’t be persuaded to vote for a referendum then the only way to get a decision one way or another is a new parliament.
Mr Lofty should get out on the doorsteps and fight for a LibDem win. With FPTP you may well be able to win seats with between 25 and 30% of the vote especially if the Brexit Party give the Tories some competition for the Brexit vote.
All this blether about Johnson winning is just an excuse to do nothing. If he is exposed on the campaign trail for the lying charlatan that he is he may go down to a big defeat. Remember what happened to Mrs May!
I have been a Liberal/ Liberal Democrat since Jo Grimonds time and been through more false dawn’s than I can remember, so I hope you are right this time, but thanks for the kindly thoughts!!!
Just don’t make the same mistake as 2010! I watched from holiday abroad how the Lib Dems were on the cusp of a breakthrough after the first leadership debate whilst Nick Clegg was maintained as the face of the Lib Dems instead of consolidating his performance with ‘the cabinet in waiting’ showing breath and depth. Remember the V-formation with the leader infront, not alone!
Lib Dems need to think about voting tactically for Labour if they are in any of the marginal Tory-Labour seats, of which there are a large number. What we know is that Brexit will happen if the Tories get in with a majority, which is not the case with Labour. I understand that the party cannot be seen nationally to be supporting such a proposal because it will cause difficulties for LD candidates fighting Tory seats in the south east and south west (and elsewhere) but the reality is clear – if Labour are beaten in the marginals by the Tories, we are out of the EU.
I very much hope I am wrong but my feelings are that Mr Johnson has obtained what he wanted all the time, namely an election giving him 5 years of reigning over us. It would not surprise me if the Lib Dems ended up with single figures as MPs in the next Parliament. I agree tactical voting must be a priority in this peculiar mess we are now in. I think Johnson has manoeuvred this quite carefully, students will be at a disadvantage, those already apathetic will be even more so if the weather is as normal and those with disabilities might well hesitate to turn out. As for the 16+ ?