Recovery is not inevitable, but it’s very possible for the Lib Dems

Hence my comment for today’s Independent:

There was little sign of a co-ordinated attempt to oust Mr Clegg. But he will face intense pressure from MPs to spell out more clearly the party’s differences with the Tories. The moment of maximum difficulty for him is likely to be the party conference in September.

The Liberal Democrat blogger Mark Pack insisted: “The party has been in a worse state before and come back.” But Benjamin Ramm, editor of The Liberal magazine, said: “This is not a gradual erosion of support but a collapse. The Lib Dems are no longer a national party.”

Given Ben Ramm’s record of saying the party is doomed (see past comments re. Charles Kennedy and Ming Campbell), today’s comments from him may not totally surprise… (Though for the wittiest past response to his views, see the last comment on James Graham’s blog from a few years back.)