The future’s bright for the Liberal Democrats

by Ryan Shorthouse / November 4, 2010 / Leave a comment

Don't panic! They know just what they're doing...

This week YouGov released a poll showing support for the Lib Dems has dropped to a feeble 9 per cent. Abandoning their policy on tuition fees threatens alienating a large part of their base—young people—from the party for years. Most predict annihilation for the Liberals in next year’s local elections. Time for Clegg & co to panic, right?

Apparently not. Despite nosediving in the polls, senior Lib Dem advisers and MPs are genuinely excited about the post-coalition prospects for their party. And with good reason.

A central problem for Liberals has always been that they are not seen as a credible option, a wasted vote that could never be in government. Now the public are seeing them in the newspapers and on TV daily, in government, making serious decisions. In a strange sort of way, the spending cuts could help them convey gravitas, showing that the Lib Dems are a governing party not just a pressure group.

Furthermore, a new dividing line is emerging in politics, favouring Liberals, of pluralism versus tribalism. The public like politicians working together to solve problems. If the Lib Dems enter into coalition with Labour in Scotland next year (a strong possibility), and make Westminster and Holyrood government work, voters could well favour pluralist, coalition government in the future. If people think Lib Dems are a serious force and coalitions are normalised, more people could be more likely to vote Lib Dems in a national election.

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Comments

Julian Gilbert
November 4, 2010 at 20:54
Are you kidding? The LDs face annihilation at the next election. Tories rarely make me angry. Most of them say what they think and do what they say. If anyone is surprised by the fact that a Conservative government is cutting things like they are, they need their heads examining. Tories and Labour have deeply-held beliefs and they should be respected. Disagreed with, yes but respected, certainly. If most people vote Tory or Labour, they know what they will get and that’s OK. That’s democracy. But the people who voted for the LDs didn’t vote for the things they are doing now. Voters don’t like them because they are hypocrites. "If the Lib Dems enter into coalition with Labour in Scotland next year (a strong possibility),..." The LDs will be lucky to retain ONE seat in Scotland. The most likely scenario is that there will be an SNP/Labour alliance. This article is breathtaking as an example of head in the sand reasoning.

The future’s bright for the Liberal Democrats

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