Author Archives: Mark Tufnell

Independent View: Lib Dems are turning heads in the Tories’ rural heartlands. Here’s how they can win over countryside voters for good

The recent local election results continue to demonstrate that rural support for the Conservatives is dwindling.

Their loss was, by all appearances, the Liberal Democrats’ gain. Where the Conservatives faltered, the Lib Dems thrived: in newly created council Westmorland and Furness, they took 36 seats compared to just 11 for the Tories, and in the Conservative stronghold of Somerset, they won 65 seats compared to a meagre 36.

Our recent opinion poll could well have predicted this Conservative downfall in the countryside. Published just weeks before locals took to the ballots, it indicated a 7.5% drop in support for the Conservatives.

Should the governing party continue on this downward trajectory, the results could be an indication of more big wins to come for the Lib Dems.

This is by no means a foregone conclusion, however. To ensure local election wins are converted into seats at the next General Election, there is no room for complacency.

Posted in News | Tagged and | 3 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Peter Davies
    "It ticked all the boxes" Unfortunately, all American campaign speeches sound like the speech writer has taken the expression literally....
  • Graham Jeffs
    Apart from all that, the farce of unused permissions needs to addressed. Where are they? What types of property are they for? Let's have some transpare...
  • Roland
    >"Britain needs more homes." Err no, it actually needs fewer people; just that Westminster politicians are too scared to face the truth that they have been ...
  • Jana
    “ Yet we should resist the temptation to confuse the power to obstruct with the right to govern.” No, local democracy is about allowing communities freed...
  • Mary ReidMary Reid
    PM - Tom Arms should be posting again this week. Good that you missed him but it has only been two weeks....