Author Archives: Rory Domm

To be the anti-Brexit party, being anti-Brexit isn’t enough

Embed from Getty Images

The Liberal Democrats have a unique opportunity to occupy the centre ground in UK politics. At least, this is the assertive and ambitious pitch set out by new party leader Vince Cable MP.

On the face of it, this is a compelling argument, coming just as the Labour and Conservative parties seem to be in thrall to their fringes and flirting with a hard Brexit.

Moreover, it is now evident that many remainers voted Labour to deny the Conservatives a clear majority for a hard Brexit, and are likely to be less than enamoured by Corbyn’s fairly open support for the same goal.

At the same time, we have to be brutally honest. If this is such a great plan, how come we still seem so far away from a Macron-like rejuvenation of the centre? Even if the strategy is the right one, are the Libdems best placed to deliver it? (To be clear, a weak centre party is a blessing for the two main parties.)

For sure, FPTP is a structural issue that seems here to stay. And with the benefit of hindsight, the enablers of the ‘austerity’ coalition government calling for a second referendum during the election campaign is likely to have been perceived as special pleading amongst some parts of the electorate and will have done little to change our image.

Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 38 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Tom Arms
    I meant to say that the UK supplies the nuclear warheads for its deterrent....
  • Tom Arms
    There are some areas where the US is likely to dominate for a very long time. Space is an obvious one. Ukraine would be up the proverbial creek without America'...
  • Ruth Bright
    @Paul is surely right, do we have age breakdowns for stats on members and active supporters?...
  • Tom Bailey
    Alex Macfie says: "He [Farage], has just seized on one case of supposed “anti-white bias” by the police (the only one available)" So the 3 decades of Brit...
  • Alex Macfie
    @Simon Robinson &c: Please stop pretending Nigel Farage is acting in good faith. He has just seized on one case of supposed "anti-white bias" by the police ...