The May local elections have shown us we’re at a critical point for this party, and we need to decide where to go next.

There were some great results to celebrate. We gained three councils, 153 councillors, and hit double figures in Scotland. We knocked on over three million doors, and had more than a million conversations on the doorstep. Our canvassing was up 25% on four years ago. Our polling day activity was so strong, it was nearly at General Election levels! Our members, activists, councillors, staff and parliamentarians pulled out all the stops. It was an incredible effort and I am so so proud to be a part of it.

But I know that only tells part of the story. We didn’t make enough gains across key parts of the country, particularly in the North, the Midlands and urban areas. As someone who once stood for Parliament in Tower Hamlets, I mean it when I say that liberalism should be a key offer to our inner cities. 

Ever since I became Party President, I have been clear that I want us to go further than places we are comfortable. It is time to be ambitious. We cannot afford to abandon parts of the country because they may be difficult for us to reach. Politics is crying out for a serious, positive, liberal message, and we leave no stone unturned. 

There were brilliant candidates who gave everything to campaigns and didn’t get what they deserved. I campaigned (to name a few) in Cardiff, Hull, Southwark, Birmingham, Sheffield and Cambridge. Watching some of them lose to Reform or Green candidates who put in a fraction of the effort we did was utterly gutting. 

With all that said, with populism and nationalism on the rise, and with a crowded multi-party system intensifying, we need a new party strategy to meet this new moment. 

A party strategy built by members

To drive a new party strategy, I’ve launched a Liberal Democrat ‘Summer of Strategy’ on behalf of the Federal Board. 

The ‘party strategy’ guides how we build and resource our party to meet our big, liberal ambitions. The Federal Board drives the party strategy, in consultation with members.

This is different but connected to the ‘political strategy’, which is about driving a vision for the country, and setting out what and who we’re for (and against!) This sits with the Party Leader. 

We’re working with Ed to drive both forward this summer. 

We want your views!

The party strategy process formally kicked off last spring, and it will be hotting up this summer, with consultation events, workshops, surveys and more – all on the future of the Liberal Democrats.

I’m chairing three consultative sessions to hear your take on some of the big questions we need to answer as a party. I’d love you for to join me at one of these sessions:

Friday 12th June, 5:30pm – click here to register

Sunday 14th June, 10am – click here to register

Monday 15th June, 5:30pm – click here to register

The questions we’ll be discussing are in the consultation paper at the end of this post. 

If you can’t make any of these sessions, you can submit your views via this survey by 9am on Thursday 18th June 2026 instead – click here to submit

And the process after this?

We will bring together insights from the above consultative sessions, surveys, earlier consultative work and more into a draft strategy Conference motion that we’ll put out to further consultation this summer, with a view to amending it based on further feedback and emerging data. 

Our ‘Summer of Strategy’ will culminate in a debate at Autumn Conference on the text of the strategy motion and amendments, which members will be able to vote on.

And this won’t be a strategy that gets shelved. I will make sure that members will be able to challenge and evolve it over time, and where things need to change, you’ll be able to drive that.

This party is yours. And so is the party strategy, so do get involved, read the consultation paper here and make your voice heard!

* Josh Babarinde OBE is the Liberal Democrat MP for Eastbourne and Party President from January 2026. He was the Founder and CEO of Cracked It, London's award-winning social enterprise smartphone repair service, staffed by young ex-offenders.