Interviewed by the Guardian, Helen Morgan said the Liberal Democrats’ win, which overturned a Conservative majority of nearly 23,000, was not a fluke. Morgan said her election builds on the party’s success in the Chesham and Amersham byelection in June and the Lib Dems are capable of winning over more voters than people expect and the Lib Dems have proved their popularity is no longer confined to parts of the country which voted Remain.
We’ve won two big byelections in just over six months. We’ve now proved the Chesham and Amersham result wasn’t a fluke.
Everyone said that was about HS2, but in North Shropshire it was about issues that affect everyone in the country. I think it proves we can make a difference across a much wider area than people thought we might be able to.
She said there was anger at ambulance waiting times and concerns in the farming community about trade deals but Brexit is no longer an issue.
The electorate has moved on [from Brexit] and it seems to me that they recognise that voting for a Liberal Democrat who is very rooted in community politics, who is focused on listening, is a massive contrast to this Westminster Conservative bubble where they go to cheese and wine parties after work…
I think it would be a bit unfair to the voters to say it was all about anger over the parties. There’s a lot of talk about tactical voting but you can’t win a seat like this that was 60% Conservative last time round unless you persuade traditional conservative voters to switch to you.
There’s a palpable sense of anger among farmers around the trade deals. They’ve created a real moment of danger for British farming. We’ve had people pouring milk down the drains, which is completely unsustainable. I think there’s a definite sense that Boris Johnson just really doesn’t care about the farming sector.
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5 Comments
I don’t understand the comment “….concerns in the farming community about trade deals but Brexit is no longer an issue” Surely these trade deals aree a consequence of Brexit?
@Steve Comer. It is straightforward enough. Brexit happened and and voters think there is no undoing it. But the consequent trade deals were not a done deal at Brexit and rural voters hope they will not continue to be to the disadvantage of farmers.
I woud claim that the Liberal Democrats proved again their mastery in a critical By-Election to overturn a Government majority.
This all proved great resilient ability to canvass individual voters and listen to angered farmers to ask them about their post Brexit issues that concern them most.
This all clearly coalesced as dominant issues such as NHS ambulance `waiting times’;the Own Paterson debacle of `Slease’ that confounds all morally decent supporters of the Nolan Prinicples in public service ; the wastage of milk post Brexit and above all the Tory wanton largesse of never speaking to their voters,face to face, since the Great Reform Act 1832, in a so-called `Safe Seat’ .
The leadership of the excellent hard working L/D By-Election Team led by local and knowledgeable Helen Morgan was exemplary.
Steve Comer:
Of course many of the recent problems for farmers are a direct consequence of Brexit, but a lack of joined up thinking means that many do not make the connection.
For most people in the UK, the effects of being in the EU were completely transparent, in fact it was surprising how many were unaware that the UK was part of the EU. Only by dishonesty linking the EU to immigration from outside the EU, could the Brexit zealots achieve their aim.
Those who did not make the connections before 2016 are likely to continue not to join up the dots, but they may see that businesses are harmed, bureaucracy increased, grants and subsidies removed, increased prices and delays caused by a lack of HGV drivers etc. Increased ambulance waiting times are not so obviously linked to Brexit and in any particular case the link could be disputed; what people will care about is the impact of the problem on their lives.
Now, the boot is on the other foot, it is Brexiters, this government that wish to pretend that the problems do not exist. All we have to do is show to the electorate that these problems do exist. We could connect them to Brexit, but to those who had never made the connection before, it would appear rather abstract and remote.
We do not have to let up on Brexit, but do have to realise that often it is enough to point out the harmful consequences without spelling out the connections to Brexit.
Start campaigning in brexit disadvataged sectors now.
These people may never have voted LibDem before but they have never been faced with the present problems.
Farmers and associated trades
Fishermen
Musicians and other artists
The Finance Sector
Transportation
Importer/Exporters
Manufacturers
Animal & plant related
Trade show and Hire