Policy, relationships, practicalities, even thinking about a little bit of governance and leadership – these will all undoubtedly all pre-occupying the minds of many senior LibDems (and no doubt Conservatives). But right from day one of this coalition, the LibDems, probably more than any other party, will need to keep two things clear in their consciousness – those of identify and narrative.
The LibDems for generations have enjoyed an easy identity – the third party, centre-left, progressive even maverick – even though it didn’t feature strongly on the radar of the general public. Well it does now – with many who may have only had a vague, hazy idea of the party struggling to understand it. Yet in coalition it has already lost some of those identifying features – its connection with the left appears diluted, its radical outspoken tone muted and its position as the ‘progressive’ party will quickly be filled by Labour.
Regardless of how this identity has been shaken by recent events, the party will in five years time, possibly earlier, go back to the polls. At that time, the public will either know who the party is and its story or that public will be unsure of the party’s narrative and identity, both having been obscured by coalition dynamics. It is in the gift of the LibDems themselves to choose which outcome will prevail. This eventuality will also apply to the Conservatives, but their legacy of mainstream government or opposition has enabled a deeper impression in the public psyche – unless Team Cameron are transformed within a heady atmosphere of new concensus politics, and seen to be transformed, they will still be seen as the Tories – love’em or hate’em – at the next election. And Labour, with a rich and vibrant seam of history, unshackled from the constraints of power, can regroup and develop a powerful image within the vacated progressive left political sphere. But the LibDems, if they fail to maintain and enhance their sense of who they are as an individual party, may enjoy a brief moment of government only to be returned to the political hinterland.
As they say, a reputation takes years to develop but can be shattered in minutes. For the LibDems this hasn’t happened today (although it has been shaken). In the medium term, actions and consequences – sheer bloody politics –of the Coalition will of course take their toll on the reputations of those involved. But if active measures – the determined maintenance of party culture, vision, ritual, ideals – are not taken quickly, to capitalize on the fact that the public are watching them, LibDem reputation – the very identity and narrative of the party, diluted and fragmented – could easily melt away anyway. Reputation management is an awful buzzword from the PR industry but, if anything, the LibDems will have to quickly start practicing serious identity management, in order to come out the other end of this Coalition intact.
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9 Comments
Maybe our backbenchers could be organised to provide a wider narrative? A task for any senior MPs not with portfolios, working with the new intake.
I think the party should point out the Conservatives that it’s in as much their interest as ours that they allow our coalition MPs a certain amount of ‘self-expression’ as it’s /not/ in their interests that the Labour party gobbles up all our voters in the next election.
@Edis – Both Ming’s Chiefs of Staff (Ed Davey and Norman Lamb) seem to be without ministerial posts, as is Jo Swinson; sound like the folks for the job.
I wonder how we will cope with opposition to the Tories in our constituencies.
We have not signed up to the whole Tory agenda – have we? – so presumably we are still free to campaign against those polices which we do not like.
And if a local party is free to campaign against, for example, Gove´s ridicuous policy of using taxpayers´ money to finance new private schools, presumably the local MP is free to do the same.
ComRes post coalition national voting intention.Amazed the Tories have no honeymoon bounce.
Con 38% (+1)
Lab 34% (+4)
LD 21% (-3)
Other 7% (-3)
”Identity Management’ Yuk – the horrors of jargon. As long as it is not confused with individuals remembering who they are or those with multiple identies, then it does, much as I hate to admit it, rather sum it all up
Worth bearing in mind, though, that our identity has already morphed from that ‘third party always the opposition’ to a different animal with the potential to be very effective indeed.
Miranda
Very apt article! Junior partners do risk an identity squeeze and we should take time to address how we not only protect our identity but actually grow the party. “Party culture, vision, ritual, ideals” are very important at this time – that’s why our special conference is a good thing. From the superficial such as branding and flag flying, through the core values, to greater participation in policy development – its an enhanced role for the party president.
@Edis
Absolutely agree. We need the backbenchers to remain the voice of the ‘pure’ Liberal Democrat. We must, as a party, also make abundantly clear the distinction between what we have agreed to do in government, and what we would do in government if we were elected as a majority (however likely that is).
I am glad to see this article as too few coalition enthusiasts are acknowledging the extraoardinary difficulties our party will face over its identity. I’m only too happy to play Cassandra, I only hope that unlike Cassandra, we doubters are not ignored.
@AJ
So the public have started to vote with their feet, clear battle lines emerging.
Tories (&Lib Dems) on one side, Labour only a week out of power gaining support on the other. No alternative vote as the public will see, so our years of work building up hope and a party to to support against the ‘big 2’ is sliding out of existence already
What have you done Clegg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think that drop in the opinion polls for LD’s might be caused by the folk who tactically voted for us against the Conservatives, combined with people who have not yet realised that this is coalition, not majority rule. The former group are really confusing me right now, because if they are looking at another FPTP election, in the same location, surely refusing to vote LD ever again (as some are claiming around the internet), just helps the Conservatives ? The latter group might well work out their error over time.
All of this is only relevant if by the next election we are still using the FPTP system, if AV is in use by then, or by some miracle PR, I don’t think that there is any telling what will happen to any party. As far as I can see, under AV, it is hopeless to try to tactically vote, so if we switched from FPTP to AV, who knows?