Here’s the third set of tweets from the SLF Conference. Gordon Lishman chaired a session on political pluralism. David Howarth, former MP for Cambridge, looked at election data, Sue Goss from Compass looked at how progressive parties might work together and Tom Spencer, former Tory MEP who argued that a liberal party should alternate between left and right.

David Howarth's rigorous electoral analysis, remarkable facts inferable from the data #slfconf pic.twitter.com/0YgipNLJA5

— Callum Delhoy (@CallumDelhoy) July 4, 2015

David Howarth: Tories win because they have a reputation for competence. Trust & competence matter as well as policy #slfconf

— Elisabeth Wilson (@elis_wilson) July 4, 2015

Sue Goss: Conservative party good at defining what they do as competence! Reframe what competence looks like, values question. #slfconf

— Elisabeth Wilson (@elis_wilson) July 4, 2015

David Howarth: divisions between parties are in all the wrong places. Difficult to see a partnership on the left that wins #slfconf

— Tom King (@KingOfTwickers) July 4, 2015

"If the vague policies carved onto stone by Labour are now somehow dangerously radical, God help us." – Sue Goss from Compass. #slfconf

— James King (@jamesinlimbo) July 4, 2015

Sue Goss fron Compass calls for a new politics of learning and exploring difference bringing left leaning people together – great! #slfconf

— Anna Tucker (@A_L_Tucker) July 4, 2015

Applause for former #Tory MEP Tom Spencer for saying #UK continued membership of #EU more important to him than future of #Tories #slfconf

— Rebecca Taylor (@RTaylor_LibDem) July 4, 2015

Former Tory MEP Spencer calls for a liberal party that alternates who it supports rather than permanent 'progressive majority' #slfconf

— Mark Pack (@markpack) July 4, 2015

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social