I’ve been so inspired.
Up and down the country, members have been feeding into our “Summer of Strategy”, the process I launched with the Federal Board to draft a new party strategy. We’ve had thousands of contributions so far – thank you!
Where are we now?
Taking your ideas, workshop discussions, and survey answers, the Federal Board has published the first draft of the party strategy. It’s now ready for your feedback!
A few themes stand out: sharpening our national story and message, turbocharging our social media game to complement our pavement-pounding prowess, and consolidating in our areas of strength while being ambitious where we can win – in Wales, Northern England, the Midlands, and urban Britain.
You’ll find the full draft strategy motion and the consultation response summary waiting in the email I sent you yesterday.
Now, the draft motion is a starting point that reflects what we heard.
But I want member’s voices to be heard at every stage. This strategy needs to come directly from your insights.
So, we want to know: what have we got right? What have we missed? What would you change?
Have your say
Tell us what you think. There’s a short survey linked in the email – please fill it in by 9am on Monday 10th August 2026.
You can also join one of our Zoom Town Hall sessions, chaired by members of our Federal Board, to share your views on the draft strategy directly:
- Thursday 16th July, 5:15pm–6:45pm
- Tuesday 21st July, 5:30pm–7:00pm
- Sunday 2nd August, 10am–11:30am
Registration links for all three are in the email – come along!
And after this?
The Federal Board will review your feedback, with a view to drafting any necessary amendments to the motion ahead of Autumn Conference.
From there, members will debate and vote on the proposals.
And if it passes? Then the even bigger task begins, implementation.
A Quick Shoutout
A massive congratulations to Alex Davies and the Lambeth Lib Dems team on a huge win last night. What a result, taking a London seat from the Greens!
I was out this week knocking on doors for Alex, and it was crystal clear that people wanted a local leader who’d bring the community together, not divide it.
I visited this week and helped knock on some doors for Alex. It was super clear that people wanted a local leader who would bring the community together, not divide it.
Growing our presence in urban Britain is a crucial aim going forward (as you’ll see reflected in the party strategy), something that became even clearer after the May elections. Between meeting Alex this week and heading up to Liverpool the week before to support the brilliant Carl Cashman, I’ll be making sure we keep driving this forward.
P.S: If you want to stay up to date with my work as Party President, check out my new Substack!
* 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.
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4 Comments
Email? What email?
This has been a very positive development so far and reflects a lot of issues I’ve heard on the ground about our national strategy. I hope something like this will become a regular fixture for the Lib Dems!
Josh,
You say “The Draft party strategy is here”, but it isn’t here – nor is the e-mail from the party. A google search doesn’t find it. Nor does a search on the party website. So all I have to go on is your rather effusive article.
Sadly, expressions like ‘sharpening our national story’, ‘turbocharging our social media game’, and ‘consolidating in our areas of strength while being ambitious where we can win – in Wales, Northern England, the Midlands, and urban Britain’ sound more like wishful thinking than a strategy.
As for the cornerstone of any strategy development process – a SWOT Analysis of where we are now, particularly the threats and weaknesses – no mention. A recovering Conservative Party, the Greens, over 60 new MPs to defend before we make gains in target seats, little growth in membership to provide the troops to do all the work needed in those defences and potential gains. Need I say more?
It is right in one way though and that is when it says “And if it passes? Then the even bigger task begins, implementation”.
How do we implement a fond dream?
I thought the draft strategy motion was a definite step in the right direction, especially the recognition of the need to engage rather more with the general membership and volunteers. However it will inevitably fall to local parties to ensure that this happens. If a local party lacks the resouces or is simply disinclined to keep this promise will the local party be suspended or put into special measures ? (Not a serious suggestion, but without some kind of pressure or threat of sanction these are just warm words and very little will change).