Lib Dem conference: Four stunning by-election wins have buoyed the party

Published

1 year ago

September 24, 2023

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Of all the party conferences, the Liberal Democrat bash always feels like a friendly affair.

From the party logo-encrusted biscuits to the sight of a beaming Sir Ed Davey arriving by bike, this year’s gathering on the Dorset coast seems especially jolly.

That’s not surprising.

Four stunning by-election wins have buoyed the party and they’re now eyeing a string of Tory seats in the Home Counties and South-West.

Success has set tongues wagging with open speculation about what could happen if the party holds the balance of power after the next general election.

“If enough of us get elected it puts us in a position to then go to other parties and say, if you want us to support us in some way or another, this is what we want,” said local Lib Dem council leader and parliamentary candidate Vikki Slade.

The party leadership is staying schtum on the subject.

But it’s noticeable that while a pact with the Conservatives has been ruled out, the position on Labour is far more vague.

So what are the chances of replicating by-election victories in a national campaign?

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Party sources say their individual successes are down to a fierce ground campaign that has convinced voters early on that the Lib Dems are the only party able to take on the Tories.

A tacit non-aggression pact with Labour in some places has also helped.

All of this is far harder to replicate when you’re fighting for seats across the country.

Tory peer Lord Hayward knows what the Lib Dems are capable of, after losing to the party in a by-election in Christchurch – just up the coast from Bournemouth – thirty years ago.

“The difficulty in a general election is they have to identify which seats to go for and classically there is a tendency to overestimate… you need a strong campaign manager saying these are the seats we’re going to concentrate on,” said Lord Hayward.

A policy focus on the environment and the NHS suggests the Lib Dems have that focus, with announcements tailored to wavering Tories in predominantly rural areas.

Tractor driving and canon blasting

The party will also use this conference to try and boost their own leader’s profile.

From tractor driving to canon blasting, cheesy visual photo calls have become something of a calling card for Sir Ed Davey.

Officials say he’s had to take lessons to train up for a secretive stunt planned for this weekend.

While it’s partly about injecting a feel-good factor into a bleak political landscape, the main aim is to grab the attention of the media and public.

The party may already have the gaze of Labour and the Conservatives though.

It’s probably time we paid attention to the Lib Dems again.

Politics

Trump’s tariffs may lead to savings for Americans through tax cuts: Research

Published

9 hours ago

February 22, 2025

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Trump’s tariffs may lead to savings for Americans through tax cuts: Research

Prior to the 16th Amendment, which was ratified in 1913, the United States did not have a permanent income tax levied on citizens.

Politics

Jess Phillips says there’s ‘no place’ where violence against women ‘doesn’t happen’ – as spiking to become new offence

Published

24 hours ago

February 22, 2025

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Jess Phillips says there's 'no place' where violence against women 'doesn't happen' - as spiking to become new offence

Jess Phillips has said “there is no place” where violence against women and girls “doesn’t happen” – as a new law is set to make spiking a criminal offence.

Earlier on Friday, the government said spiking will now be its own offence with a possible 10-year prison sentence as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, which will be introduced in parliament next week.

It also announced a nationwide training programme to help workers spot and prevent attacks.

Speaking to Sky News correspondent Ashna Hurynag, the safeguarding minister said that while spiking is already illegal under existing laws, the new classification will simplify reporting the act for victims.

“Spiking is illegal – that isn’t in question, but what victims and campaigners who have tried to use the legislation as it currently is have told us is that it’s unclear,” Ms Phillips said.

UK ‘was never safe’ for women

When asked if the UK is becoming a less safe place for women, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said: “I don’t think it’s becoming less safe, if I’m being honest. I think it was never safe.”

Speaking about a rise in coverage, Ms Phillips said: “We have a real opportunity to use that, the sense of feeling [built by campaigners] in the country, to really push forward political change in this space.”

“The reality is that it doesn’t matter whether it’s the House of Commons or any pub in your local high street – there is no place where violence against women and girls doesn’t happen, I’m afraid,” she added.

Spiking is when someone is given drugs or alcohol without them knowing or consenting, either by someone putting something in their drink or using a needle.

Police in England and Wales received 6,732 reports of spiking in the year up to April 2023 – with 957 of those relating to needle spiking.

London’s Metropolitan Police added that reports of spiking had increased by 13% in 2023, with 1,383 allegations.

As part of the nationwide training programme, a £250,000 government-funded scheme was started last week to teach staff how to spot warning signs of spiking crimes, prevent incidents and gather evidence.

It aims to train 10,000 staff at pubs, clubs and bars for free by April this year.

Alex Davies-Jones, minister for victims and violence against women and girls, said in a statement that “no one should feel afraid to go out at night” or “have to take extreme precautions to keep themselves safe when they do”.

“To perpetrators, my message is clear: spiking is vile and illegal and we will stop you,” he said. “To victims or those at risk, we want you to know: the law is on your side. Come forward and help us catch these criminals.”

Colin Mackie, founder of Spike Aware UK, also said the charity is “delighted with the steps being taken by the government to combat spiking”.

He added: “Spiking can happen anywhere, but these new initiatives are the first steps to making it socially unacceptable and we urge anyone that suspects or sees it happening, not to remain silent.”