More United - is this the way forward in politics?

For what it's worth I think Ashdown knows the Lib Dems are not getting anywhere as a party and is looking to start a new party of LibDems alongside the disheartened Labour voters because of Corbyn's Leadership.

This is just another question as to whether Labour will 'split'. I think there is every chance of that happening if the threats of 'deselection' occur as Corbyn will win the Leadership again.

This is a mirror/repeat of the Gang of Four Limehouse Declaration with Ashdown as it's PR Head. The fact there will be so many left wing parties prepared to 'unite' in cooperation with each other eg Greens, SNP, Ashdowns Party , Plaid Cymru etc. will possibly be a show of strength. The question is for how long? When the voter wonders which party to back if they all become so united and not a fag paper of difference between them what would be the point of having so many left wing parties vying for attention and votes?

Spot on POGS, Corbyn is planning to deselect many labour MP's , they will not leave the party so he will get them out by deselection. Ashdown is hoping for a gang of 170 not a gang of 4 to join with his party

I think it will be an interesting one to watch over the summer. I don't know where it will lead or what the outcome will be or what influence it will have on the parties but I shall watch and learn.

Corbyn cannot deselect MPs. Their local party can, but not Corbyn.
If he is as awful as you say he is, he could stand a chance of being deselected himself.

My problem with moretogether is that their principles are not new - every single Liberal Democrat candidate will already subscribe to these principles - so why is Paddy not simply encouraging those others who share these principles to support the LibDems?

@varian

See annie's post above. Possibly he's hoping to attract some (former) Labour MPs, possibly standing as independents.

If the Conservatives lurch to the right, there might even be some Conservatives who might sign up. Some of them haven't been happy with the cuts to benefits, especially disability benefits, so who knows?

I'm just guessing.

What? Corbyn be deselected.....in Islington? No chance!

Any centrist group would have to be a 'broad church' and need to be prepared to make compromises. It sounds as though More Together has decided on core principles, but others would be negotiable. Maybe that's why they're not trying to attract people directly to the LibDems, who are still tainted by their years in coalition.

That's a good question Varian

@POGS

I think this group is Ashdown's solution to the problem you highlight, by reducing the fragmentation of centre left parties.

Jen, he can deselect the MP's of the centre wih the might of momentum and he knows this . The far left are joining in droves encouraged by having a far left leader at long last

Grrr! Clicked 'post' before I'd finished.

For example, LibDem and Green policies are in some respects similar.

In Cambridge, Labour won from the LibDems in 2015.

Lab 18,646
LD 18,047
Green 4,109

If the LibDems and Greens had been persuaded to have an agreed candidate, with one standing down, they would probably have won.

I think the Libs will make a come back at the next election, many people fear the far left so will leave Corbyns party and turn to the Libs

Or UKIP

Bath was another example. It was a Conservative gain from LibDems.

Conservative 17,833
LibDem 14,000
Green 5,634

An agreed LD/Green candidate would have beaten the Conservative.

I'm sure Ashdown has looked at all the results and, if he plays his cards right, it would be possible to win seats for some kind of centrist coalition.

Varian, it's not a party. They will not have any MPs, just support those who say they believe in their principles. So it could just be a rather vague centre coalition. No Tory principles, as far as I can see.

I doubt very much whether any true LibDem would vote Ukip. The highest percentage of Remain voters are amongst LibDem supporters.

There are some Conservatives who aren't entirely happy with their party...

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/robert-halfon-conservative-dying_uk_5776b79be4b0c9460800c912

Halfon is himself disabled and is respected in a town which isn't a 'natural' Conservative seat. I have no idea whether he would ever consider changing allegiance, but he's certainly not happy with the direction in which the Conservatives seem to be heading.

Anyone who supported these principles would understand that they would inevitably lead to more coalition governments. To say that the LibDems are tainted by their years in coalition is to write off the idea of parties having to co-operate in the interests of the country - ie be "more together"

What the Liberal Democrats, and others who believe in proportional representation and parties working together, need to do is to point to the success of the coalition government. Although undoubtedly mistakes were made, good Liberal policies were enacted (like the pupil premium and taking the lowest earners out of income tax) and bad Tory legislation was blocked. Comparing the coalition years with the last year's undiluted right wing regime should not "taint" the LibDems, but strengthen the party's legitimacy.

The problem is that in an age of simplistic sloganising and populism this truth is much more difficult to get across.

By suggesting that LibDems are tainted, I was playing 'devil's advocate'. Ashdown must know what he's doing. I was just wondering if he is hoping to attract disaffected Labour MPs, who might not want to join the LibDems. As you say, sloganising and populism has become so important. 'Lets get back control of the centre!'

Daphnedill: "My guess is that most people are more concerned about the roof over their heads, food on the table, having a reasonably secure job without recourse to benefits, having their children in a reasonable school and healthcare when they need it." This is exactly what Corbyn stands for, if you can find the small print in the media that actually reports what he says.

Anniebach: Jeremy only comes over as 'far left' because New Labour was so far to the right in comparison. Yes, he is left of centre, but so apparently are a lot of the country when offered the choice. We had a Labour government after the war because it was apparent they were the only ones who could fix the dreadful economic situation the country was in then. It's the same now. 8 years since the Crash, and we are still in a mess.

yggdrasil,

I do try to look for the small print and ignore the squabbles - honest! I've even searched for any suggestions for achieving the objectives, but with little success.

I looked at Labour's website and couldn't find much either.

Yggdrasil , I am left of centre and have been long before Corbyn became an MP, he is not left of centre he is far left

Nightowl - just caught up with your post about having a partner who is a Momentum groupie. Glad it would amuse him - laughter is the best medicine. Given he lived through the 60s and beyond, unless he missed out on the whole scene, he would fit the image. I have a daughter who is a Rugby groupie and I was an anti-apartheid groupie. Fun wasn't it?
So tell me, as I am genuinely interested does he tour the country to the rallies, just do the home ones or watch on TV?

According to The Times (http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/solar-jobs-lost-after-cuts-to-subsidies-bn5psxz3s), up to 12,500 jobs have been lost in Britain's solar power industry over the last year.

Yet another example of the damage which has been done by an unbridled Tory government - in contrast to the different priorities promoted during the LibDem / Conservative coalition.