Liberal Democrats

Remaining in the EU sounds like a jolly good idea to me Jabberwok Then sensible politicians (and I think there are some) can sit down, put their brains into gear and work out why people voted to leave the EU and do something about it.

In my wildest dreams, I imagine that Johnson has played a blinder (double/triple bluff) and wanted to remain all along! I imagine him going on HIGNFY and laughing about how he fooled the British public.

No deal will be illegal from tomorrow!

I would say that the LibDems are fiscally ambivalent . They didn't do themselves any favours on taxes/benefits when in coalition.

I agree with you GracesGran. Old definitions of right and left don't really apply any more (if they ever did). People don't come in one neat package - right or left.

How on earth can there now be another referendum ? No deal is illegal, there isn't a deal that's passed through parliament and probably never will be because we have a deal that no one wants, so the EU clearly won't re negotiate despite what J.C seems to think, which leaves us with Remain and ????

I would not say that the LibDems were fiscally right. Far from it.

We certainly do not believe that you incentivise rich people by making them richer and incentivise poor people by making them poorer.

The current Brexit Tories/ERG are definitely both socially and fiscally far-right.

The Liberals and (just for shorthand) the one nation Conservatives are socially left and fiscally right.

Some of Labour are socially left and fiscally left

Some of Labour are socially right and fiscally left.

Or not?

I agree varian. I'm just a bit doubtful whether the current LibDem leaders can harness the upsurge, but I'll be patient.

I wish Paddy Ashdown and Charles Kennedy were still with us.

One Nation is quite a nice sounding political label, but it does not really apply to the Tories and arguably never did.

Support for both Tory and Labour has always been skewed demographically and geographically, concentrating their vote in a way which rewarded them with a disproportionate number of seats.

The Liberals, SDP and then the Liberal Democrats, on the other hand have always drawn support from across the country and from all types of voters who share the vision of a fair, free and progressive society.

The result has been that it has always been much more difficult to win seats under FPTP.

If LibDem support at the next election remains at a high level and there is, as seems quite likely, another hung parliament, we must have electoral reform.

One way or another, we're going to see a realignment of political parties. Some of the funders of the old Conservative Party might very well redirect their money to a new LibDem party...or a new party might emerge and the LibDems will disappear. Who knows?

I think you could be right GracesGran, which is why I have reservations about the current LibDems. I don't want to be a One Nation Tory.

Are the Liberals becoming the new One Nation Conservative Party? It would make some sense.

If that happened, and the Tory party kept its far right contingent and added Brexit Party supporters and those who would be MPs, who would the current funders of the old Conservative Party then give their money to?

So you agree that he's followed his conscience rather than his career?

Umunna could have stayed in Streatham but would have to have remained silent on anti semetism in the Labour Party

I agree with you dragonfly. Whether or not the LibDems (and Swinson in particular) have the ability to hold such a diverse bunch together, only time will tell.

I would like to see the LibDems having policies for a post-Brexit country, which go some way towards healing the rifts, but (probably understandably) they're directing their efforts and time towards Brexit. Unfortunately, Norman Lamb has said he won't be standing in another GE. He's been very ill.

eazybee I do not think these MP's are self serving they are sticking by their beliefs. I do not think Anna Soubry is self serving either but is passionate about what she believes in. I am waiting with bated breath to see what my MP Nicky Morgan is going to do because she certainly is self serving and is very ambitious.

I'm a paid up member of the LibDems. I have reservations about Jo Swinson, but I'll give her a chance. I'll probably stick with the LibDems because they do good things locally.

I would be very surprised if Anna Soubry wins another election. She's a Tory at heart. Nevertheless, she must be worth a fortune on the TV/game show and after dinner speech circuit.

Quite the reverse in some cases! Umunna has almost certainly thrown away his parliamentary career. He could have stayed as a Labour MP in Streatham until retirement if he'd wanted.

He's standing in the Cities of London and Westminster in the next GE, where he stands only a very slight chance of winning.

Raab & his Government's plans to "test to the limit" how they can get around the Bill preventing No Deal shows there's no bar for how low they'll stoop - @thomasbrake

The LibDems will keep fighting to stop a dangerous No Deal & Brexit altogether.

twitter.com/LibDems/status/1170637509136703488?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

The first step is to prevent us crashing out of the EU with no deal.

Then have a referendum in which people were asked whether they want to accept whatever deal has been negotiated or whether, knowing the implications, they would prefer to Remain.

The Libdems, working with others, would campaign strongly for Remain.

How can the Libs stop Brexit?

Together we can stop Brexit.”

From the Liberal DEMOCRATIC Party. What an oxymoron!

Stephen Bush, writes in the New Statesman-

"Amber Rudd’s exit increases the Liberal Democrats’ pressure on Boris Johnson
Rudd’s exit, and their capture of the ex-Labour MP Angela Smith, add to the feelgood factor around the Liberal Democrats. "

LibDem leader Jo Swinson has tweeted "Welcome Angela Smith to the Lib Dems. She’s the sixth new MP to join us in the last three months, along with over 30,000 new members. Together we can stop Brexit.”

Do you really think these defectors have joined the Lib Dems for any reason other than self interest; that is, how to hang on to their parliamentary career, and nice salary. How many of them do you think are already eyeing up the Leadership: Umana and Berger, and probably, if you are really lucky, Anna Soubry will be along soon.