Liberal Democrats

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

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

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?

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.

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?

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.

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.

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 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.

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 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.

No deal will be illegal from tomorrow!

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.

I'm really disappointed by Umunna, I hoped that he would become our first PM of colour, but I now doubt it.

My grandfather was a founder member of ASLEF and a Liberal. However like 10s of 1000s of liberals he left and joined labour when the liberals joined the Tories to keep labour out of power, in the 20s going from memory. I think he would be turning in his grave at the idea of people moving from Labour to the Tories

Caroline Voaden one of the Liberal Democrat MEPs for the South West (and Gibraltar) tweets-

"A No Deal Brexit isn't a 'bump in the road' for the South West, it would destroy people's livelihoods - @CarolineVoaden

The Solution? Stop Brexit ? www.libdems.org.uk/exit-brexit "

What's the Lib Dem position?

They're standing aside for pro-brexit Rory Stewart while ruling out working with Labour - who promise a second referendum.

Colour me shocked that the Lib Dems might prioritise electability over their own principles!

The Liberal Democrat policy is that we should Remain in the EU .

All analyses have shown that we would be worse off in every way with any form of brexit. Opinion polls for more than two years have shown that most British voters want the UK to REmain in the EU.

Liberal Democrats passionately believe that Britain is stronger in the European Union. We are the biggest, strongest anti-Brexit party and we have led the fight to stop Brexit for three years

We will campaign on that platform.

If, after a general election, the Liberal Democrats are in a position to form a government, we will immediately Revoke Article 50 ensuring that the UK Remains a full member of the European Union.

Otherwise we will support a People's Vote where the option is between a viable leave deal and Remain and obviously we would campaign for Remain.

Thank you for explaining their position varian.

And next week?

Next week Ms Swinson will vote with the tories....its what she usually does!

What votes are coming up next week Paddy? I thought parliament had been prorogued.

Today over a thousand people attended the Memorial Service for former Leader of the Liberal Democrats Paddy Ashdown at Westminster Abbey

John Major delivered a moving tribute.

www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-news/paddy-ashdown

My mistake.

More than two thousand people attended the Memorial Service foe the late Paddy Ashdown at Westminster Abbey.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/10/pms-pay-tribute-paddy-ashdown-tony-blair-david-cameron-john-major-service-lib-dem-leader

That’s nice.

Former Royal Marine Lord Paddy Ashdown was a man for "ideals, not shabby deals", a service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in honour of the former Liberal Democrat leader has heard.

Tory ex-prime minister Sir John Major paid the glowing tribute to a man he said was a "spontaneous optimist" as he addressed a congregation that included fellow ex-premiers Tony Blair, David Cameron and Gordon Brown.

www.forces.net/news/former-royal-marine-paddy-ashdown-praised-man-ideals-westminster-abbey-service