Liberal Democrats

Do you spoil your voting paper and blame the whole of the LibDem party for what one of their members said, Grannysyb ? If everyone did that, there would be no votes to be counted for ANY candidate of ANY party, and we would have no MPs at all - someone in each party always makes a stupid statement at some point.

If the LibDems get their act together they could be credible opposition to the Conservatives

Can't see Labour managing to get their house in order for a long time

I live in a Lib Dem constituency, went to vote and spoilt my ballot paper, I am furious about their attitude to women. A medical doctor saying gender is assigned at birth, ( Sarah Wollaston a Lib Dem) and more in that ilk. Won't be voting for them again

Given that Labour will be in turmoil for the foreseeable future it's important that the LibDem MP's we do have hold this government to account over the next few days/weeks/months. ok I know we now need a new leader but I can't see that being problematic. The LibDems, to me, have always been the sensible ones and it's a pity that the coalition changed peoples [and the parties, I guess] perception of what it stood for. The LibDems are far from irrelevant at a time when the two main parties are both going in extreme directions. In fact now is the time that the LibDems can make amends for the mistakes of the coalition years. I know that my family, having switched from Labour to LibDem over the past year are not about to jump ship. There's a lot of work to be done.

I'm a LibDem member too. I wasn't happy with Jo Swinson's actions, although I hated the personal criticism of her on here and elsewhere.

I don't agree the LibDems are irrelevant. At a national level, we've always been aware that we can only be an influence and, almost certainly, never form a majority government.

Nevertheless, the LibDems till have pockets of relevance at local level, holding a number of councils. In many places, they are the only credible alternative to Conservatives and they do make a difference to the way money is spent.

I admire your loyalty to the Liberal Democrats Varian but they are totally irrelevant now.

The Liberal Democrats were the only party which increased their share of the vote in every single region of Great Britain.

In Northern Ireland the LibDem's sister party, the Alliance Party gained a seat for the first time when Stephen Farry was elected to replace independent unionist Lady Sylvia Herman.

No, I’m a U.K. resident. I spend more time here than in Spain.

Labaik- has Urmstongran got dual nationality?

If we end up with No Deal - having a property abroad will not give anyone the right to remain or access healthcare. Private insurance will bail out as and when age and pre-existing conditions creep in.

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn have no vision for the future of this country. Only the Liberal Democrats have a detailed, credible and radical plan to build a future where every person, every community and our planet can thrive.

The Economist encourages us to vote Liberal Democrat

www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2019/12/07/voting-lib-dem-could-hurt-the-tories-as-much-as-labour

It's ok for you Urmstongran; when things in this country go pete tong with your beloved Johnson in charge you can just swan off to Malaga [or wherever]. imo you're like those Brexit voters who take out Irish passports so they can avail themselves of all the things they want to deprive us from.

I have always refrained from predicting the outcome of elections. I prefer to wait and see.

No, you’re pushing your luck now varian‼️
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Boris will win (sorry).

Thank you URM. Perhaps if we can STOP BREXIT, she will!

Oh varian I honestly do admire you for your tenacity in your politics! This thread, started by you - mid August - and you have been like a one-man-band. Never deviating. Always loyal.

Right up from Sarah Wollaston joining the Lib Dems!

I think Jo Swinson ought to present you with an award for services rendered!
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I gave up canvassing some years ago because I am not much good at it, but today I think I might (with a bit of luck) have persuaded the checkout guy in Lidl's to vote Liberal Democrat.

He told me he did not like Boris Johnson and our local ERG Tory MP was utterly useless. He also said he was quite impressed with Jeremy Corbyn and so was considering voting Labour.

I pointed out that a Labour vote in this constituency would just let the Tory back in.

We used to have a brilliant LibDem MP (the checkout guy really liked him because he worked had for this area unlike the utterly useless Tory we have had since 2015) and so I suggested to him that if he wanted to get rid of our useless Tory MP he should vote LibDem,

I think he is at least considering it.

Historian Dan Snow endorses Lib Dems over 'profoundly incompetent' Boris Johnson and 'economically illiterate' Jeremy Corbyn

Television presenter laments 'parlous state' of two main parties but praises Jo Swinson and insists Brexit can still be stopped

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-liberal-democrats-dan-snow-jeremy-corbyn-general-election-a9239446.html

General election 2019: Tory and Labour spending plans 'not credible' - IFS

www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50585818

varian The FT considers the Labour plan credible as has over 100 reputable economists.
All financial assessments are based on assumptions. The first reports of the IFS assessment were that it was critical of Labour.
This was of course used by all of our right wing media (which is most of it).
It was later looked at more clearly and showed that it found that "Labour's vision is of a state not so dissimilar to those seen in many other successful western European economies".
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/28/ifs-manifesto-labour-economy-investment

Ian Birrell, writing in todays "i" newpaper, thinks that dishonesty and extremism are eroding our faith in politics.

"We are being offered a devil's choice between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn as neither man deserves our trust. "

He thinks that the Liberal Democrats have had a poor campaign, being squeezed out of debates, "yet Jo Swinson seems sensible if compared with her dismal rivals. Their economic and climate policies are the most practical on offer.

At national level, they (the Liberal Democrats) are the best choice for voters who reject both hard Brexit and the hard left in hope they can restrain the extremists.

In some seats, there is also an argument for tactical voting, especially where there are politicians standing such as David Gauke who have put country before career.

There is no good outcome to this election. Voters are being offer an abysmal and demeaning choice, which highlights the urgent need for political reform."

inews.co.uk/opinion/we-are-being-offered-a-devils-choice-between-boris-johnson-and-jeremy-corbyn-as-neither-man-deserves-our-trust-1335759

Of the three main parties, only the Liberal Democrats have produced a spending plan considered credible by the IFS.

One benefit of stopping brexit is the estimated £50 billion Remain Bonus.

theconversation.com/a-50-billion-remain-bonus-this-claim-may-not-be-a-fact-but-its-very-likely-128077

CoolioC Thatcher said that Tony Blair was her greatest achievement. I did not vote for Labour under Blair or Brown and it is true that Blair should have done more with regard to housing and he is largely responsible for the problem with apprenticeships because of his academic snobbery. He once said that 80% of people should go to university. I doubt that many even want to.
That was why there has been a battle by the left to take back control of the Labour party and it has caused massive internal problems. Most of the Blairites have now gone though and virtually all the problematic policies were voted against by Corbyn and McDonnell.
Blair left government over ten years ago and, although he won't accept it, no one now listens to him.
You cannot seriously believe that the current Labour party is the same as it was under Blair. Why do you think Corbyn has had to fight such a long and hard fight for control of the party? - because he wants to introduce policies that Blair does not believe in.
If you are going to criticise Blair, why ignore the Lib Dem's introduction of the bedroom tax - and if you think they signed up for it reluctantly, you obviously didn't read their facebook page at the time. They aggressively argued for it. People are still being made homeless because of it.
The difference is the way that the current leaders have voted in the past. Have a look at Swinson's record on TheyWorkForYou. She voted for austerity more times than either Jeremy Hunt or Boris Johnson.

If the Libdems were to gain a majority which seems unlikely Article 50 would be revoked. Otherwise the Libdems support a second referendum, with a choice between Johnson's deal and Remain. This is the same policy as the SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party.

None of these parties support the Tories.

@MikeDaviesLab

9h
Jo Swinson: “The most sensible position to put to the public, would be to put Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal to the public against the idea of remaining.”

Straight from the horses mouth: #VoteLibDemGetTory

??Tory / Lib Dem Hard Brexit vs Remain

♦️Labour soft Brexit vs Remain

twitter.com/MikeDaviesLab/status/1202376034663960576?s=20