Surprised about LibDems

If you lived in Richmond Park, where the Conservatives had a majority of 45 over the LibDems in the last election, who would you vote for Grandad1943?

5,773 voted Labour in 2017. If the Labour voters grit their teeth and vote LibDem, there could be one fewer Conservatives and make it more likely that there would be a Labour government.

Would you still vote with your conscience?

PS. The LibDems won't win the election and won't be in a position to revoke Article 50, but they'd be dishonest if they didn't spell out their ideal outcome. The UK's adversarial form of government really doesn't cope well with compromises.

Labour is highly unlikely to win either. I think the best Labour and the LibDems can hope for is the opportunity for some kind of arrangement, with the help of the Greens, SNP and Plaid. The LibDems are trying to win over Tory voters, so would be foolish to admit that a vote for them would be a vote for a Labour government. Labour needs LibDem help, if it's going to be in government.

PPS. And let's not forget Scotland!

I believe that the are many remain supporters such as myself that feel the present electorate cannot just disregard the 2016 referendum result. Therefore, the LibDem position of carrying out the above even by way of General Election is not a tolerable position.

The Labour Party policy of becoming the party of government through election and then holding a second Referendum is the only correct and democratic stance for those that wish to change that Referendum result.

I checked a tactical vote site and it appears most say if you don’t want Boris vote labour, apart from very few places which recommend LIb Dems. These are St Albans, Winchester, places in Surrey, Esher etc. Best check yourselves.sorry can’t do links..,.,
I was going to vote LD but changed my mind because they were so far behind the two major parties and a LD vote would be wasted where I live. A labour one too probably, as despite it being a poorish area, we have a tory MP, but it stands a better chance so that’s the way I will go.

In York Outer the LibDems won 10% of the vote at the last election and the only party that can unseat the useless Tory incumbent is Labour, but the LibDems keep putting out dodgy bar charts claiming that they can win the seat. The result will inevitably be that the Tory will win because of the split opposition vote.

In Stroud, David Drew, the Labour MP, who has a very small majority, is standing against a Tory and a member of the Green Party. The Lib Dems have not put up a candidate but are actively encouraging people to support the Green party.

Perhaps Swinston is thinking that if the Tories win this election she will be asked to jump into bed with them again. Judging by her voting record, she seems pretty right wing and half her MPs are ex-Tory.

BTW In some seats, the sensible thing to do is to vote LibDem, if you don't want a Conservative MP.

Grany I've re-read your post a number of times and I still don't see how that Tweet shows that Swinson would back Johnson.

That makes sense to me. Have a second referendum with two choices:

1) The current withdrawal agreement and all the implications, as we now know them;
2) Remain.

If it were to happen and people still voted to accept the WA, there would be no further argument. Of course, Johnson doesn't want that because there's a good chance that "Remain" would win.

IMO it won't be a choice between a "Labour soft Brexit" and Remain, because Labour doesn't stand much chance of getting a majority.

However, there's a very good chance that we'll end up with another hung parliament and the government could be forced to hold a second referendum.

PS. If the country were to choose to remain, the first priority would need to be to understand why people voted Leave and to formulate policy to address some of the grievances. I can't see a Johnson-led government doing that. In fact, I can't see Johnson still being PM by the end of 2020 (but that's my opinion and I don't have a crystal ball).

She would back Johnson

@MikeDaviesLab

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

I agree with you janeainsworth. Ironically, Jo Swinson has more front bench experience than either Johnson or Corbyn.

Franbern I hope you're not considering voting Conservative.

It's a great shame that the LibDems have never defended their position on student funding. Given the situation they were in at the time as the junior partner in a coalition, they traded student fees for the pupil premium, which is still worth over £2 billion to schools with poorer pupils.

In any case, the increased student fees don't necessarily cost graduates any more, as the majority of the debt for the majority of graduates will be written off.

The following are far more damaging for poorer students:

a) The scrapping of the means-tested nonrepayable grant by the Conservatives;

b) The proposed extension by the current Conservatives of the period before the debt is written off from 30 years to 35 years, which will cost graduates a considerable amount when they're in their mid to late 50s.

I have two children with student loans - the elder one, who went to university before the fees were increased, will end up paying more than the younger one, who has a much larger loan, but will probably pay back less. Of course, it depends how much they earn during their lifetimes. If either becomes a really high earner, they'll pay back more - and so they should.

Grannyrebel agree with your every word,
And who needs gravitas anyway, when you’re up against BJ and JC?

The election should be so much more than Brexit or not. To me, it is totally horrific that in a that is one of the richest in the world, we have so many thousands of children in poverty, disabled dying through lack of care and homelessness increasing.
Whereas I do understand the need for Freedom of such things as expression, views, politics, religion, surely we must also ensure that the FREEDOMS FROM such things as lack of appropriate health care, good education opportunities, warm, and safe and secure housing, clean water is paramount.
Jo Swinson has had to apologise for her voting record on such important subjects - does not give anyone much faith in her surely.

I think people have long memories and some will never forgive the LibDems for their complicity in supporting Tory Austerity and student funding.

Hate the polls - they influence people too much. Just wish we didn't have them at all. I think Jo Swinson has done a good job so far - she's very articulate and never stuck for an answer. I just think she lacks gravitas.

Why do people think that their opinion matters, if they would never have voted LD anyway?

I think you'll find that the LibDems are being realistic and are targeting the seats where they have a chance of winning.

Don't forget that if we had a PR system, they'd have over 60 parliamentary seats, even if they only had 10% of the votes. With the current system, they'll have nothing like that, so they're concentrating on places such as St Albans and Richmond Park.

not got

But Remainers were slightly in the minority. Of those, there are a significant numbers who are sick of the this everlasting saga; do not want another Ref. so will vote in BJ. Brexit must go ahead (not what I would personally want} with modifications to maybe suit everyone. The LibDems have got got the gauge of the Country. Swinson means well; that's all you can say about her.

Why?

Chukka Umunna must be devastated.

Possibly her stance on 'Transwomen'??

MerylStreep Ha, ha, no I didn't believe how popular Jo Swinson was but I did believe people who said how strongly they wanted to Remain, and the LibDems are the only party (apart from SNP) who are saying they will definitely stay in EU.

I just don't get why the LibDem support has dropped off so drastically - I thought they were going to wing it!

The only ones voting Lib Dem ( apart from usual Lib Dem voters) are extreme Remainers, who refuse to accept the democratic outcome of the EU referendum.

The polls have become accurate and nearly always get it right.
Politics seem to have become polarised. No one seems to be interested in the middle ground during an election.