thenorthern
Established Member
- Joined
- 27 May 2013
- Messages
- 4,710
I'm not sure the Lib Dems are especially declining, it's more a case that they are concentrating their efforts in winnable areas. Look how well they did in west Surrey, for example - solid Tory territory up until very recently. Their new-found popularity in places like Surrey will be not insignificant in influencing the outcome of the next election, I suspect. Boris wouldn't have won in 2019 without Tory wins in Surrey, Wokingham, Oxfordshire and the like.
The Lib Dems are the obvious choice, for example, if you are socially liberal and economically centrist or even slightly centre-right, unless your MP is a One Nation Tory (and why the Tories are misguided with their right-wing trend under Badenoch).
My ward (not in Surrey) is a Tory-to-Lib Dem swing ward as it happens, and they have maintained their healthy lead, with the Tories still in 2nd place.
Debatable their projected national share was 16% which was 5th behind Reform, Green, Labour and Conservatives. In Wales they just only held onto their only MS in Wales. There projected national share is down on last year (I am aware Refrom UK is as well) and in the Westminster opinion polls they are getting around 11-12% which is not brilliant. Bear in mind, before the 2010 coalition they got 23% and in 2005 they got 22%. As I say I think we have reached peak Ed Davey.