After my post Why did Labour lose?, I felt it was only fair to ask the same question of the Liberal Democrats. The party went into the election with a clear message on Brexit, a new leader, and some high-profile candidates. Why then did they do so badly? First Past the Post Liberal Democrats have […]
Swinson’s baptism of fire
If you could choose the timing at which you became party leader, taking over the reigns in the middle of the most divisive and polarising political event in decades would probably not be top of most people’s list. This is, however, where Jo Swinson finds herself, leading a party whose members are solidly in favour […]
Jo Swinson as next leader of the Liberal Democrats?
Vince Cable has recently announced that he is planning to step down as leader of the Liberal Democrats in May. This is unsurprising, as he has always struck me as more of an elder statesman, and a safe pair of hands to see the party through a particularly difficult period, rather than a leader to […]
What now for the Liberal Democrats?
After the worst results since the formation of the party in 1988 (or since 1970 if you include its predecessor), the question of what happens to the Liberal Democrats now is an interesting one. As I see it, there are two broad possibilities: a fightback which results in a return as the third largest party, […]
Student loans do affect mortgages
A recent post on Lib Dem Voice entitled: Dealing with critics on our own terms – graduate contributions has left me cheesed off due to a number of inaccurate statements used to defend the rise in fees. However, the one which annoys me the most is this: they [student loans] don’t count for mortgage assessment purposes This […]