On the 6th March nine principal authority council by-elections took place. One of
which, the election in Vivary Bridge, saw a Lib Dem gain from the Tories, putting
Andy Bell on the council. Mark Pack, our party’s president, cited this as yet another
example of the Liberal Democrats being THE party that can face up to Reform.
Looking back on our party’s success in 2024, Pack reflected on the journey we have
been on since the 2019 GE, and asks the question: “after such a big success, which
way do we want to go next? Continue the focus on targeting and local campaigns
rather than a big pitch prioritising national vote share?” This question is ever more
important as we head into the locals in May.
What does this mean in the context of a wider populist, far-right insurgency. Lib
Dems are fantastic local campaigners and activists, and our MPs are fantastic
‘constituency MPs’, for want of a better label. In September last year it became
apparent that Reform is looking to mirror our success, and too build up local
support across the country.
At the party conference, Ed Davey addressed the challenge posed by Reform and
Nigel Farage’s sycophantic admiration for Trump and Putin, delivering a pointed
rebuke: “This from a man who thinks he can be our Prime Minister? Well, not on our
watch!” Davey also warned that the Conservative Party is increasingly chasing after
Reform’s wave of populist support, which has surged in recent months. He took the
opportunity to criticise Kemi Badenoch’s leadership of the Tories, highlighting her
failure to distance the party from Reform’s influence and the broader populist shift.
Sir Ed is ready to do battle with Reform. So, returning to Mark’s question. Do we
stay the course and hammer down on our local campaigning, or do we shift to a
nationwide assault? In Chris Bryant’s Code of Conduct, I read that he thinks MPs
should avoid what has become a “singular concentration on the local aspects of the
job to the detriment of their national leadership.” In other words, Bryant believes we need statesmanship and national leadership back.
We, the Lib Dems, could do with some of this too. What contributed to our success in 2024 was our local presence. For us, local government is key, and championing areas and regions of the UK has, and will
continue to be, a priority. Sir Ed also acknowledges that Lib Dem MPs spend a lot
more time in their constituencies on average, quipping that this is far more time than
Farage spends in Clacton, but this is a pretty low bar. Nevertheless, as Reform’s
vultures circle in above our lovely local pastures, do we hold the line, or do we go
national? Our locality, combined with our policies on health and social care, brought
us tremendous success last July. Polling from More in Common on why people
voted for the Lib Dems shows that our position on NHS and health issues, as well as
our local candidates, are two of the top three reasons behind people going Liberal.
The other, tactical voting / to stop another party from winning, is nothing to shy
away from as we approach the locals.
If people choose Liberal Democrats just because they don’t want to see Reform (or
the Tories/Labour) win in their local area, then so be it. We are still the party to take
the fight to Reform, regardless of whether you are a flag-waving, card-carrying,
Jennie-loving party member.
The challenge ahead is not just about defending what we’ve built but about leading
with vision and boldness in the face of rising threats. We are the de facto leaders on
the NHS, health, and social care, and this is something we need to take nationally.
Lib Dems are the clear alternative. Our victory in Alperton and Vivary Bridge are
testaments to that. Our success in local elections proves that when we show up,
listen, and deliver, voters put their trust in us. Now, the task is to scale that success,
ensuring that every voter who feels politically homeless or disillusioned knows
exactly where to turn.
Showing people that politics can work for them, that who they vote for can make a difference,
that their voice matters. That is how you defeat the populists, how you drain away the
cynicism that feeds them, how you win back people’s trust and restore their hope.
Ed Davey at Liberal Democrat Conference in Harrogate.
