Liberal democrats

Tim Farron’s election as leader of the Liberal Democrats is the first piece of positive news for the party since its disastrous election result on May 7. The MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale celebrated his victory over Norman Lamb at the Islington Assembly Hall last night. I want along to find out how the Lib Dems are feeling on the eve of what could be the party’s rebirth — or a further slide into the wilderness. A cheery crowd of 471 Liberal Democrat activists turned out to celebrate Farron’s victory right in the heart of the metropolitan liberal elite. For a party that wants to rebuild itself from the grassroots up, Islington was a curious choice of venue. The ubiquitous 'Winning here!

Tim Farron has been duly announced as the new leader of the Liberal Democrats. The party revealed that 56.5 per cent voted for Farron to succeed Nick Clegg, compared to 43.5 per cent for his rival Norman Lamb. Although Farron was the favourite to win before the leadership race kicked off, Lamb has still put in a good showing, despite his lesser reputation. We can expect to see more of him too: Farron told Coffee House that Lamb will given a public role representing the party. And here was the result being announced by Deputy Returning Officer and CEO of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Gordon. https://t.

Tim Farron is a confident man. By this time Thursday, he will be announced as the new leader of the Liberal Democrats — if the bookies are to be believed. Ladbrokes currently say he is a ‘huge odds-on certainty’ to win at 1/33, compared to 12/1 for his rival Norman Lamb. Farron graced the front seat of my Mini this morning to discuss his agenda as leader. His first job on Friday morning is to underline the point that Lib Dems can no longer be orientated around representation in parliament. ‘Organisationally for the Liberal Democrats, the leader’s office has traditionally been in Westminster in the Houses of Parliament,’ he says. ‘Frankly it shouldn’t be, so the leaders office with me will move over to HQ'.

As we watch the Eurozone catastrophe enter its latest ‘final phase’ one phrase keeps recurring to me.  That phrase is ‘banging on about Europe’.  Does anybody else remember when those words were used (at least since Maastricht I think) to dismiss absolutely anybody who was worried about the overreach or mismanagement of the whole EU project?  Europhiles from the three main parties loved the phrase.  Whenever they wanted to portray a political opponent as a tedious, fringe obsessive the words sprung to their lips.  For instance, whenever he wanted to paint the Tory party as a right bunch of nutters, Nick Clegg would portray them as the type of bores who keep ‘banging on about Europe’.

When Vince Cable lost his seat to the Tories in the general election, it was a a victory that brought much entertainment to the Conservatives, with David Cameron's former head of strategy Steve Hilton making light of it at his book launch. Now, the Liberal Democrats finally have reason for cheer, and while it might not be the election they had hoped to win, they have finally beaten the Tories in one battle. After Tania Mathias, who won the Twickenham seat for the Tories in the election, gave up her council seat in Hampton Wick, a by-election took place yesterday. Despite the ward being a traditional Tory stronghold, the party failed to retain the seat, and Lib Dem candidate Geraldine Locke won it by just over 100 votes: https://twitter.

The Chancellor has found himself a treasure chest: childcare. In his quest for full employment, it’s seen as crucial for boosting maternal employment. Helping parents with punishingly high childcare costs appeals to and supports those on modest incomes – the so-called ‘blue-collar’ voters - that Conservatives still need to woo. Nothing quite encapsulates the modernisation of the Tory party as its growing enthusiasm for childcare. The Conservatives no longer want to be seen simply as the flag-waver for a traditional family setup. Instead, they aspire to be the party for working people. No yearning for yesteryear, but enthusiastically supporting two-earner couples that are increasingly the norm, out of choice and necessity.

Nick Clegg appeared on LBC this morning to take part in his first interview since his party's defeat at the polls. With the host Nick Ferrari taking questions from listeners, Clegg was subjected to a mix of abuse and praise from Londoners. However, there was one question in particular which struck a nerve with the former Liberal Democrat leader. A caller by the name of Liam asked Clegg if he had personally spoken to each Lib Dem MP who lost their seat in the election: NC: After the election? Yes I spoke to them all, left messages with them. Liam can I ask why you're so interested in that? L: But is it okay to leave a message, or did you actually speak to them? NC: Some of them I wasn't able to speak to because they were on holiday, why Liam?

While the media has been focused on the Labour leadership contest, the Liberal Democrats are also shuffling closer to choosing their new leader. The ballot papers are being sent out tomorrow and the winner will be announced three weeks from now. The Libs have a choice between Norman Lamb, the former care minister who is energetically defending the Lib Dem’s record in office, and Tim Farron, the party’s former president who is arguing a lot needs to change. Farron and Lamb appeared on the Victoria Derbyshire show today for a gentle debate, both admitting there was ‘not a lot’ they disagree on. Both defended the Liberal Democrats’ decision to enter into coalition with the Tories.

With taxpayers currently facing the prospect of a £3 billion bill in order to stop Parliament turning into a 'ruin', perhaps it's time the Speaker took a note out of Baroness Benjamin's book in order to reduce the cost to the taxpayer. During a Walking with the Wounded charity cricket match at the weekend, Floella Benjamin managed to tempt a bidder to pay £800 for a tour of the crumbling building. [caption id="attachment_9168172" align="alignright" width="300"] Lady Kitty Spencer and Baroness Benjamin[/caption] 'You realise that the Houses of Parliament soon will not be occupied by either the Lords or the MPs, so this is actually a chance to see something before it is restored,' she told an audience which included Nick Compton and Lady Kitty Spencer.

When you’re a smaller party I think it naturally gives you an understanding of what it feels like to be an underdog, and a passion to level the playing field. For too long, small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) – independent traders, the self-employed, local businesses – have been neglected by the two bigger parties. Labour remains in hock to the trade unions; the Tories genuflect before big business. The liberal tradition is anti-monopoly, pro-competition and supports the promotion of fairness for all. So which party will stand up for the UK’s 1.2 million small businesses?

I spotted the Liberal Democrat leadership candidate Tim Farron in a pub on Whitehall, enjoying half a pint of lager and nachos with fellow party activists after marching in defence of the Human Rights Act. He kindly agreed to speak to The Spectator and you can watch above what we discussed. As part of his leadership campaign, Farron, who remains the bookies' favourite, has suggested the party must focus on particular campaigns and causes instead of acting like a traditional small political party.

Could there be a sadder sight today than Nick Clegg, intervening on behalf of his now tiny ‘minor party’ in the Queen’s Speech debate? The Lib Dem leader is responding to this afternoon, his first intervention since the general election, and plans to use his slot to complain that the Tories are already turning their backs on the ‘clear thread of liberalism’ that his party installed in the government. He will say: ‘So it is dispiriting – if pretty unsurprising – to see how quickly, instead of building on those achievements, the new Conservative Government is turning its back on that liberal stance.