Don't laugh too hard at the Lib Dems

I wrote this in response to this article.

It is interesting that everyone is so dismissive of the Lib Dems, yet their vote (if it does collapse/switch) will make or break many seats.

The whole ‘sell out’ schtick as been done to death. The Lib Dems would have been halving the deficit in a term with Labour, raising tuition fees on the Browne Review etc.

However, the total reversal of policy is only one part of the story, it is the total misunderstanding of what motivated their voters that will be the death of the Lib Dems. The Lib Dem growth was built on pitching at centre-left voters and just about holding together soft Tories who wouldn’t vote Labour, with an underpinning of tactical voting in most seats.

I genuinely believe that the Liberal Democrat do not have a USP in British politics. Liberals exist in all the other parties; UKIP, Tories, Labour, Plaid and Green. It is a neat but totally inept explanation to maintain the Lib Dems USP is ‘liberal vs authoritarian’.

Without the outsider, nice, tactical vote, you have the figure of ‘real’ liberal voters – that is all that is left from their poll figures.

So while we can all guffaw at the Lib Dems plight, I think we all might need to consider how much we look at our own parties. Understanding your vote and not assuming that they are all passionately for your policies is crucial with such a potential mobile electorate.

…and yes, in all the close seats in Wales, it could well be the collapse or switching of the Lib Dem vote than wins and loses those seats.