The Prospects for Liberal Democrat Redemption in the General Election
| Published date | 01 March 2024 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/20419058241238039a |
| Author | David Cutts,Andrew Russell,Josh Townsley |
| Date | 01 March 2024 |
4POLITICAL INSIGHT•MARCH 2024
British politics has reset after the
disruptions of Covid and the
Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The Conservatives who looked
impervious after their landslide victory of the
‘Get Brexit Done’ election of 2019, seem to
have squandered their dominance thanks to
mismanagement of the pandemic and the
post-pandemic economy, and an unparalleled
taste for chaos and controversy. The only
issue that seems to unite Tory MPs is the near
certainty of impending electoral defeat.
Labour under Keir Starmer has beneted
most from the anti-Conservative turn. The
party has tried to look like the government-in-
waiting without gaining signicant approval
from the public for being anything other
than not the Tories. Meanwhile, the Scottish
National Party lost leaders in Edinburgh and
Westminster, the Greens ght the next election
without their only MP, Caroline Lucas, and
Plaid Cymru will continue to run interference
The Prospects for Liberal
Democrat Redemption in
the General Election
The Liberal Democrats have suffered in UK general elections since the
coalition years. Could the party be on course for a comeback this time
around? David Cutts, Andrew Russell, and Josh Townsley investigate.
on the plans of the main parties in Wales. The
Eurosceptic mantle may have passed from
the United Kingdom Independence Party
to Reform but coverage of that party tends
to focus on the residual political ambition of
Nigel Farage and the impact that a splinter
right party will have on the Conservatives.
Which brings us to the Liberal Democrats: a
decade ago the party was still in government
but about to suer traumatic defeat at the
hands of its erstwhile coalition partner. With
British politics turned upside down in recent
years, could the Liberal Democrats be poised
for an electoral comeback? Have they nally
laid to rest the ghost of entering a coalition
with the Conservatives in 2010, and of the
© James Street / Alamy Stock Photo
Political Insight March 2024.indd 4Political Insight March 2024.indd 419/02/2024 09:3019/02/2024 09:30
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