I have spent a fair bit of time in recent years studying the history of the Liberal Party.
One period that particularly interests me is the years following the end of World War One when Labour replaced the Liberals as the principal opposition to the Conservatives in this country.
There were a number of factors that contributed to this, not least the very damaging split in the Liberal ranks between Asquith and Lloyd George factions.
The widening of the franchise and a growing working class also worked in Labour’s favour. Once it had been relegated to third place there was no way back for the Liberals and in the 1950s the party nearly disappeared altogether.
Since then there have been some mini-revivals from ‘Orpington Man’ through to ‘Breaking The Mould’ and ‘Cleggmania’ but no major breakthrough, as the majority of voters who oppose the Tories stubbornly remain loyal to Labour.
That could be changing as, like many of its sister parties in Western Europe, Corbyn’s Labour are in decline. Their electoral base is shrinking and they cannot square the circle created by the EU referendum vote. In any General Election they don’t just have the Tories to worry about.
The Liberal Democrats and the Brexit Party are snapping at their heels as well. To add to those woes they are internally divided and the party machinery is controlled by left wing zealots intent on forcing out any unbelievers, evidenced by the recent attempts to abolish the long established post of Deputy Leader simply because it is occupied by someone from the moderate wing of the party.
The Liberal Democrats have never been in a better position to stake out a position as the principle non-socialist centre left alternative to the Conservatives. – The UK’s most united party with an energetic youthful leadership and a growing membership.
The tide of history is flowing in the direction of organised liberalism. We could well be heading ‘Back To The Future’ with the 2020s reversing what happened 100 years ago. As that decade beckons the key issues look set to be the future of work, the environment, health and social care. Radical policies that tackle these challenges can sweep a Liberal back in to number ten Downing Street.
* David is a member of Horsham and Crawley Liberal Democrats
