As (at least) one Lib Dem member commented after the local council elections, “the only way is up” from now on. But to win back support and indeed increase our base we need to refocus. It is right that we should be emphasising our distinctiveness in the coalition, but we need to do a lot more. We need to clearly articulate what we stand for, and communicate it relentlessly to the electorate. In the same way that the more tribal parties will repeat over and over again the same phrase so that people end up parroting them (regardless of whether, in their case, they are actually true), we need to adopt a similar approach so that people clearly know what they are voting for when they vote Lib Dem. It is about creating a clear brand. It is no longer enough to be the party of protest.
We need to recognise that we have been the party of protest for a long time. What can we learn from this?
Lots of the electorate who actually vote (and bear in mind that of those who are actually registered to vote, 35 % chose not to exercise that right in 2010) did not vote Tory or Labour last time–I think it was about 57% of actual voters chose Tory or Labour. This was the lowest percentage ever for either of the two main parties. If this lack of faith in the two main parties persists (and it probably will as their polarised ideologies are increasingly irrelevant in the modern world), coalitions are more likely, or we could be subject to the very unpalatable circumstance of even less people voting and a party being able to form a majority government with what is a tiny share of the overall electorate. I think we can be reasonably confident that there has been (and we must not let this tide reverse) a growing unease and lack of faith in the two main parties, and that a credible third party is essential. We are that party.
The fact that we have – after our disastrous showing in May – a core support level of maybe 15%, shows that we cannot only be a party of protest. So we have to build on this 15% over the next three years by clearly articulating what being a centrist party means. We have to point out what a different party we are in every way:
our democratically determined, detailed and well articulated policies (sensible and evidence-based vs. ideological and dogma-based)
the way we transact both party business and local/national politics (democratic vs. autocractic; empowering vs. creating dependency (Labour) or semi-feudal (Conservative)
people-focussed, not party-focussed. The clearest example of this recently is our concern over voting reform (though clearly our concerns as Lib Dems were never articulated accurately in the media in particular) : us (democratic) wanting to give people more voice, them (tribal) wanting to ensure their own survival. Also lots of examples from local politics, that we do not shout loudly about enough.
progressive – truly progressive – in a way that Labour cannot claim anymore and the Tories have no real interest in anyway
Given we have a core supporter base and those 15% know they are not Tory and not Labour, we need to communicate what makes us Lib Dem and what being centrist means in broad policy terms (eg what does “centrist” mean for education, NHS, defence, etc?). Increasingly we have seen both the Tories and Labour appeal to the middle, centre ground in order to get elected. They know that their appeal is running thin and they need to modernise, though they still have a core tribal vote that can get them elected. But there are concerns within each party–I suspect–that demographically speaking the clock is ticking as their tribal vote literally dies (look, also, at the massive fall in political party membership). Thus it is essential that this vital centre ground is not claimed by either party and that we not only cling on to it, but articulate it, communicate it and enlarge it.
We are a broad church, just as the other parties are, but we display this a bit too much in public, in a way that the others do not. Developing and sticking to our commonly agreed “centrist” identity will be key going forward in being able to enlist and cement support.
Can I suggest that the branding exercise commences immediately? There truly has never been a better or more urgent time to do it.
Helencflynn's Blog 