#lib dems

[happytxcowman]

[heyguys-itsnicole]

Here's something I'm sure you find infuriating;

"I'm not into politics. I don't really know, I'm just not a political person."

We know that this IS being political! It means you condone everything - you don't think anything is worth fighting for, you're fine with the status quo as long as it benefits you vaguely. It's the mindset of someone so aggressively individualist, that the suffering of others is simply not a concern - since the system can't be broken, if they're alright. The kind of people to vote for a fascist if it'll mean that their taxes are lower next year. To stand by and watch oppression is insidious. Not even watch - to Celebrate oppression as long as it's against the "savages" and "beasts." Mass mistreatment still exists beyond the gulf surrounding apathetic suburbia.

[single-brain-celled-supervillain]

What the actual fuck is wrong with these fascist Tory cunts

[theoneandonlypigeon]

with so many people (rightfully) turning against the labour party… do the greens have a chance?!?

[freenorthnow]

Mate, you lot helped him become PM.

[tomorrowusa]

In the UK, the ruling Conservatives got clobbered in two more by-elections.

This has been happening so often over the past couple of years that it almost doesn't seem like news any more. It's more like an ongoing political saga of Tory decline.

Labour picked up seats in the House of Commons previously held by Tories in the constituencies of Wellingborough and Kingswood. The results were not close and displayed a stunning drop in support for the ruling party.

^^^ There appears to have been some tactical voting as many Lib Dem voters seem to have thrown their support to Labour just to get rid of the Tories.

By-elections: Tory gloom deepens after double poll blow

What is most striking about the results in Wellingborough and Kingswood is that they feel almost unsurprising, despite the scale of Labour's wins. Why? Because it extends the trend of Labour marching forward and Conservative gloom. The results underline the current likelihood, if the mood of the electorate does not shift, of Labour winning the general election. But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is going out of his way to avoid even the merest whiff of complacency. Despite the massive swings to Labour, he told BBC Breakfast his party were merely "credible contenders" at the general election. The added political spice that garnishes the Tory gloom today is the performance of Reform UK. I'm typing this in a café in Wellingborough, in Northamptonshire, where this morning Reform candidate and deputy leader Ben Habib has been on a victory lap. Mr Habib finished third behind the Labour and the Conservative candidates, but it represents a victory in Reform's battle for influence, as they inflicted two very painful statistical wounds on Rishi Sunak's party.

Reform UK is a rightwing populist party which grew out of Brexit.

Polls for the past six months show Labour with a consistent lead of roughly 20 percentage points nationally.

If not already, this is a particularly good year to take an interest in UK politics. By law, an election must be called within the next 11 months. Some people are betting on a May parliamentary election because local elections are scheduled for early that month. But Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak may wish a delay until autumn in the hope that things will miraculously improve for his party.

[ceevee5]

The Scottish Greene level with the Scottish Lib Dems. This is only 13 years after the Lib Dems won a series of Scottish seats in the 2010 general election.

[msscribe-stan]

i genuinely think the 2012 Nick Clegg university apology is one of the best apologies of all time. he seems truly apologetic and doesn’t make excuses for it, and makes a clear commitment to not repeat the mistake again, stating that they will not make promises that they aren’t certain they can stick to. 10/10

[martindom007]

[happytxcowman]

[andybodders]

Chris Naylor Liberal Democrat hopeful for South Shropshire MP stands down with health concerns

Sometimes you can’t get where you want to be. It is gutting that Chris Naylor, the candidate that we so much wanted to win the South Shropshire seat for the Lib Dems is having to stand down. The reason is a flare up of a heart condition. Campaigning flat out to get elected in big rural patch doesn’t work when you have a problem with your ticker. Chris’s health has to be top priority. Chris has…

[maskedhatter]

Listen my fellow brits, I know this whole site is primarily focused upon the upcoming US election, but don't forget that we have a General Election ourselves this year. This could be our chance to get the blasted tories, but we have got to play it smart. Yes, Starmer is a bit of a nob and much like in the states, this is very much choosing the lesser of two evils, but the worst of labour is still a MILLION times better than anyone in the tory party.

Remember: Don't let yourselves be clouded by misinformation. Keep yourselves informed and for fuck sake, VOTE. Vote Labour, Vote Lib Dem, Vote Green. Anything to get the tories out.

[booradleyboo]

[tomorrowusa]

In the UK, the Labour Party just flipped a seat in a by-election. Labour and the Liberal Democrats have been doing this quite a bit recently.

This time it was in Scotland in the constituency of Rutherglen and Hamilton West. Labour support skyrocketed over results in the last general election. The seat had previously been held by a member of the scandal-plagued Scottish National Party (SNP) which has 44 seats in Parliament.

Labour has defeated the SNP to win the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election. The party's candidate, Michael Shanks, took the Westminster seat with 17,845 votes - more than double the number polled by the SNP's Katy Loudon. The result was a swing of 20.4% from the SNP to Labour. The by-election was called after former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier was ousted by her constituents for breaking Covid rules. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said it was a "seismic" night and that people in Rutherglen and Hamilton West had sent "a clear message".

This was the second-best result for Labour in this constituency since the second Margaret Thatcher win.

The ruling Conservative Party saw its support drop by 11.1 points in Rutherglen and Hamilton West. It's their latest disappointment in the unusual number of by-elections which have taken place since the 2019 general election.

But the worst may be yet to come for the Conservatives.

I was looking at a YouGov/The Times poll taken in the UK in early October and noticed something astonishing. Only 2% of those polled in the 18 to 24 age group said they would vote Conservative. Even when poll results are weighted by likelihood of voting, that number creeps up to just 4%.

If that's too small to see, check out the PDF for full poll results.

I don't regard polls as infallible, but this looks downright miserable for the future of the party of Brexit.

The slightly less poor Conservative standing with the 25 to 49 group (10% raw, 15% weighted) shows that the longtime trend of voters becoming more conservative as they age is not as strong as it might have been in the past.

The next general election must be held no later than 28 January 2025. Though it would probably be held sometime between May and December of 2024. Of the 21 general elections since 1945, 15 have taken place in May, June, or October.

[theinconvenientlifestyle]

The average water company boss’s total pay rose by 20% over the last year as a “national scandal” of leaks and sewage being pumped into the sea continues, research has suggested.

Analysis by the Liberal Democrats found the 22 water company executives across Great Britain were paid £24.8 million, including £14.7 million in bonuses, benefits and incentives in 2021/2022.

Pollution warnings were put in place on 40 beaches across England and Wales this week, mostly on the south coast, after flash flooding overwhelmed sewage systems.

Thames Water, which supplies 15 million people, is putting a hosepipe ban in place on August 24, as water levels in its reservoirs are “much lower than usual”.

Lib Dem environment spokesperson Tim Farron said: “This is a national scandal. These disgusting polluting habits have made beaches unsafe in the middle of the summer holidays and harmed precious British wildlife.

“Hosepipe bans could have been avoided this summer if these water company CEOs bothered to invest in their rusting pipes rather than stuffing profits in their pockets.

“They are putting profit over the environment. Frankly, the whole thing stinks.”

He added: “This Government is guilty by association for letting water companies get away with this.”