The LibDems were a party in high spirits reports Barndoor Strategy CEO Havard Hughes from the Lib Dem Party Conference in Brighton.  Their 72 MPs being a post-war record for the party that long talked of “breaking the mould” of British politics but although it tried hard it never quite accomplished it.

The 2024 result seems to have come as much of a shock to the Liberal Democrats as it did to some pundits. Indeed, some MPs and staffers we spoke to expressed shock that they had been elected.  They could not quite see it happening.

Although dwarfed by the other parties, the Lib Dems are in a strong position in Westminster and well-placed to influence the debate.  This was well understood by the organisers of a Lords event whereby the Lib Dem Peers appealed for ideas that they could press for in terms of regulation and legislation. Moreover, the Lib Dems could make it very difficult indeed for a future conservative party to reclaim the “middle” ground of UK politics, given the swathe of seats they now have across the west of the UK and in its liberal metropolitan centres. Given the mood of the party and the experience of how they campaign, the likelihood is that the Lib Dems will not only continue to grow their representation in this parliament but form an immovable object for the Conservatives in regaining these seats.

You only have to look at constituencies such as Shropshire North – the safe Conservative seat, which went to the Lib Dems – it now has an impregnable Lib Dem majority given how the community have warmed to its responsive local MP Helen Morgan. We anticipate that we can expect more of this.

Barndoor Strategy recommends to all our clients that we engage more strongly with the Liberal Democrats. They have a swathe of smart Peers and MPs, all eager to make their mark. They will be effective allies in driving policy change in this parliament.