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A view from the doorstep: Lib Dem Voters switching to Labour

This week has not been great for the Putney Lib Dems. After having to apologise for misleading leaflets (which referenced a poll that did not exist), they were caught out yet again over claims that their candidate, Sue Wixley, was awarded the Nobel Prize. In case you were wondering - she wasn't awarded any such prize.My experience of talking to local people over the past week has been varied. The Lib Dem loyalists remain resilient, but the vast majority of people in Putney and Southfields are starting to realise that this seat is a contest between Labour (Remain with Fleur Anderson) and the Conservatives (Hard Brexit with Will Sweet).In addition, this week saw Gina Miller's tactical voting site, Remain United, showing Boris Johnson's Conservative Party winning the seat if Lib Dem voters don't vote tactically for Labour. https://www.remainunited.org/The question on everyone's lips now is this: will Sue Wixley do the honourable thing and step down in the national interest to avoid splitting the remain vote in Putney?Lib Dem Leaflet Apology: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/liberal-democrats-apologise-for-distributing-misleading-flyers-a4281386.htmlNobel Peace Prize Gaffe:https://order-order.com/2019/11/12/putney-lib-dems-nobel-peace-prize-award-claim/

Daniel Shearer ● 2555d14 Comments

I don't really understand what the Lib Dems are playing at in this General Election. It seems very, very clear, that Labour have the best shot at winning in Putney. Lib Dems have the best shot in Richmond. The Lib Dems need to wake up and get real about this election, if they want to stop Boris, Farage and Trump carving up the country. Which, I assume, all sensible and sane people want.

Paul Doorly ● 2555d

'Labour (Remain with Fleur Anderson)'Is she in the same position as Justine was with May and Boris? Her  leader isn't Remain. Corbyn sits on the fence and is at heart a Brexiteer within a party as deeply divided as the Conservatives, and basically the whole country.No idea who to vote for ATM but LibDems have already stood down in countless constituencies to allow Labour a free hand at beating Conservatives. As of today Labour hasn't stood down  anywhere where the LibDems stand a chance of beating Conservatives eg Richmond.On the face of it I really don't feel like voting Labour for many reasons and if the LibDems do stand  down in Putney I probably won't vote at all as there will be no true Remain party to vote for. I don't particularly like Jo Swinson but have even less time for Boris or Corbyn.

Lucille Grant ● 2555d

I have generally always voted lib dem but these recent shenanigans have put me right off. They seem to be using the same underhand politics as the big parties.Depressing really

Matt Palmer ● 2555d

In Canterbury the LibDems are being pretty stupid after former journalist Tim Walker withdrew as the Liberal Democrat candidate in Canterbury, saying that standing would likely "divide the remainers" and hand victory to pro-Brexit Conservative candidate, Anna Firth.The seat is being defended by Labour's Rosie Duffield, who like the Liberal Democrats wants a new referendum on Brexit and to stay in the EU. She is just 187 votes ahead of the second-placed Conservatives.However, despite pressure from some of their supporters to follow Walker's suit, the Liberal Democrats said that they intended to find a new candidate to challenge Duffield before the nominations deadline on Thursday.

Lucille Grant ● 2555d

Fair point regarding Labour standing down. As regards voting Labour, I would only say they are much bigger than Corbyn, and have some seriously talented people in their ranks. I have been pretty frustrated with Corbyn's position on Brexit and what seems like a lacklustre approach to opposition over the last few years. However, I will vote Labour without hesitation as I would much prefer to have a final say on any deal.If I were in Richmond I would vote the Lib Dems. Anything but more bluff, bluster and BS from Boris, Farage, Trump etc etc.

Paul Doorly ● 2555d

@Paul D. It's labour party policy not to enter into pacts. Entering into one with the LibDems would be problematic for several reasons but primarily because their preferred policy is to revoke A50, full stop. Although I'm an ardent remainer I think that would not send a good message; it would seem undemocratic. One has to put the deal back to the electorate to say is this what you really wanted? The only reason for revoking A50 would be to buy time to sort out what Brexit is - let's face it, Farage and Johnson seem to keep changing their minds whether that can agree what it is - before going back to the  voters.

Michael Ixer ● 2555d

Sure, I can see the problems Labour have with entering into a pact with the Lib Dems, but if it means that the anti-hard brexit vote is split and that give the Tories a clear path to power then that would be an immense failure of politics in this country. At a local level, where one or other party has a better shot at winning, then a local arrangement would be ideal.

Paul Doorly ● 2555d

My view is that we lose with both main parties. So this time round I’m in it for the long game. I’ll vote LibDem and they probably won’t win the seat. But it will decrease the gap which means that, by the next election, they are closer to being a credible alternative and we will be one step nearer smashing this toxic two party system we currently have.

Andrew Thomas ● 2555d

Being in it for the long game is not sufficient for this general election. If the conservatives get back in, Brexit would be more likely to go ahead, and that in itself will take very many years, with us still having no idea of the planned end state at this point, with no benefits to us at all. There is a route to remain with both Lib Dems and Labour. We must seize that opportunity now, as it may not come again. Don't vote conservative. Vote for the party most likely to beat them in your constituency, as Paul has said.

Clare Noeken ● 2555d

Remain or Brexit just looks like any other form of tribalism to me.I wish people could say what part of remain they want or why they are for Boris’ Brexit. Until this is broken down into smaller issues it will never be resolved!The media love this type of tribalism it makes their job so much easier!

Ed Robinson ● 2554d

There are no benefits to leaving the EU, either for the country or for us as citizens. The politicians lied. What's so wrong with wanting to stay as we are? I don't see that as tribalism. The real issues lie with austerity. People are fed up. Leaving the EU would only make all that even worse.

Clare Noeken ● 2554d

"I wish people could say what part of remain they want or why they are for Boris’ Brexit."Good luck with this, Ed: I've been trying for months to get the Brexiteers here to explain what they think are the benefits of leaving, but I've never got a proper answer.

Richard Carter ● 2554d

I agree with you in some respects Ed, that it looks like another form of tribalism.That is why this election is wrong, very wrong.  It cannot be fought on one matter only with other important ones as side issues with soundbites to sell hot air.And Brexit will continue to be a "tribal" matter just because it has been so "economical with the truth" from the beginning.  Until the country has a clear understanding on what Brexit actually means (which we still do not), this horrific division will persist.And I agree with Clare, Brexit is very bad news for the UK. And before anybody starts shouting, please view the three episodes of the programme "What Britain buys and sells in a day".  The episodes relate to trade in fruit and veg, seafood and cars. A true eye-opener.

Ivonne Holliday ● 2554d

Exactly as Clare says. The referendum took place at a time when many people were already worn out by austerity and the vote was an 'anti Government' one, which in 2017 was confirmed  when May and the Conservatives lost their majority. It was easy to blame Europe for our problems instead of owning them. The (European) immigration issues that so many people worried about (Poles, Romanians coming here and  doing  'our' jobs) have been proved to be false. This autumn we didn't have enough people to pick fruit so it rotted in the fields.  Our hospitals don't have enough staff to keep up with the  emergencies and admissions let alone enough GPs to cope with caring for us. This has nothing to do with belonging to the EU and everything to do with mismanagement and running down of services by our own British government. I can't see any of it getting better by leaving the EU. We are fools if we think it will.

Lucille Grant ● 2554d