I'm a Remainer - could the LibDems revive and save us?

[evrybuddy]

With Labour collapsing and most of their vote not being naturally Tory or UKIP.

With the Tories more divided than ever and lacking any 'charismatic' leadership.

With the LibDems giving a straight-up committment to keep Britain in the EU.

With 16 million people who don't want to leave the EU.

I've never voted LibDem before but, despite the tuition fees fiasco, and the pain of coalition government, I'd be prepared to give them my vote now because they are the only party sticking with what they campaigned for in the Referendum - Remaining in Europe.

Is it the best opportunity the LibDems will ever get and that Labour will spurn?

[Collymollypuff]

Yes.

[chicaguapa]

I think they could only save us if there's a GE before we invoke article 50.

[slightlyfuzzy]

The libdems can offer anything they want in their manifesto with the full knowledge that they will never have to follow through as they will never will a GE outright

[RedToothBrush]

Its not that straightforward.

They are pro European and they believe the values of liberalism and international cooperation. If that's your bag, then yes they represent that.

But in turns of 'saving' anyone there is only so much they can do.

[RortyCrankle]

They can't keep us in the EU. Like it or not, of those who voted, the majority voted to Leave and we expect that to happen. The next election is 2020 and we will have invoked article 50 and started to extricate ourselves out of the EU well before then.

[Mistigri]

Only if there is a GE and they can make a pact with the sane bit of the Labour Party (I'm not sure which bit that is, mind).

I'd like to think that there is room for a moderate pro-europe party to emerge from the ashes, but the cynic in me says it ain't happening. Instead, we're getting thatcher mark 2 as the "unity" candidate.

[evrybuddy]

I'm really hoping we do get a general election - to me it would feel wrong for the Tories to claim they have a mandate after the referendum, the resignation of the PM and the refusal of the main Leave campaigner to stand up and take responsibility for the mess he helped make.

I'm inspred by the likes of Tim Farron, David Lammy, Richard Branson and God help us, even Jeremy Hunt... calling for either a 2nd referendum or a GE or some way back.

I think both Tories and Labour could lose lots of seats and the LibDems have the party infrastructure to win them - which I really hope they do.

I've seen Tim Farron on TV a few times in the past week and I'd give him a go over the others - at least he's still playing the same tune and not spouting lip-service BS about 'will of the people' etc

[fryingtoday]

They're certainly opportunistic enough to try - have been inundated with emails from the lib dems this past week

[80sMum]

"They can't keep us in the EU."

Yes, they can! If a general election voted in a new government that was in favour of remaining in the EU, they would not invoke Article 50.

[Floisme]

I would find it very difficult to listen to any commitments from them with a straight face, unless they have the decency to acknowledge and apologise for the tuition fee pledge.

[FaFoutis]

I would vote for them and I never thought I would say that. Tuition fees ruined my job.

[Burrowingowl]

The lib dems have over 10,000 new members since the referendum. I am one of them. Although I have voted LD in the past, I did not at the last election. I heard Tim Farron speaking on Friday morning and was really impressed. I thought at the time this could be their chance for a resurgence, having all but written them off after the last election and the disaster of coalition and tuition fees.

[BMW6]

But the EU have accepted the mandate of the British vote - what makes you think they would accept us chopping and changing our minds?

[Burrowingowl]

Make it 12,000. The victory was a relatively narrow margin and Farage said if it had been 52-48 the other way then it would be "unfinished business". Parliament needs to pass an act to invoke article 50 (probably), although enough MPs have said they accept the result to make it difficult to back down. Realistically I think the only way out is a general election. There really should be one, given the chaos reigning in both main parties. A strong showing for the LDs, as the only clearly pro-Europe party, could call into question the validity of the mandate. The Irish did it when they initially rejected the Lisbon treaty, then a second referendum got 67% in favour. Probably wishful thinking though...

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid]

burrow I agree with you, if 52% had voted remain there would definitely be talk of a second referendum.

If there is a GE before Article 50 and if the lib dems got a huge proportion of the vote I think that would be a decent mandate not to leave.
lots of ifs though and I can't see it working in reality

[Itinerary]

I agree with you, if 52% had voted remain there would definitely be talk of a second referendum.

I think there's no way Cameron, Osborne etc. would have enabled a second referendum if it had been "remain". They would of course have said it was a fair win and that was that. Farage probably would have pushed for a second referendum, but that's irrelevant as despite all his media appearances, he wouldn't have been in a position to bring that about. He isn't an MP, there isn't a UKIP government, he wasn't anything to do with the official campaign Vote Leave, and remain would have been the "right" answer in Cameron's eyes.

[SnowBells]

I want the LibDems to get more say in this country. Only sane party there is right now.

[Burrowingowl]

Agree, if remain had won, that would be it. Farage and UKIP would have kept campaigning, which they would have been perfectly entitled to do, and maybe got another referendum in a few years' time. However, the decision to leave is drastic and irreversible, so remain supporters are just as entitled to fight for what they believe. The LDs could provide a rallying point for some of them.