Lib Dems - Why don't they have a chance?

[Lionnose]

Just that really? I keep talking to people who say 'I don't really want to vote Labour, I'd rather vote Lib Dem but I'm doing it as a tactical vote as the lib dems don't have a chance'

Maybe it's just I'm talking to a small group of people who all live in the same area so thought I'd ask a wider audience. If everyone who wanted to vote lib dem did would this make them have a chance? I'm sure there is a lot more to it than what I know and I'm interested in hearing more about it.

I saw on a previous thread that they don't have a chance of creating a government is that because they don't have enough MP's with experience and they'd not be able to manage it even if they miraculously won?

I've heard some people aren't impressed because of Ed Davey's role in the postmaster scandal (although really Labour, under Blair, and the Conservatives also share the blame for that).

That's an aside though. I think to answer your question it seems like this election is largely people voting Against rather than For.

I found I was most aligned with Lib Dem on the vote for policies website so I'm going to vote for them. I don't like Labour at the moment as they have shown they haven't been a great opposition and I would not ever vote for the Tories with everything they have shown themselves to be.

For me I'm old enough to remember the 2010 vote and coalition. For me a vote for the Lib Dem's is a vote for the Tories, after the joined forces then, then brexit and increased retirement age followed as a result, which then resulted in 14 years of Tories and the decimation of public services

The Liberal party (as they used to be known) were pushed to the sidelines once the new Labour party had found its feet in the 1920's and it never really recovered. Then in the 1980's they went through some rather bizarre incarnations, which didn't particularly help their cause.

In 2010 when they finally had a chance of some real power, they jumped into bed with the Tories which was such an unpopular move that they were nearly annihilated. A lot of people still despise them, or at least don't trust them, for that reason.

Same here. I'll never forgive the LDs for joining forces with the bastard Tories back then. They'll never have my vote again as I don't trust them to do the same again.

This.

Shame Labour didnt commit to a LibDem coalition when asked...

See, I don't get this idea that one decision made by the Lib Dem's 14 years ago; when the majority of those MPs who formed that coalition etc are now no longer MPs/in government / running this time means you'd never ever vote for them again?

It depends on your constituency. Many people want to vote for whoever can beat the incumbent Tory. In some places that will be Labour, in others it might be the Lib Dem. Tactical voting increases the chance of beating the Tory. So if the Tories have 40% of the vote, Labour have 30% the Lib Dem’s have 20% and the greens have 10% if half of both the Lib Dem and Green voters swap to Labour the Tory is beaten. If everyone votes according to their true allegiance then the Tory wins.

Where I live we have a chance of voting the Tory Bastard out - by voting LibDem. So I'll hold my nose and vote LibDem. There's a chance they could even form a credible Opposition party.

I used to like Lib Dem, but this lot seem like a bunch of clowns and I really can’t take them seriously.

I keep talking to people who say 'I don't really want to vote Labour, I'd rather vote Lib Dem but I'm doing it as a tactical vote as the lib dems don't have a chance'

are you sure they don’t mean “in my constituency, the Lib Dems don’t have a chance”? Because that’s what tactical voting is, not voting Labour in a marginal Tory constituency where the LDs are in second place…

just the reality of this awful First Past the Post system. Just depends where you live really.

This is my issue. Of the manifestos, I align most closely with the LibDems. But I really don't want the Tories to remain in power and we are in a Tory stronghold but which stats suggest could actually swing to Labour in this election. For that to happen, everyone who is in my position needs to actually vote Labour. But then I am voting to end single sex spaces.
Aaahhhh!!! Normally, I am exhausted after the election having been up all night watching the results. I am already losing sleep this week as I just can't decide what to do!

I haven’t voted liberal since their total and utter U turn on the tuition fees. I haven’t forgiven them yet, but I would vote for them if if would get the Tory’s out. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen in this area. Lots of very rich elderly people in this constituency. The local mp could sacrifice a baby in Waitrose and still get voted in.

That's because Brown had a tantrum about Clegg.

If Brown hadn't then it would have been a Labour and Lib Dem with the Green MP coalition.

They just don’t seem to be able to get their act together.

Over the last 18 months, three different members of my family tried, at different times, to volunteer for them and to get involved in the party. There was no interest shown at all. In two out of the three cases there wasn’t even an acknowledgement or response.

If they can’t organise themselves at that level, how on earth would they be able to run a country?

Ed Davey is awful and acts like a wally on repeat.
if we want a clown to run the country we would bring back Boris

Lib dem do have a chance in many areas. Probably depends on average age of the population in the area. E.g. for my area, it's only Labour or conservative because there are many in that generation where they are the historic choices.
If you visit Stop the Tories.vote , at the bottom of the page click 'browse constituencies' and select Lib Dems, it will show you all the seats where lib Dems are likely to get a seat.

Every time I've done a vote for policies quiz I've ended up with Lib Dem. I voted for them at the last election (first time voting) and while they didn't stand a chance, their percentage doubled in my old area that year . I thought it was a waste of time before going, then realised that's probably why the turnout is so low. I wonder how many non-voters checked, matched with a minor party and then decided not to bother .

If every LD MP was committed to their constituency like Daisy Cooper is to St Albans, then I think they would.

My LD candidate lives a 2 hour drive away. And doesn't have a clue about my town.

I've seen Daisy Cooper twice in 2 St Albans pubs in the last 6 months just having a pint.

Where do you live? If you live in a Labour /Tory marginal then yes, a vote for the Lib Dem candidate is a waste. If you live in a Lib Dem /Tory marginal then a vote for the Labour candidate is a waste. If you live in Clacton then you have my sympathies and for god sake don't vote Lib Dem.

tactical.vote

I don't think we know how many people would vote for LibDem if we didn't have a FPTP system and they knew their vote would count.

In my constituency LibDem always get less than 10% of the vote and the Tory guy usually gets about 60%. This year there is a very faint hope that if lots of Tory voters vote Reform and everyone else votes Labour, the Labour candidate might just squeak in. It's a faint hope. The LibDems really honestly do not have a hope.

If you'd like to vote LibDem but don't want to waste a vote, you could try vote swapping? https://www.swapmyvote.uk

I've always voted Lib Dem but struggle with some of their manifesto (specifically around gender) so am going social democratic this time. Ive been told every time I've voted (often by more than one person) that I'm wasting a vote - to me it's important to vote on who you want not to consider tactics.