It feels as if the LibDems don't understand democracy. So they have elaborate policy formation at their conference where active members get to contribute to the manifesto. But it is not active LD members who elect a Government. Labour/Momentum are guilty of similar. And the Greens.
You are in your bubble, and you believe you are right. You no platform or #nodebate contrary views, your Facebook feed self selects, your Twitter feed uses blockers, your media choices (BBC/Guardian) come from the same place. You may well never have had a job outside politics.
You don't actually go out to speak to the plumber in Bournemouth or the shopkeeper in Rotherham or the fisherman in Lowestoft.
Promise all you like, but many self employed, people running or working for small businesses etc, people with mortgages etc were probably very frightened by Labour's electoral promises and the idea that they might be the ones paying. Whilst Swinson's offer did not seem to extend beyond pleasing active party members.
This is an election that Labour and the LibDems lost, because outside of election time they don't knock on doors and listen to people.
(I also think that the last US election was an election that Clinton lost, for much the same reason.)
Social media bubbles are proving dangerous for politicians. The Tories are luckier in that the Mail, the Times, the Telegraph and the Spectator rely on readership/advertising for their income. To a greater extent the Guardian seems to rely on trust funds and donations, often from overseas. The post-Dacre Mail is distinctly moved towards the centre and the Times/Spectator seem busy reestablishing themselves as sources of proper journalism. Even the unlikely sounding "Conservative Woman" has been running some sound GC articles, and presumably equally sound articles on other topics.
The next Government will be interesting. New MPs will know that to maintain their seats they will need to deliver to voters who have previously voted labour. Boris has his Brexit mandate but will only keep it if he centres the "just about managing" in his policies, rather than be distracted by the noise created by influential and well placed interest/lobby groups such as Stonewall.
As for Labour. They might ask new activists to spend some time actually out in the community helping at dementia cafes or one oclock clubs. Or perhaps require them to spend a couple of days reading through old MN threads on the money, elderly parent, life-limiting illness, relationship etc boards. They might sneer at MN mummies, but it can be a better window on the world than the Guardian or Ash Sakar's Twitter.
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