Nine years on Lib Dems have fought back

On the equivalent day 9ish years ok I wrote this it was after a tough couple of days and no sleep as I took a train up from England, through Scotland and back to Northern Ireland. I wrote:

I believe last night we [the Liberal Democrats] faced the sound of gunfire and many of us fell on the battlefield. But now is the time to entrench, bring in the reinforcements to fill the ranks and prepare for the next offensive in 2020. We have a fight on our hands to get back to the strong voice we have gained in recent years, but it is a fight back that I sure is worth the effort.

Well today after a similar lack of sleep, and actually two elections 2017 and 2019 after the Conservatives undid the Fixed Term Parliament Act, we as Liberal Democrats have a differnt look on our faces. We have not just fought back to the levels of 2005 (the actual high level mark) but beyond that. There are currently 71 Lib Dem MPs an the former area where Charles Kennedy is remembered Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire has gone to a recount tomorrow.

Among those seats we have taken are three once held by former Tory PMs Maidenhead (Theresa May), Henley and Thame (Boris Johnson*) and Witney (David Cameron). Also the:

• Home of golf - (St Andrews) North East Fife - Wendy Chamberlain
• Headqurters of Rugby - Twickenham - Munira Wilson
• Home of Scottish Rugby - (Murrayfield) Edinburgh West - Christine Jardine
• Home of Tennis - Wimbledon - Paul Kohler
• Home of Rowing - Henley and Thame - Freddie van Mierlo
• Home of the Derby - Epsom and Ewell - Helen Maguire
• Worthy Field - Glastonbury and Somerton - Sarah Dyke

You could if you wanted, via a little indirect route, travel from the Sussex coast (Eastbourne and neighbouring Lewes), via the lowest lock on the Thames at Teddington (Twickenham and Richmond Park on both banks), all the way to the Severn Esturary (Thornbury and Yate, or further West at Wells and Mendip Hill) or carry on the whole way into North Devon. Both Lands End (St Ives) and John O'Groats (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) are in Lib Dem seats.

So what now for those 71 MPs? Well hopefully we now get the recognition and air time we deserve as the third largest party in Westminster. There should be a Lib Dem on most panels going forward, their will be a question every week in PMQs. We can use that exposure to get our ethos, philosphy and policies across to to the public at large without out leader having to pull off stunts to get the air time. Let's not forget that in a blind poll of policies that the pubic supported 8 of the top 10 were Liberal Democrat policies. The people actually like what we are proposing, we need to tell them about it and then even more of them should decide they can vote for us.

This morning, unlike that long trip I made in 2015, I have the largest smile on my face (even though my own MP lost his seat**) and so many more Libs across the country are also reinvigorated. Many of our Young Liberals weren't around in the party in 2015. Many of us old hands have sunk to the depths but like the cockroaches Tim Fallon said our party was we were not eradicated and have come back.

For the last couple of election cycles I've taken more of a backseat that I had prior to 2015, that is part of being a carer. I'd love to get more involved if time allows going forward, but one thing I'm sure I will be doing is starting to blog again more. I know this format is probably so last decade but I'll do what I do, watch this space.

*Admittedly the one he held before he came back to become MP

** Stephen Farry of Alliance sadly lost here in North Down