Jo Swinson’s dramatic loss of her Dunbartonshire seat in December to the SNP was one of the biggest moments of the election in which her recast ‘revoke’ party profoundly flopped. Now, however, the LibDem leader whose term of office lasted for less time than the ‘interim’ stewardship of Ed Davey, is reportedly considering a return to the front line, up in Scotland. You Swinson, you lose some…
The National is reporting that when asked about a rumoured Swinson return, Scottish LibDem Leader Willie Rennie said:
“She’s not made her mind up about that but I think she’s talented and would be great to have. It’s too early for her to leave the political scene – I hope she does do it.”
If she does make a comeback, the SNP will be hoping she takes her attitude to throwing away referendum results across to Holyrood…
From claiming she could be the next government to looking like they’ll actually lose seats, the Lib Dems have had a cracking campaign – and it’s all down to one woman: Jo Swinson.
It’s known Swinson’s got more unpopular over the election. According to Ipsos MORI she is now officially less popular than Corbyn. Swinson’s net favourability has fallen from -20 a month ago to -31 today: 1% more unpopular than Corbyn’s -30. In the same period Corbyn’s become 9% more popular, Boris 6% less popular and Farage 4% down. Even Theresa May will be feeling sorry for Jo at this point…
See also: Jo Swinson Wiped from Lib Dem Leaflets
Is it really credible to blame her party polling in the low teens on Nigel Farage pulling his party out of Tory seats? In reality she has lost votes to Labour.
The Lib Dems are experiencing a similar realisation to the Tories’ 2017 campaign; they launched a presidential-style campaign centred around a figure who, the more voters saw her, the less they like her.
In initial literature from the Lib Dems, the party was branded as “Jo Swinson’s Liberal Democrats” with almost every leaflet and advert plastered with her face. Now the party isn’t even including her in ‘past vs future’ comparisons, instead opting for the Lib Dem logo rather than a picture of their leader.
The party strategy made a radical u-turn from an anti-Labour to anti-Tory focus following last week’s YouGov MRP poll, and now it seems they’ve u-turned again on their presidential strategy. Not good signs from a party that was agitating for this election in the first place…
The Lobby were all abuzz today following Extinction Rebellion‘s ongoing ’12 Days of Crisis’ protests, and today was the turn of the Lib Dems. Only eight days left until both the Lib Dems and Extinction Rebellion buzz off…
Dressed as bees, the eco-communists swarmed the Lib Dems’ bright yellow battle bus (perhaps thinking it was the queen bee) and proceeded to glue themselves to the windscreen.
Eventually, even Jo Swinson had to get off and engage with the Wasp-Bee Women…
Swinson is talking to the bees! pic.twitter.com/B9VeZQx7nB
— Adam Payne (@adampayne26) December 4, 2019
Just to reiterate – this is an electric bus…
Hat-Tip: @nickeardleybbc
For once a politician says they enjoyed their drug experiences. Sometimes when politicians talk about historic – and it always historic – drug experiences they make it out it was some kind of terrible ordeal. Which kind of begs the question why did they do it? In truth the reason millionaire rock stars do sex and drugs is because they like it and it is pleasurable. Drug prohibitionists never talk about the millions of people who enjoy doing drugs on the weekend and go to work on Monday without harming anyone else. The problems only come when people overdo it and become addicted.
The LibDems’ manifesto includes a commitment to legalise cannabis for personal consumption, with licensed and quality controlled supplies bringing an end to the carnage on the streets from criminal gangs fighting turf wars for the profits of a contraband commodity in high demand. Police forces have effectively already stopped prosecuting cannabis consumers, with many senior police officers more or less openly advocating legalisation. Labour are wary of supporting liberalisation because they fear it will be an attack line from the Tories. About time the Tories stopped doing drugs in private and criminalising the public for the same…
