An academic study published at the University of Birmingham today finds strong support among Liberal Democrat MPs and activists for their role in the Coalition Government. However, being in office for the first time was a ‘bitter-sweet’ experience and the party is divided about whether to repeat the experience, after paying a high political price at the 2015 General Election.
Dr Matt Cole, Teaching Fellow in the Department of History at the University of Birmingham, monitored twelve Lib Dem constituencies around the country before and after the 2015 election, interviewing MPs, party workers and members, and examining the local campaigns. The study suggests that there are no regrets amongst Lib Dems for the coalition, but there is an understanding that the damage caused to the party’s reputation will take years to heal.
Read the full report: Liberalism in Power: Watching the Titanic.