The FT’s George Parker the voice of sanity & serious analysis (as usual) BUT thanks to the Times for effectively recognising the likely extent of Lib Dem defeats of Tory MPs !

WANTED = April/May Lib Dem byelection news from Cornwall & Devon, eg swings & who won from whom = Looe W for Cornwall Council, Ashburton for Teignbridge DC, Tavistock for TC, Exmouth for E Devon DC; What is the Con>Lib Dem swing here ? Similar tactical vote to Dorset & Somerset ?

The Conservatives have abandoned British Farmers putting further at risk UK food security. West Northants Lib Dems Brexit changes linked to ‘collapse in confidence’ for UK farmers independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…

We recently hosted Laura Lock, Paul Tyler and Alistair Clark to discuss changes and challenges in regulating elections, ahead of the local elections.

Catch up on the event in podcast form 👉 the-constitution-unit.simplecast.com/episodes/chang….

Or on YouTube 👇
youtube.com/watch?v=XNAJOu…

Back on the campaign trail 🔶️
Where nicer than with Ben Maguire in beautiful North Cornwall.
After the Liberal Democrats overtook the #Tories in the local elections on Thursday - we're hitting the streets of #Padstow .

Still tired, but happy with our work this past week in Oxfordshire :-D

This May's local elections reinforced one clear point: it's between #LibDems and #Tories in the new Reading West and Mid Berkshire constituency. This isn't a model, it's real votes - and it's too close to call for Helen Belcher 🔶 and the Tory candidate. 👀🔶 #GE2024

Read my “Who Decides?” for inside story on how the Chunnel beat the 3 bridges!

Take out the Labour islands of Exeter & Plymouth, add in tactical voting on the scale of Somerset/Dorset = the prospects for return to Lib Dem MPs for much of Cornwall & Devon are HUGE!

After 2 brilliant by-election wins here in Torridge and Tavistock and with Labour just scraping in a 3rd and a poor 4th, #tories here must know we are on their tails ready to win at the general election.

Take out the Labour islands of Exeter & Plymouth, add in tactical voting on the scale of Somerset/Dorset = the prospects for return to Lib Dem MPs for much of Cornwall & Devon are HUGE!

Bicester notable here because Rupert Harrison - one of the most prominent and potentially important new candidates - is standing there for the Conservatives in what should be a safe-ish seat but clearly isn't.

Wokingham is John Redwood's seat. He looks v likely to lose.

Cornwall voted massively for Brexit and is 100% Tory-run.

It received over £1 billion in EU funding from 2000 and was to receive another £350m after 2020.

Instead, it was awarded £18 million and beaches covered in human excrement.

Brexit illustrated.

cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-…

As Ed Davey said at conference ‘23 “if you want to boost our economy, you have to repair our broken relationship with Europe”
and in ‘24 “LibDems have a clear plan to set us on the path back to the Single Market.”
libdems.org.uk/news/article/e…

Presumably Reform chose to run in those wards most favourable to them. So no, on this evidence, their polling is not ‘real’.

At the risk of appearing too Lib Dem, Tim does have a point here. The Lib Dems won more seats than the Tories. They deserve a bit of air time to crow about it. To extrapolate Suella Braverman, it looks like they got out of the Tory hole they’ve jumped in nearly a decade ago.

Here is one true voice in the mainstream media, reporting the actual advance of the Lib Dems, while so many others seem determined on diversions to satisfy their Tory bosses!

Despite finishing SECOND in the local elections beating the Conservatives no Lib Dem representative on the show - total joke.

What's the betting on the same happening on Question Time etc this week.

Following the local elections it’s now neck and neck in the new North Cotswolds seat. The choice is clear as we approach the General Election. #BlueWall #GeneralElection2024

At least one senior journalist noticed how well @libdems did, though.