The recent success of the Liberal Democrats at the 2019 Local Elections is something which, undoubtedly, has brought a great amount of joy to all of us who have weathered this five year storm. However, a narrative has already taken shape, one that threatens future momentum and growth – that this is attributable only to Brexit and Brexit related issues. This is a reading that is surface level. A little thought and a cursory digging dispels this myth.
First of all, we must look at who benefited most from the Conservative and Labour defeat. Of course, at a gain of 704 we have come first, with independents taking second, Greens third, and Residents Associations taking fourth, with smaller parties making up the rest. This break down is important. Surely, if this was an affect only of a Brexit backlash then RA’s would not have done as well? Indeed, the SDP came second in the wards they ran in, and independents fly under a myriad of different banners. Even the Brexit supporting Liberal Party gained a councillor in Liverpool and regained prominence on Pickering Town Council. The question, then, is this – what do these groups have in common? The trend seems to be one of a yearning for community, with each grouping possessing a strong communitarian streak. The Liberal Democrats were the forerunners of community politics, independent candidates tend toward community issues, and RA’s are based in this kind of thought. The SDP also describe themselves as “nation state communitarians”.
The second important indicator is the local election results in Northern Ireland, with the performance of the non-sectarian Alliance and Green parties. Though the DUP and Sinn Fein still retained the majority of councillors, both experienced a drop in seat share. The UUP experienced a drop that was more akin to the Tories, with Alliance being the main beneficiary. That non-sectarian parties are finally expanding their influence on the local level, even if the hegemony has not been broken, is indicative of the same trend seen in England – people are looking for community-centric alternatives who act in the interests of all who are living in the immediate area.
The party cannot afford to fritter this new found life away in a potentially misguided direction dictated by others. It has been given a second chance not because of the stance it takes on a single issue but, rather, because the people believe that it is the party of community, fairness, and good local governance. This new found integrity will be compromised if we allow for the Brexit myth to persist. We only need to look at the state of UKIP to see what happens to parties that allow for one issue to overtake all others. This situation only benefits the two main parties. If we stand aside and accept the idea that the phenomenon of the 2019 Local Elections was simply the result of protest then we will kill our own momentum, handing permanent victory to Labour and the Conservatives.
It is clear, then, what kind of message the party must instead put forward – community empowerment, action, and care. Having control of 15 councils, and being the largest party in still more NOC administrations, gives us that opportunity. After the European Elections it would be nothing short of a wasted opportunity if we did not use the power that has been afforded to us and let a misreading of the election direct us to nowhere. We are now, on the local level, in an era of multiparty politics – let us take the lead.
* Edwin Black is a keen Lib Dem activist in Sheffield whose interests include reading, writing, amateur cartooning and research into the history of British politics.
