The Liberal Democrats need a straightforward cause to improve their electoral fortunes, according to Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins. Writing ahead of the party's conference, he argues that the devolution of government authority is the issue that could give them relevance in an age of single-issue politics.
Jenkins notes that the party's central predicament has remained unchanged for a century, since the decline of David Lloyd George and the rise of the Labour party. He says there is no space in Britain for a centrist party when so little divides the big parties and they broadly stick to the prevailing economic orthodoxy.
Rise of single-issue parties
One of the newer developments in British politics is the rise of single-issue parties. In Scotland and Wales, the Scottish National party and Plaid Cymru demand independence from the UK, while in England the Reform party has dedicated itself to curbing immigration.
A lack of a clarifying message could partly explain why the Lib Dems have suffered heavy defeats at recent byelections and slipped to fourth or fifth place in many national opinion polls, regularly trailing the Greens and Reform.
Localism as a cause
Jenkins points out that England ranks as having one of the most concentrated central governments in Europe, and by some measures in the world. English citizens' ability to participate in local democracy is extremely weak compared to countries such as France, Germany and those in Scandinavia.
He recalls that New Labour proposed a "new localism", which resulted in just 12 elected mayors in England and Wales between 2001 and 2005. In 2010, David Cameron pledged a "radical shift in power from central government to neighbourhoods" but then did the opposite through enforced housing targets and austerity. In 2024, Keir Starmer promised to "deepen democracy by … devolving power to communities", yet one of his first moves was to overrule local discretion in planning approvals, describing councils as "blockers and nimbys".
Lib Dem strength in local government
The one area in which the Lib Dems have flourished is local government. At last May's local elections, the party took their control of councils up to 76, establishing them as a major political force. There are now more Liberal Democrat council leaders in Britain than the 71 Lib Dem MPs.
Jenkins urges the party to go flat out for democratic, truly local self-government. He suggests the party's 76 local councils can list the powers they want restored to them, and that council leaders should stand on stage at their conference. "Liberal Democrats should become the party of local Britain and restore the government of the people to the people," he concludes.
