Liberal Democrats target district council elections

At the Liberal Democrats' party conference in Brighton, BBC political reporter Michael Keohan spoke to the party's representatives in Kent about their ambitions for the county.

It may seem a little premature for the Liberal Democrats to be popping the champagne corks at their autumn conference in Brighton after winning just one of 18 seats in Kent in July's general election.

However, at the conference it is clear that they are back and that things are on the rise.

Newly elected MP for Tunbridge Wells, Mike Martin, told me: “We are not just a party of protest voters, we are a party that wants to make a difference in the communities we serve.”

Meanwhile, Kent County Councillor Richard Streatfeild said: “There is real hope that we could become one of the biggest, if not the biggest, party in the local council elections next May.”

“We won a bronze medal in the parliamentary elections, but next May we are aiming for gold.”

But where does this hope come from?

Post-Covid demographic changes around some of Kent's coastal towns and the importance of water quality benefited the Liberal Democrats, not to mention securing the Tunbridge Wells seat at the last election, the first time in the constituency's history that it was not held by the Conservatives.

“I lost my deposit”

But these are not all positive stories.

Graham Colley stood for the Liberal Democrats twice in the elections this year.

First as a candidate for the post of Kent Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) in May and most recently as a candidate for Rochester and Strood in the general election.

He told me: “We still have a lot of work to do,” adding: “I lost my deposit in July” because I had failed to get enough votes in Medway.

The conference message focused largely on health and social care, with a supplement on water quality, a list of the Liberal Democrats' greatest hits from the election campaign.

And there were more gimmicks: the leader of the party, Sir Ed Davey, arrived in Brighton on a jet ski.

What has struck me at the fringe events is the belief among many members and activists who knock on our doors or seek our support that change is possible and that they are now the party that will keep Westminster centre-line.

Looking ahead to where the party might contest following Mike Martin's success in Tunbridge Wells, the newly elected MP told me that “Sevenoaks and Margate” could be target areas.

Follow BBC Kent on on facebook.To Xand on InstagramSend your story ideas to [email protected] or send us a WhatsApp to 08081 002250.

More about this story:

Further Internet links