Of all the criticisms levelled at the eight MPs who left Labour in 2019 to join Change UK, the centrist, pro-European and ultimately short-lived party, one is easy to refute: that they were careerist.
Keir Starmer is overwhelmingly likely to be the next prime minister, Rachel Reeves chancellor, Wes Streeting health secretary – Corbynsceptics all. As for Luciana Berger, Chuka Umunna, and Gavin Shuker, none of them are even in parliament.
This is not to cast a judgement on their decision to break away. The alternative was, in their view, unacceptable: that is, make Jeremy Corbyn prime minister. And by the way, the British public agreed. Nor is it to suggest their act of political bravery/suicide (pick your own adjective) was without consequence. It clearly contributed to Labour shifting from a Leave position at the 2017 election to effectively a Remain one in 2019. But Change UK did not succeed on its own terms, which was to reshape British politics.
There were many reasons for this, from the harsh realities of first-past-the post and the decision to fight the European elections to the actions of then-Labour deputy leader Tom Watson. But perhaps the biggest mistake was in failing to take their cue from another small, centrist and pro-EU party: the Liberal Democrats.
Following the catastrophic 2015 general election, the Lib Dems haven't even been the third party of British politics. Yet under successive leaders, they have frequently punched above their parliamentary weight, based on an understanding that they must be different in order to generate the oxygen of publicity. They need to be, for want of a better word, a little bit wacky. And in Ed Davey, the party can boast a leader who has turned this into an art form.
If you remember anything about the Chesham and Amersham by-election of 2021, it will be the image of Davey destroying a model blue brick wall with a small hammer, while a bunch of activists held up yellow placards. It was a gimmick, obviously, but a brilliant one. This also explains why Davey has this week fallen into Lake Windermere while paddleboarding, got wet (again) on a Slip 'N Slide in Somerset, and cycled down a very steep hill in Wales, where his team appeared disappointed he failed to fall off.
The Lib Dem leader is happy to look a little silly if it means his party picks up two dozen seats in their traditional battlegrounds of the West Country and the South of England, where they can reasonably convince voters they are the lever to pull for those most concerned with ejecting the local Tory MP.
Now, whether there is much point beyond this is another question. Without necessarily going the full Daniel Finkelstein, it is reasonable to ask how different our lives would be with 35 rather than 15 Lib Dem MPs. But it's not for me – a daily newsletter writer by profession who watches old Justine Henin highlights in his free time – to tell others how to live their lives.
Ultimately, the Lib Dems do a pretty good job of being the Lib Dems. And as Change UK ably demonstrated, it's harder than it looks.
