Mini Election: Quilliam’s Maajid Nawaz discusses fighting a three way marginal

Will the Liberal Democrats make any gains in the London suburbs at the upcoming election? In the latest Mini Election video, I went to Hampstead & Kilburn to speak to Maajid Nawaz, the Liberal Democrat candidate and head of counter-extremism think tank Quilliam, to discuss his campaign to win this seat, which was a three-way marginal at the last election.

Nawaz discusses how his work with Quilliam has strengthened his reputation locally when the Liberal Democrats’ national reputation has taken a beating. Given the publicity surrounding his involvement in the Jesus and Mo cartoons furore and calls for him to be deselected, Nawaz said he still thinks the recognition makes it easier to be a Lib Dem candidate. But despite recent visits from senior party figures Nick Clegg and Tim Farron, the fight for Hampstead and Kilburn remains tough. Nawaz reveals that after the party’s poor performance in the local elections last year, resources are being focused on just the most winnable seats — and Hampstead & Kilburn isn’t one of them.