When Dominic Cummings addressed government advisers recently, he said that he was so out of touch with day-to-day politics that he needed to ask who the current leader of the Liberal Democrats was.
In fairness to the Prime Minister’s most senior adviser, he’s not alone in this confusion. Since Jo Swinson lost her seat to the Scottish National party in the December election, there have been only interim leaders in place as members pick a successor. Ask a No. 10 staffer or Tory MP which candidate they would prefer to win — Layla Moran or Sir Ed Davey — and you are more likely to be met with laughter than a serious reply. Once again the Liberal Democrats are being talked up as a party on the brink of extinction.
Many Tories believe that the Lib Dems blew a perfect opportunity last year. Placed between two polarising leaders in Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn, the party, with its clear Remain message, should have been able to hoover up votes from the centre.
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