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This is from an outsider to UK politics but it seems weird to me that we didn't see the Lib Dems or some other smallish party position themselves as the party o

This is from an outsider to UK politics but it seems weird to me that we didn't see the Lib Dems or some other smallish party position themselves as the party of "We won't Brexit" and pick up a lot of the Remain votes?

roywiggins 8y ago
That's the Lib Dem position exactly, but they are currently too small to matter.
pmlnr 8y ago
They did. People didn't read it.
- NeedMoreTea 8y ago
  People probably didn't trust it. Nick Clegg rather infamously signed a very public pledge to vote against increases in tuition fees[0]. Then voted for tuition fees in coalition. [0] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/nov/12/lib-dems-tuition-fees-clegg https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/nov/12/lib-dems-tu...
arethuza 8y ago
Both the Lib Dems and the SNP are pretty clear about not wanting Brexit (possibly some other parties as well) - but this means nothing in the context of UK politics. Given that the current Labour leadership are quietly pro-Brexit and that there is unlikely to be an election anytime soon I don't think there is any chance of an electoral solution to this problem. https://www.libdems.org.uk/exit-brexit https://www.libdems.org.uk/exit-brexit https://www.snp.org/what_is_the_snp_plan_for_brexit https://www.snp.org/what_is_the_snp_plan_for_brexit
- ethbro 8y ago
  Hypothetically, what's to stop one of the opposition parties from allying with the Conservatives over a watered-down Brexit? (And ignoring DUP) Or once a governing coalition is formed is it "locked in" until new elections?
maaark 8y ago
The Lib Dems went into a coalition with the Conservatives in 2010 and still aren't forgiven for failing to deliver any of their campaign promises.
TorKlingberg 8y ago
The UK has first-past-the-post elections in each constituency. Unless the LibDems can show that they have a credible chance of winning in each district, voting for them means wasting your vote just like voting for a third party candidate in America. Also the media does not cover what the LibDems are saying much at all. They don't even report on Labour much, just the various factions of the Conservative party. I can't even blame the media. The smallest change in the internal alliances of the Tories can have a huge impact on the country right now. What Labour or the LibDems say has exactly zero effect until the next election, unless they can somehow get together with some Conservatives.

roywiggins 8y ago

That's the Lib Dem position exactly, but they are currently too small to matter.

pmlnr 8y ago

They did. People didn't read it.

NeedMoreTea 8y ago
People probably didn't trust it. Nick Clegg rather infamously signed a very public pledge to vote against increases in tuition fees[0]. Then voted for tuition fees in coalition. [0] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/nov/12/lib-dems-tuition-fees-clegg https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/nov/12/lib-dems-tu...

arethuza 8y ago

Both the Lib Dems and the SNP are pretty clear about not wanting Brexit (possibly some other parties as well) - but this means nothing in the context of UK politics. Given that the current Labour leadership are quietly pro-Brexit and that there is unlikely to be an election anytime soon I don't think there is any chance of an electoral solution to this problem. https://www.libdems.org.uk/exit-brexit https://www.libdems.org.uk/exit-brexit https://www.snp.org/what_is_the_snp_plan_for_brexit https://www.snp.org/what_is_the_snp_plan_for_brexit

ethbro 8y ago
Hypothetically, what's to stop one of the opposition parties from allying with the Conservatives over a watered-down Brexit? (And ignoring DUP) Or once a governing coalition is formed is it "locked in" until new elections?

maaark 8y ago

The Lib Dems went into a coalition with the Conservatives in 2010 and still aren't forgiven for failing to deliver any of their campaign promises.

TorKlingberg 8y ago

The UK has first-past-the-post elections in each constituency. Unless the LibDems can show that they have a credible chance of winning in each district, voting for them means wasting your vote just like voting for a third party candidate in America. Also the media does not cover what the LibDems are saying much at all. They don't even report on Labour much, just the various factions of the Conservative party. I can't even blame the media. The smallest change in the internal alliances of the Tories can have a huge impact on the country right now. What Labour or the LibDems say has exactly zero effect until the next election, unless they can somehow get together with some Conservatives.