Lib Dems Centralise London Campaigning to Counter Reform’s Growing Machine
London Lib Dems hope a pivot in tactics will see off the Reform threat (Alamy)
5 min read
The Liberal Democrats are taking inspiration from Reform UK to overhaul their London campaign strategy, amid fears the right-wing party could make sweeping gains in the capital.
While campaign materials such as leaflets are often currently designed and produced by individual activists, the London Lib Dem group is now making moves to further centralise their campaign efforts and produce leaflets themselves to be used across the city. PoliticsHome understands the London Lib Dems are employing more staff to facilitate this.
The group hopes that by centralising services, more activists can get out and engage with the community through door knocking, rather than spending time on designing leaflets themselves and posting on social media.
They have been in part inspired by Reform UK's centralised campaigning system, which the Lib Dems fear could see Nigel Farage's party make sweeping gains at next year's local elections in London and beyond.
This shift comes as party leader Ed Davey has vowed to take the fight to Reform UK, as the latter party soars in the polls.
“They [Reform] have changed the rules,” a London Lib Dem source told PoliticsHome.
“They have industrialised the process. We need to industrialise."
The Lib Dems are concerned that Reform is copying their leaflet styles in London, with much success. Reform started to focus more on local issues in leafleting during the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, although party leader Farage was still front and centre.
“They're starting to copy our leaflets and styles, but if they can do it at an industrial scale because they're centralised, forgive my language, we’re fucked. We’ve got Reform. That's it, they've won,” the Lib Dem source said.
Pointing to what they perceive as flaws in the Lib Dems’ tactics more widely, they added that while the Lib Dems have had “great success” in the general election and recent council elections, “we didn’t grow”.
PoliticsHome understands that there is some impatience among London Lib Dems who feel the national party should be doubling down on their efforts in the capital.
London council elections will take place in May next year, with the Lib Dems hopeful they could make some significant gains. While both the Tories and Labour are tanking in the polls, some Lib Dems feel the party could be more ambitious in urban areas.
Reform, meanwhile, has been clear that it sees the contest as a “key step” in continuing its positive trajectory ahead of the general election in 2029.
PoliticsHome understands that the overall ambition of such a change in tactics is to ensure that the Lib Dems can move from fifth place to third place in some boroughs in the 2026 council elections, by centralising and rebalancing the presence of the party across the capital.
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey has increased his attacks on Reform in recent months (Alamy)
Gareth Roberts, Lib Dem London Assembly member and leader of Richmond Council, told PoliticsHome that the London council elections in 2026 are “an opportunity to really break through in places in the capital that we've not had representation since the 90s or before, places that we used to run".
"It would be good to get that bit of extra focus," he said, when asked whether the national party was neglecting London.
Roberts believes that there is a “distinct possibility” that the Lib Dems could become the second largest party in London in terms of controlled councils next year. The Lib Dems currently control three councils in London – all in the south west of the city – compared to Labour’s 21 and the Tories’ five.
The party is hopeful of taking control of Merton council, and also hopes to show signs of progress in places where it has remnants of campaign infrastructure dating back to before the party's collapse in the capital: Southwark, Haringey, Camden, and Islington.
“It's not enough that we just go in as being the least worst option," Robert said.
"We have to sell a positive vision and point to the things that we've done in Richmond, Kingston and Sutton."
Hina Bokhari, a London Assembly member for the Lib Dems, said she understood frustrations.
“I get it. Am I frustrated sometimes that we don’t get enough mentions by the leadership? Yeah, but we are a national party, we need to speak to everyone.”
However, she added that the Lib Dem rally on Saturday at the opening of the Lib Dem conference covered many issues that matter to London and Londoners.
“I think talking about the flags was a big part of that," she said, referring to former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron draping himself in a Union Jack flag on stage at the party conference's opening night.
More widely, some within the party feel the Lib Dems could be more ambitious than just holding onto former Tory 'Blue Wall' areas and set their sights on winning in major cities.
Rachel Bentley, deputy leader of Southwark Liberal Democrats and 2024 parliamentary candidate for Bermondsey and Old Southwark said: “What I would like to hear a bit more about is just how badly Labour is doing.
"And also thinking about our big cities, particularly London, where I represent: what's going on for London, and how can we make sure that London gets a bit of attention?
“Because it really does feel like it's neglected by Labour. It's been pretty much abandoned by the Conservatives, and Reform is seeking to divide it, so what can we do that brings London together?”
Additional reporting by Noah Vickers.
