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| Anticipation abounds as the Lib Dems begin battle for Richmond Park Anticipation abounds as the Lib Dems begin battle for Richmond Park | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| In the the backroom of the part-converted garage that serves as the Liberal Democrat’s tiny constituency office for Richmond Park, a production line of party members is bundling up leaflets, soon scooped up by rosette-wearing activists who head out to pound the leafy streets. | In the the backroom of the part-converted garage that serves as the Liberal Democrat’s tiny constituency office for Richmond Park, a production line of party members is bundling up leaflets, soon scooped up by rosette-wearing activists who head out to pound the leafy streets. |
| Holding five-week-old Oliver while his dad straps on a baby sling to take him canvassing, Gareth Roberts, the Lib Dem leader of the opposition in Richmond council, looks around with a grin. “It’s a bit like in Jaws – we’re going to need a bigger boat,” he says. | Holding five-week-old Oliver while his dad straps on a baby sling to take him canvassing, Gareth Roberts, the Lib Dem leader of the opposition in Richmond council, looks around with a grin. “It’s a bit like in Jaws – we’re going to need a bigger boat,” he says. |
| The news of Zac Goldsmith’s resignation, which has forced a byelection in the affluent west London suburb, is less than 24 hours old, but already the Lib Dem leader, Tim Farron, has paraded for television cameras on Richmond Green and local activists are hitting the ground running. | The news of Zac Goldsmith’s resignation, which has forced a byelection in the affluent west London suburb, is less than 24 hours old, but already the Lib Dem leader, Tim Farron, has paraded for television cameras on Richmond Green and local activists are hitting the ground running. |
| A local councillor introduces herself to him as “the only Lib Dem in Brent”, before he corrects her, saying: “On the council you mean? Well don’t worry – you won’t be for long.” | A local councillor introduces herself to him as “the only Lib Dem in Brent”, before he corrects her, saying: “On the council you mean? Well don’t worry – you won’t be for long.” |
| A week on from the Witney byelection, which saw the Lib Dems slash the Tory majority in David Cameron’s old seat from 25,000 to 5,700, the mood among local party members is bullish, and they insist victory in Richmond Park is not out of the question. | A week on from the Witney byelection, which saw the Lib Dems slash the Tory majority in David Cameron’s old seat from 25,000 to 5,700, the mood among local party members is bullish, and they insist victory in Richmond Park is not out of the question. |
| “Yes we start in second place, no we are not the favourites, but I am a strong believer that good campaigns can change elections,” says Farron. “This byelection is an opportunity, but we have to respect the people of Richmond Park and not dictate to them what this byelection is about. | “Yes we start in second place, no we are not the favourites, but I am a strong believer that good campaigns can change elections,” says Farron. “This byelection is an opportunity, but we have to respect the people of Richmond Park and not dictate to them what this byelection is about. |
| “Obviously Heathrow will feature, but it’s hard to see who you will vote for if all you are bothered about is Heathrow, given that Zac Goldsmith is backed by the Heathrow-expansionist Tory government, and all of the parties are opposed to the third runway.” | “Obviously Heathrow will feature, but it’s hard to see who you will vote for if all you are bothered about is Heathrow, given that Zac Goldsmith is backed by the Heathrow-expansionist Tory government, and all of the parties are opposed to the third runway.” |
| Farron, and indeed every Lib Dem you talk to in this part of the country, is keen to shift the debate away from Heathrow, even as planes roar overhead. They are hoping that in a constituency that voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, Goldsmith’s hard-Brexit stance will count against him. | Farron, and indeed every Lib Dem you talk to in this part of the country, is keen to shift the debate away from Heathrow, even as planes roar overhead. They are hoping that in a constituency that voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, Goldsmith’s hard-Brexit stance will count against him. |
| “Around here, 70% of people voted to remain; of the 30% who voted to leave, I think many will be like the people I met in Witney who wanted to leave but not leave the single market,” says Farron. “It’s an opportunity to send a message to Theresa May that she is adopting an extreme view of Brexit that no one voted for. Should the Liberal Democrats do well here, we could potentially change the direction of the country – the people of Richmond Park will be very powerful in the next few weeks.” | “Around here, 70% of people voted to remain; of the 30% who voted to leave, I think many will be like the people I met in Witney who wanted to leave but not leave the single market,” says Farron. “It’s an opportunity to send a message to Theresa May that she is adopting an extreme view of Brexit that no one voted for. Should the Liberal Democrats do well here, we could potentially change the direction of the country – the people of Richmond Park will be very powerful in the next few weeks.” |
| The Lib Dems undoubtedly have a mountain to climb – Goldsmith held Richmond Park with an increased majority of more than 23,000 in last year’s general election. | The Lib Dems undoubtedly have a mountain to climb – Goldsmith held Richmond Park with an increased majority of more than 23,000 in last year’s general election. |
| Soon after Goldsmith said he would run as an independent, the Tories announced they would not be fielding a candidate against him. “The government announces its flagship policy, but by 6pm they say they won’t put up a candidate to defend it – that’s crazy times,” says Roberts. | Soon after Goldsmith said he would run as an independent, the Tories announced they would not be fielding a candidate against him. “The government announces its flagship policy, but by 6pm they say they won’t put up a candidate to defend it – that’s crazy times,” says Roberts. |
| On Wednesday, Goldsmith proved impossible to find in Richmond Park, and his office ignored requests for an interview, but with his own wealth and a well-known and respected anti-Heathrow platform, many local residents say they will back him again as an independent. | On Wednesday, Goldsmith proved impossible to find in Richmond Park, and his office ignored requests for an interview, but with his own wealth and a well-known and respected anti-Heathrow platform, many local residents say they will back him again as an independent. |
| But Lib Dem activists hope a nasty mayoral campaign, in which Goldsmith was accused of creating anxiety about Muslims to deter voters from backing the eventual winner Sadiq Khan, and a perception that Goldsmith has done little to prevent the expansion of Heathrow despite his opposition, will have dented his prospects. | But Lib Dem activists hope a nasty mayoral campaign, in which Goldsmith was accused of creating anxiety about Muslims to deter voters from backing the eventual winner Sadiq Khan, and a perception that Goldsmith has done little to prevent the expansion of Heathrow despite his opposition, will have dented his prospects. |
| Farron on Wednesday called Goldsmith’s mayoral campaign “unspeakable” and “appallingly racist”. It is an accusation local campaigners hope will stick: “It’s knocked a bit of the gilt of the gingerbread,” says Roberts. | Farron on Wednesday called Goldsmith’s mayoral campaign “unspeakable” and “appallingly racist”. It is an accusation local campaigners hope will stick: “It’s knocked a bit of the gilt of the gingerbread,” says Roberts. |
| And the party even received support from Labour frontbenchers, who called on their own party not to put forward a candidate to give the Lib Dems a clear path – though that suggestion was soon smacked down. | And the party even received support from Labour frontbenchers, who called on their own party not to put forward a candidate to give the Lib Dems a clear path – though that suggestion was soon smacked down. |
| Waiting for her lunch in a coffee shop in the constituency, Mirren Jackson, who first moved to Barnes 20 years ago, agrees about Goldsmith. “We used to think Zac was a good egg,” she says. “He was seen as a good guy, until all that nasty mayoral stuff, but I think now people are a bit disappointed.” She also thinks that this part of the city has strong liberal roots, which may be about to sprout once more. | Waiting for her lunch in a coffee shop in the constituency, Mirren Jackson, who first moved to Barnes 20 years ago, agrees about Goldsmith. “We used to think Zac was a good egg,” she says. “He was seen as a good guy, until all that nasty mayoral stuff, but I think now people are a bit disappointed.” She also thinks that this part of the city has strong liberal roots, which may be about to sprout once more. |
| “When I first moved here there were yellow Lib Dem posters in every house, so maybe we’ll see a bit of a resurgence. Brexit will make a difference – people are well-educated and liberal here, we are European, we want our kids to go on Erasmus schemes. I think that will crack it.” | “When I first moved here there were yellow Lib Dem posters in every house, so maybe we’ll see a bit of a resurgence. Brexit will make a difference – people are well-educated and liberal here, we are European, we want our kids to go on Erasmus schemes. I think that will crack it.” |
| But at the nearby Waitrose, residents have only one issue in mind when the byelection is mentioned. “I will support him [Goldsmith] 100% for his opposition to Heathrow, he’s been completely principled about it,” says John Burrows, who has seen the number of planes flying overhead increase every year since he moved into the area in the 70s. “I think in this byelection, it will be the only thing that matters, and I think people will back him.” | But at the nearby Waitrose, residents have only one issue in mind when the byelection is mentioned. “I will support him [Goldsmith] 100% for his opposition to Heathrow, he’s been completely principled about it,” says John Burrows, who has seen the number of planes flying overhead increase every year since he moved into the area in the 70s. “I think in this byelection, it will be the only thing that matters, and I think people will back him.” |
| Sandy Petchell, who has also lived in the area all her life, laughs when asked if she would consider voting Lib Dem. “Oh no, I won’t vote for that lot – they’ve got no clout, they muck up all the time.” | Sandy Petchell, who has also lived in the area all her life, laughs when asked if she would consider voting Lib Dem. “Oh no, I won’t vote for that lot – they’ve got no clout, they muck up all the time.” |
| The Lib Dem constituency office may soon by located to larger premises to house the increasing number of volunteers the party says are flooding in to help. The numbers of local members has more than doubled from 500 to 1,100 since the general election. Sitting among some of them, the relatively unknown Liberal Democrat candidate Sarah Olney is relentlessly positive. “Everyone is revved up, it’s coming just after Witney, so it’s the perfect time,” she says. “We’ve got a lot of momentum. We are on fire actually.” | The Lib Dem constituency office may soon by located to larger premises to house the increasing number of volunteers the party says are flooding in to help. The numbers of local members has more than doubled from 500 to 1,100 since the general election. Sitting among some of them, the relatively unknown Liberal Democrat candidate Sarah Olney is relentlessly positive. “Everyone is revved up, it’s coming just after Witney, so it’s the perfect time,” she says. “We’ve got a lot of momentum. We are on fire actually.” |
| Olney is a newcomer to politics; she only joined the party after the Lib Dems suffered its crushing defeat in 2015, and she has seen her star rise rapidly through the local party ranks. “I felt it wasn’t enough to sit on the sofa and shout at the television,” she says, as her two children weave in between volunteers. | Olney is a newcomer to politics; she only joined the party after the Lib Dems suffered its crushing defeat in 2015, and she has seen her star rise rapidly through the local party ranks. “I felt it wasn’t enough to sit on the sofa and shout at the television,” she says, as her two children weave in between volunteers. |
| An accountant who lives in North Kingston with kids “in local state schools”, she points out that Richmond Park was held by the Lib Dems until 2010, and if they get a similar swing as they achieved in Witney, they will win the seat. “We can absolutely win this,” she says. “Our case is that Zac Goldsmith may have campaigned against Heathrow, but he hasn’t been effective. What is he hoping to achieve with this byelection? He’s not going to change the government’s mind.” | An accountant who lives in North Kingston with kids “in local state schools”, she points out that Richmond Park was held by the Lib Dems until 2010, and if they get a similar swing as they achieved in Witney, they will win the seat. “We can absolutely win this,” she says. “Our case is that Zac Goldsmith may have campaigned against Heathrow, but he hasn’t been effective. What is he hoping to achieve with this byelection? He’s not going to change the government’s mind.” |
| She acknowledges that Goldsmith – who promised to resign if a third runway went ahead – has stuck to his guns, but adds: “I feel like we might have had a little bit too much of that recently, like Brexit – we’ll carry on with a hard Brexit even if it drives the economy of a cliff.” She is hoping, like the rest of the Lib Dem machine, that the people of Richmond Park will be looking for other options. | She acknowledges that Goldsmith – who promised to resign if a third runway went ahead – has stuck to his guns, but adds: “I feel like we might have had a little bit too much of that recently, like Brexit – we’ll carry on with a hard Brexit even if it drives the economy of a cliff.” She is hoping, like the rest of the Lib Dem machine, that the people of Richmond Park will be looking for other options. |
| It is a sentiment echoed by Farron before he dives on the train back to Westminster. “If there is something Lib Dems know about, it is the power of byelections,” he says. “When I was a younger man we fought and won the Ribble Valley byelection, and not long after we helped abolish the poll tax. | It is a sentiment echoed by Farron before he dives on the train back to Westminster. “If there is something Lib Dems know about, it is the power of byelections,” he says. “When I was a younger man we fought and won the Ribble Valley byelection, and not long after we helped abolish the poll tax. |
| “This election in Richmond Park could be one of those really significant moments. It could change the direction of the country by sending a clear message against a hard Brexit and in favour of remaining in the single market.” | “This election in Richmond Park could be one of those really significant moments. It could change the direction of the country by sending a clear message against a hard Brexit and in favour of remaining in the single market.” |