Lib Dem campaign never got off the ground despite initial high hopes

Here’s a look back at the most memorable events of the Liberal Democrats’ general election campaign.

– What was the high point of the campaign?

The campaign began with high hopes and rumours of a major Commons comeback, but the optimistic mood soon followed the party’s falling poll numbers.

Jo Swinson has emerged as an energetic new leader for the Liberal Democrats, but she has repeatedly failed to win over public opinion.

– What was the low point of the campaign?

The wind turned in the Lib Dems’ sails when Nigel Farage announced that the Brexit Party would not contest the 317 seats won by the Conservatives last year. Suddenly, the Lib Dems are dreaming of winning dozens of seats as the Brexit vote split has evaporated.

Ms Swinson also faced heavy criticism from voters during the Question Time leaders’ special at the start of the campaign, where the party’s policy of stopping Brexit without a referendum was heavily criticised.

The party’s green credentials were called into question when an environmental activist stuck himself to the “campaign bus” to protest that the Lib Dems were not doing enough. But because the bus in question was electric, the party had ammunition to fight back.

– Which region did they visit the most?

St Albans, Watford, Cheltenham and the South West received a lot of attention from the Lib Dems as the party targeted seats where tactical voting could make a difference.

The Lib Dems also spent time in Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab’s Esher and Walton constituency as they talked about achieving a “Portillo moment” in reference to when senior Conservative minister Michael Portillo was ousted by voters in 1997.

– What was the most memorable quote?

Asked which was more important to her – remaining in the EU or keeping the UK – Ms Swinson replied: “It’s like asking me to choose which of my children I love more.”

Asked by the BBC’s Andrew Neil why voters seemed to like her less and less the more they got to know her, Ms Swinson said: “I don’t know the answer to that question.”

– What was the defining moment?

When the Liberal Democrats abandoned the ever-dubious narrative that they would win enough seats to make Ms Swinson prime minister, they realised voters didn’t believe it.

The party also shelved its controversial policy of revoking Brexit without a referendum and instead positioned itself as the “Stop Boris Party”, with the Liberal Democrats arguing that they were the only ones who could prevent a Conservative majority under Prime Minister Johnson.