Zac Goldsmith leaving Richmond upon Thames College in Richmond, London, after defeat in the Richmond Park by-election to newly-elected Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney. Yui Mok/PA Images. All rights reserved.On this day last year, the Liberal Democrats spectacularly won the Richmond Park by-election overturning a 23000 majority. So what? Well, this became the catalyst for the Progressive Alliance, which went on to contribute over thirty Tory defeats in the subsequent General Election – and could have put Jeremy Corbyn into No.10 if Labour had played ball just a tiny bit.
In seat after seat on June 8th the progressive vote outnumbered Tory support – but, in the end, the progressive vote was split, letting the right through. A Labour-led government could now be implementing the best bits of its and other manifestos. At worst we would be discussing the best possible Brexit and sweeping anti-austerity measures. With Labour still unable to pull clear of the Tories in the polls, and at least a medium if not long likely haul to the next election, will the Progressive Alliance have to play a part in the country’s political future again and, if so, how will it do this?
