Lib Dems already vow: We won’t do any coalition deals
THE Liberal Democrats fared better than expected last night, according to the 10pm exit poll.
Their predicted seat count would put them in the running to form another coalition with the Tories, but they quickly scotched suggestions of an alliance. Former leader Menzies Campbell said there would be ‘no pacts, no deals, no coalitions’.
The party had been projected to make few if any gains following its election wipeout in 2015, but the exit poll suggested the party would win 14 seats – up from nine – meaning leader Tim Farron could become kingmaker.
The Tories and Lib Dems’ incompatible stance on Brexit would make any coalition deal unlikely, but it is the only scenario that would put the Conservatives over the crucial 326 mark.
Mr Farron has explicitly ruled out any future pacts throughout the campaign after voters punished the party for its stint in coalition with the Tories.
Last night Lord Campbell said the that, so I find it very difficult to see how Tim Farron would go back on what he has already said and indeed to persuade the membership of the Lib Dems that a coalition was a good idea from our point of view.’
Lib Dem president Baroness Brinton said her party could not work with either Labour or the Tories because both were pushing for a ‘hard Brexit’. She told Sky News: ‘A coalition is not on the cards, not just because of the 2015 result but because of big policy differences.’
The exit poll suggested that the Lib Dems had made gains in Scotland from the SNP. Former equalities secretary Jo Swinson looked likely to have won East Dunbartonshire and the Lib Dems also looked likely to gain Edinburgh West .
There were signs of a resurgence when the Lib Dems won the Richmond Park by-election.
Combined with a surge in membership to more than 100,000, the party had high hopes of regaining lost seats in its former stronghold of the South West.