Emerging from a ‘high-speed car crash’, the Liberal Democrats sought to recover in 2020

NICOLA Sturgeon’s reaction said it all.

Footage of the First Minister celebrating as Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson lost her seat to the SNP’S Amy Callaghan remains one of the most memorable TV moments of last year’s General Election.

Just a few weeks earlier, Ms Swinson had been full of confidence. A party election leaflet had even labelled her “Britain’s next prime minister”.

The Libdems had seen their ranks swell in Westminster following a series of defections from other parties. Brexit was disrupting politics, and the Libdems hoped to capitalise on it.

But, on the night, Ms Swinson, a high-profile figure both nationally and in her East Dunbartonshire constituency, was toppled by an unknown 27-year-old, and the Libdems dropped from 21 MPS to just 11. It was politics as Greek tragedy.

An internal party review published in May branded the election campaign “a high-speed car crash”.

“Nobody intended it to be how it was, but the outcome was catastrophic,” it said. “We were poor performers in an election that we helped to call, and in which poor planning, leadership and decision-making compounded to give us such a poor result.”

It remains to be seen how the Libdems will fare in a post-brexit era.

Ms Swinson resigned following the election result. There were rumours she could make a bid for Holyrood.

In April, Scottish Libdem leader Willie Rennie said: “She’s not made her mind up about that but I think she’s talented and would be great to have. It’s too early for her to leave the political scene – I hope she does do it.”

But, speaking to journalists in September, Mr Rennie confirmed she would not be standing.

Ms Swinson had recently announced a new job as a visiting professor at Cranfield School of Management.

In August, Sir Ed Davey won the race to become the new UK leader of the Libdems after beating fellow MP Layla Moran.

He said it was time for his party to “wake up and smell the coffee” and announced a “national listening project” as part of efforts to “rebuild the Liberal Democrats to national relevance”.

In Scotland, Mr Rennie has said he was “very optimistic” his party could make gains at the Holyrood election next year.

He said the Libdems will offer Scots an alternative to the “chaos” offered by Boris Johnson and independence. Whether Scots take him up on that offer is a different matter.