One in five members of the Liberal Democrats quit the party last year, with the worst losses in constituencies represented by government ministers, as disaffected activists walked out in protest at the coalition.

An investigation by The Independent on Sunday reveals the Lib Dems' collapse in support in the polls has been matched by a desertion of thousands of members. The exodus – far worse than the usual post-election drop-off – threatens to undermine the party's support base. Officials in one minister's constituency reported "members and supporters not being willing to campaign for the party".

The loss of thousands of members will leave a hole in the party's finances. To join the Lib Dems costs a minimum of £12 a year, or £6 for students, under-25s and those on benefits. The financial accounts of all local parties with an income of more than £25,000 paint a grim picture for the Lib Dems.

Membership of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has shrunk by 26 per cent. Craig Harrow, convenor of the party, said campaign teams were "devastated" by last year's results in the Holyrood elections, with MSPs "swept from office on a tsunami for the SNP".

The trebling of university tuition fees to £9,000 appears to have hit the party particularly hard, with Liberal Youth, the party's student wing, seeing more than half its 6,000 members quit in 2011.

In one leaked document, from the Council of the EU on the draft 2050 proposals on energy, the UK has attempted to excise a reference to a potential 30% target for renewables by 2030, replacing it with the far more vague wording of "a significantly increased share for renewable in the energy mix". At another point in the document, which is dated 23 April 2012, the UK has tried to remove the word "urgent".

The document shows that Davey, a Liberal Democrat, has opposed a new EU target on renewable energy since taking office in early February. A previous document showing attempts by the government to water down the EU renewable energy target – revealed by the Guardian in March – was largely prepared under his predecessor, Chris Huhne.

Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, and Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Lib Dem leader, are among those said to be in contact with members of Ed Miliband's inner circle.
The talks are said to be "informal" and to take place on "different levels". One Labour source revealed Mr Cable and Mr Miliband spoke regularly by telephone, buts sources close to the Business Secretary did not confirm this.
The aim of the discussions is to find "common ground" between the two parties so that, if the next general election results in a hung parliament, they are are able to form a "progressive" coalition which would see the Lib Dems turn their back on David Cameron and the Conservatives.
Specific policy areas are discussed - including House of Lords reform. Many Lib Dems are furious that David Cameron appears to be booting the issue into the long grass.

Ed Davey (following on from Chris Huhne) will get them back:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2 ... f-comments



I can the point that some people reckon the target could be a bit tough. But in that case reduce it slightly- don't make it voluntary or vague. No-one will invest because they rightly realise you don't give a shit.

German solar power plants produced a world record 22 gigawatts of electricity – equal to 20 nuclear power stations at full capacity – through the midday hours of Friday and Saturday, the head of a renewable energy think tank has said.

Germany's government decided to abandon nuclear power after the Fukushima nuclear disaster last year, closing eight plants immediately and shutting down the remaining nine by 2022. They will be replaced by renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and bio-mass.

Norbert Allnoch, director of the Institute of the Renewable Energy Industry in Muenster, said the 22 gigawatts of solar power fed into the national grid on Saturday met nearly 50% of the nation's midday electricity needs.

"Never before anywhere has a country produced as much photovoltaic electricity," Allnoch told Reuters. "Germany came close to the 20 gigawatt mark a few times in recent weeks. But this was the first time we made it over."

The record-breaking amount of solar power shows one of the world's leading industrial nations was able to meet a third of its electricity needs on a work day, Friday, and nearly half on Saturday when factories and offices were closed.

Rarely mentioned now, surely for his party Cleg's big miss also was the fudge on the Lib Dem Holy Grail, Not just electoral reform , but proportional Representation. The Referendum on the Alternative Vote was not PR but it surely kicked PR into touch for possibly another generation unless they can somehow persuade a future stranded minority labour Govt to take it up but like turkeys voting for xmas, parties in office with first past the post are of course unlikely to want to to radically change the system that got them there.

The fact that even Clegg considered AV a 'miserable little compromise' when Gordon Brown was the one offering it says it all, really.

I voted for AV but in reality it would only have been a minor improvement on FPTP, so I wasn't exactly devastated when the referendum ended up being lost. The fact that even Clegg considered AV a 'miserable little compromise' when Gordon Brown was the one offering it says it all, really. Even a PR-elected House of Lords wouldn't be much consolation for the Liberals if they continue to poll in single figures. Mind you, it looks like Clegg's going to fuck that up as well. The Lib Dems' existence as a single party beyond 2015 isn't guaranteed at this stage. Their next leader (presumably Farron) isn't going to have much of a party left to inherit.

Ah, but that was before the election.



How littered must that street be now.

Support for the lib dems falling away from inside the party. I truly do wonder what format they will exist in come the next election.

When Lembit Opik suggested that Nick Clegg should resign as Liberal Democrat leader before the next election he was dismissed as a lone maverick. But it transpires that a sizeable chunk of Lib Dem members agree with him. A new survey by Liberal Democrat Voice of 560 members shows that 34 per cent believe Clegg "should be replaced" as party leader before the 2015 election.