Davies blasts his party’s campaign leaflets

The number and quality of Liberal Democrat by-election leaflets has been criticised . . . by a leading Lib-Dem politician.

North-West Euro-MP Chris Davies called for a national review of his party’s approach to campaigning in by-elections after it came second in Oldham East and Saddleworth.

Despite praising the success of his party in holding its share of the vote, he said they must learn lessons. He said a dedicated team of volunteers braved the lowest temperatures that most had ever experienced to deliver a campaign that administratively was “close to flawless.”

But he was critical of the party’s failure to confront criticisms of its policies and promote achievements of Liberal Democrats now in the coalition Government. He said: “On a number of occasions I delivered pieces of literature that I thought would not persuade a single extra person to vote for us, and sometimes I feared that they might do us actual harm. Voters complained that they were assaulted by the sheer number of leaflets, but a criticism of greater concern is that too much of the paper we distributed said nothing worth saying.”

He praised party candidate Elwyn Watkins for precipitating the by-election by mounting a legal campaign that exposed lies told by former Labour MP Phil Woolas, saying: “His success drew a line that candidates and agents everywhere may be reluctant to cross in future elections.”

He said the party should treat voters as adults, address serious issues, and explore new approaches.