A party in search of a story

Charles Kennedy believes the Lib Dems are a well-organised party with good policies, they just need a 'narrative'. Isn't he putting the cart before the horse?

In an interview in today's Guardian, the Lib Dem leader says: 'Whilst we had good and quite popular policies, like opposition to top-up fees and the war, there was perhaps a need for a more unified theme. We have got to find and fashion a narrative.' What he really means is, 'we have an organisation, now we need a reason to exist'.

This is a problem afflicting all the major political parties in Britain today. Political parties arose in different times as the expressions of conflicting social interests. The history of the Conservatives and Liberals can be traced back to battles over the royal succession in the late seventeenth century. The power and influence of each waxed and waned over the next 200 years over various issues, including electoral reform, free trade and Ireland - until the Liberals were comprehensively replaced by Labour in the early twentieth century.

The current rise of the Liberal Democrats is due to disaffection with the other two parties - but none has a clear and dynamic social base to work from. As a result, parties are groping around for a sense of purpose.

Still, if the Lib Dems are looking for a good story, there are plenty on offer. 'Great Expectations' might work in an ironic way for a party that was told by its then leader to 'prepare for government' in the 1980s, but hasn't even come close to power at Westminster since. 'The Go-Between' would suggest the height of Lib Dem expectations today, as coalition partners in a hung parliament - a role they're playing with typical mediocrity in Scotland already.

But they'll be keen to play down rumours of Charles Kennedy's vices - so nobody should suggest 'Whisky Galore!'.

Kennedy prepares for the next step, Guardian, 20 May 2005