TODAY’S Lib Dem by-election victory would be a seismic political event transforming the political landscape permanently if it had been UKIP, experts have agreed.
Political commentators are in no doubt that a surprise UKIP by-election win of the kind which has yet to happen after 28 years would have upended British politics and confounded all predictions, but this is a Lib Dem win so meh.
Journalist Martin Bishop said: “A UKIP win? The streets of Chesham and Amersham would be six-deep with vox popping TV crews, desperate to find out why the ordinary man-in-the-street had revolutionised politics. A Lib Dem win? Not so much.
“I think we can already say this is a one-off protest vote by the polite and well-off that will be reversed at a general election. I haven’t asked any actual voters but that feels true.
“Yes it’s kind of weird that a safe Tory seat has fallen unexpectedly, but it’s not like it’s such a big deal we should have Jo Swinson on Question Time. She’s not the leader? It’s not like we should have whoever the Lib Dem leader is on Question Time.
“Blue Wall crumbling? Nonsense. Be serious. It’s just the Lib Dems.”