Former Lib Dem MP blasts party leadership: ‘We ran a poor campaign’

Former Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb. Photograph: Jamie Honeywood. - Credit: Archant

Former Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb has blasted the Lib Dem leadership for running a poor campaign.

Speaking to the Eastern Daily Press after the exit poll was revealed, he said it was an “astonishing result” up against the “worst government in living memory”.

“I am horrified by Boris Johnson I don’t think he is fit to be our prime minister – I think he struggles with the truth. But they have played to people’s feelings about the complete failings of parliament to sort this out.”

He continued: “It is quite an astonishing result. In my view this has been the worst government in living memory – achieved virtually nothing and yet they have won with a spectacular majority. I think it poses massive questions for both Labour and the Lib Dems. Corbyn is a disastrous Labour leader.

“I have been confronted by so many people of all classes who have been left completely uninspired and without any idea of how they are going to vote. People have thought ‘I can’t vote Corbyn I better vote Johnson’.”

But Lamb also said that the figures for his party were “not surprising”.

He said: “I also think we fought a very poor campaign. The central message has been wrong. It is not a result that particularly surprises me.”