PS in the 1988 leadership contest, Beith was the centrist candidate and Ashdown campaigned from the centre left. Ditto Steel who was well to the left of the SDP and David Owen in particular.

Right. Forgive me but I remember Paddy being rather pompous in tone, kind of what you would expect from an ex military, centre right Tory MP in the shires. Not necessarily a bad thing, overall.

Talking about this seat- Labour have started the process of selecting their candidate for the next election. It will be an all women shortlist.

Also, Ashdown ran for the leadership with a very Left-wing pitch, arguing the Lib Dems should seek to replace Labour as the official opposition to the Conservatives

Whilst I’ll concede that Ashdown did come across as a kind of shire Tory and as leader he was fairly centrist – he opposed the reintroduction of the minimum wage in the 92 manifesto (scarcely seems believable now) – but the Parliamentary party was considerably more social democratic back then and prior to the Lid Dem breakthrough in 97 you just didn’t get centre right Lib Dem MPs like David Laws, Jeremy Browne and Danny Alexander

Aside from supporting the bedroom tax (a really nasty right wing policy) and going along with the hike in tuition fees which went against everything they had said, I thought the Lib Dems played their expected role as moderators to the Tories fairly well and deserved better than the drubbing they always looked likely to receive the moment they established the coalition government

Tbf David Owen wanted to replace Labour on the left

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/latest-news/disabled-sheffield-mp-jared-o-mara-opens-up-on-his-battle-to-adjust-to-life-in-westminster-1-9625585

Kind of late in the game to speak up about all this and how he’s now *ready* to take the reins as an MP. This comes a week after he sacked his staff.

Not to discount those with additional needs but O’Mara’s behaviour has been unbelievably deplorable. The Lib Dem candidate Laura Gordon has seemingly been putting in the work around Sheffield Hallam to make up for the lack of support.

While he’s now Independent, I can’t see Labour getting another chance here in a very very long time. Whenever a GE is, I can expect to see a massive swing back to the LD. Backlash against Labour for not vetting this one and presumably much of the Conservative support dropping over Brexit.

I’ve been out in Hallam. Impression I got are voters are going to Greens not Liberals

I agree with Neil. O’Hara has been an absolute disgrace…beyond useless. Some of the Lab candidates in the 2017 GE were dreadful selections…one assumes that both Onasanya and O’Hara were exercises in right on box ticking.

Labour hold with a reduced majority on the council.

In Dore and Totley the Conservatives were just about pushed into 3rd place by the Greens.

Very strong results for the Lib Dems. The Greens did well where they normally do and appear to be challenging Labour’s 2nd place quite a fair bit in some of the leafier suburban wards. They also took Gledless Valley, a reliable Labour ward in the south of the city with a pretty visible campaign. Stretches from Meersbrook which has a mixture of longer term residents and young professionals to large council estates.

Seems like Labour’s fate increasingly depends on the east of Sheffield but even parts of that could be vulnerable in time. Aside from the most ethnically diverse wards, WWC ones still have a considerable UKIP presence with them coming in 2nd place.

The Sheffield Star is reporting Jared O’Mara is going to resign in the autumn – a by-election here would be big.

A cakewalk for the Liberal Democrats on current polling (and given past LD strength in this seat)’

He is – although not sure why he waited hours after the last day sitting before telling the world.

O’Hara was a simply horrific MP. In terms of being completely not up to the job (and apparently a nasty piece of work to boot) he may be the worst I can remember.

Correction: O’Mara.

A cakewalk for the Liberal Democrats on current polling (and given past LD strength in this seat)’

I’m not so sure, Tristan. This used to be a relatively safe Conservative seat, Sheffield voted in favour of Brexit and with a Boris bounce, they might think in with a chance of taking it back. Greens will take some votes from the LDs too. Autumn,when polling will take place is a fair way off, so a lot could happen between now and then. It would be a major surprise if Labour hold, especially given their poor running of the council and O’Mara’s unsuitability as an MP.

Lex – Sheffield did but Hallam is largely the affluent, middle class part ie the part that wouldn’t have done at all.

I’d imagine a LD win, but I take your point that anything is possible if eg Greens take over 10%, but the Brexit Party may well do too depending on the timing.

Lexbox- fair points but as Lancs said this is a high income, liberal, Remain voting area, quite distinct from much of Sheffield. But you are right tht ‘cakewalk’ might be overstating the case.

I think the Greens could easily get 10%

If the LDs can win Brecon and follow up with a by-election win here then they will gain exponential momentum.

Bit like the early 80s and 90s

Greens did well in locals and euros. Lib Dems did not do nearly so well in euros and the Greens clearly didn’t pick up most their votes

https://twitter.com/OwenWntr/status/1155122782658867200

Seems like O’Mara has serious personal issues. And, to be honest, it will be ten times easier for him to address his demons outside the media spotlight.

Some people just aren’t cut out to be MPs.

O’Mara has been arrested on suspicion of fraud.

I suspect this is why he is standing down (as opposed to all of his other troubles).

At least it saves the cost of a Recall petition – although not his pay over the Summer recess.

Depends how serious the fraud is. He’d only have been suspended automatically from parliament if he’d been given a jail sentence of 12 months or longer.

No, that forfeits the seat.

These days any conviction results in a Recall petition.