Guildhall Insider

An unofficial and entirely scurrilous account detailing the gossip and scandal of Kingston's failing council.

[Guildhall Insider @GuildhallInsid1]

@swklibdems Of course as embarrassing junior partners to the Greens...

[Guildhall Insider @GuildhallInsid1]

Oh dear.

[YouGov @YouGov]

Why did voters vote the way they did in the 2026 local elections?

Best represents my values: 43%
Best policies in local area: 29%
Stop party I dislike: 29%
Performance of national govt: 23%
Performance of local council: 20%
Best candidates in my ward: 13%

Link in replies

[Guildhall Insider @GuildhallInsid1]

With 25 of the 78 councillors the Lib Dems are not taking control of anything on their own. But of course they can't admit that.

[Gareth Kane LD @GarethKaneLD]

Thoroughly enjoyed watching the new Lib Dem administration take control of Newcastle Council - gutted not to be part of it.

[Saul Staniforth @SaulStaniforth]

In 2019 MPs voted on including a Customs Union in the withdrawal agreement. It was defeated 276-273. If 2 MPs had voted the other way it would have passed

Among those who voted against were 5 LibDems, including Ed Davey. Why? They didnt want to do anything that helped Corbyn

[Guildhall Insider @GuildhallInsid1]

And the Lib Dems claim to be the third party of local government...

[LGA Conservatives @LGACons]

🗣️Following the local elections, the Conservative Party remains the second largest political group at the LGA and will therefore retain the Senior Vice Chairmanship of the organisation which we will nominate to at LGA General Assembly in July.

[Mathew Hulbert 🔶️ 🏳️‍🌈 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 ✝️ @MathewHulbert]

My friend Paul Hindley is absolutely right in what he writes for @libdemvoice today.
On pretty much all of the big issues of the day it's increasingly difficult to say where the @LibDems stand.
It's becoming embarrassing.
#LibDems

https://t.co/8dXQ5xJFkJ

[Welcome 2026 😍🎈🎉🐝🌟🌹🕊️❤️🦅🌈🍋🦉🌞🦋🥥🐬🦚 @MEGAKingstonNHS]

@the_tpa RBK CEO salary scale above SirKeir on £211K+ with Directors on £130K+ during cost of living crisis & cut backs to core services? #IntegratedPublicHealth #SocialIsolation #Loneliness @MayorofLondon #LondonPlan #CommunityHalls #NeighbourhoodPlans

[Mathew Hulbert 🔶️ 🏳️‍🌈 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 ✝️ @MathewHulbert]

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: The full story of urban Lib Dems' anger at Ed Davey!

A very prominent city-based Lib Dem has told me of their exasperation at the leadership's apparent abandoning of being competitive in urban areas.
#LibDems

https://t.co/WAqNHpKkKV

[Guildhall Insider @GuildhallInsid1]

@Bobby_Dean Sutton and Kingston councils say hi!

[Mathew Hulbert 🔶️ 🏳️‍🌈 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 ✝️ @MathewHulbert]

🚨 BREAKING: There's increasing anger among city-based #LibDems at what is perceived to be @EdwardJDavey and the wider leadership's apparent abandoning of the party being competitive in urban areas.
I've just heard directly from a prominent Lib Dem city leader who is furious.

[Mathew Hulbert 🔶️ 🏳️‍🌈 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 ✝️ @MathewHulbert]

🚨 "There's lots of anger in the Lib Dems about that."

On @TalkTV last night I talked about the increasing frustration from urban Lib Dems at what they perceive as Ed Davey and the party abandoning being competitive in cities.
#LibDems #Talk

[Guildhall Insider @GuildhallInsid1]

Feel the Reform vibe.

[Liberal Democrats @LibDems]

Patriotism is more than waving a flag.

We’re proud of Britain’s heritage, culture and communities.

So we’re launching ‘What Makes Britain Great’, with our MPs sharing videos each week on what makes them proud to be British.

Check out @anna4fes ⬇️

[Guildhall Insider @GuildhallInsid1]

@rchieyes Or the Lib Dems could not fight say 40% of the seats to make sure opposition voices are elected to give proper scrutiny to their decisions?

[Guildhall Insider @GuildhallInsid1]

@MakeVotesMatter @EdwardJDavey If he was that worried about Lib Dem overrepresentation he could always withdraw Lib Dem candidates from 40% of the seats in Kingston, Richmond and Sutton. They'd still win a majority but they'd face proper scrutiny and accountability. Oh wait...

[Fraser Coppin @frasercoppin]

Really disappointed in this from Ed

So many good people I know worked so hard for us in East London, Merseyside and other urban areas during these elections, this feels like a slap in the face

[Rob Blackie 🔶 @robblackie]

Ed Davey thinks that there's not much that can be done about the Liberal Democrats losing votes to the Greens in urban areas.

This is utterly wrong - and a sign of something gone badly wrong that he is saying this.

[LibDemWatch @Lib_Dem_Watch]

Overview of the #LibDems' results in the local elections so far.

[Will🔶 @TheotherWill_NE]

I'm gonna be real for a moment.

Under the current path we're taking as a party, we face becoming a party just for the South of England. We've seen quite drastic underperformance in Wales, Northern England, and the Midlands.

We need to change course to be a national party again.

[✨ Harry V ✨ @HVilday]

Davey needs to go.

Genuinely this is embarrassing, going from potential second to potential fourth, losing SHETLAND, losing Hull, Losing Gosport, barely doing ANYTHING 4 degrees north of the Thames, no Welsh gains.

It’s a joke honestly.

[AlBrew @AlexanderBrewis]

If one is a member of the Liberal Democrats, how does one back a leadership campaign of the honourable member for Oxford West and Abingdon? Asking for a friend...