The Liberal Democrats need more good third places

In a Shropshire Council by-election last night the Liberal Democrats came third in Shrewsbury's Belle Vue ward with 21 per cent of the vote.

The last the ward was fought was in 2013, when we did not field a candidate. So the result in 2009 is more significant. Then - before we were in government, remember - the Liberal Democrats finished in fourth place (the Greens came third) with only 7 per cent.

Shropshire Lib Dems have made some notable gains in recent years and it may be that the result in Belle Vue was the fruit of a tremendous effort from them.

But we will know the Liberal Democrats are thriving again when we regularly score 20 per cent in wards where we have no history of success.