Redundancies planned at Liberal Democrat HQ

At a Liberator lunch a couple of weeks ago I heard rumours that not all is well with the Liberal Democrats' budget.

Their truth was confirmed today by the news that there are to be redundancies among the party's head office staff.

As Buzzfeed tells it:

During a staff meeting at the party’s Westminster HQ on Great George Street this week, employees were told around 20 redundancies would have to be found, according to two sources who were present at the meeting. 

Lib Dem headquarters has a staff of around 60, with another 20 working in the field on party contracts. That means 25% of the party’s total workforce are set to lose their jobs.
Staff were told they would be offered voluntary redundancy, with compulsory redundancies to then take place if required. 

According to one Lib Dem source who was present at the meeting, they were told the party has a hole in its budget amounting to several hundred thousand pounds. .

We must all send our commiserations to those who are losing their jobs. Buzzfeed says any redundancies will take place before Christmas.

The move is being spun by party sources as a reform to enable the party can concentrate on campaigning.

And it is true that some have asked whether a party in our reduced circumstances needs an expensive head office in Westminster.

But this does make it feel like the party is still on the road away from power and has yet to turn the corner.