A Lib Dem reshuffle is coming after this conference

Photo by Amanda Jones on Unsplash 

Senior party figures have told PoliticsHome that the Liberal Democrats will reshuffle their frontbench after their party conference in Bournemouth this weekend.

Among the names tipped for promotion in Harriet Symonds' article are Alex Brewer, Jess Brown-Fuller, Josh Reynolds, Anna Sabine, Mike Martin and Bobby Dean.

Given the calibre of the new Lib Dem MPs elected last year, this sounds like a positive move.

But don't get too excited:

Continuity will prevail in some key areas: deputy leader Daisy Cooper is expected to remain in the Treasury brief, as are Callum Miller in Foreign Affairs – seen as a "safe pair of hands" –and chief whip Wendy Chamberlain.

Steffan Aquarone is the new chair of the Lib Dem parliamentary party – read what it means in Liberator's Radical Bulletin

The new Liberator (issue 431) has dropped: you can download it for free from the magazine's website.

Don't tell Lord Bonkers, but I always turn first to Radical Bulletin, Liberator's well-informed gossip section. The first item begins:

Steff Aquarone has won a resounding victory for parliamentary party chair in a shot across Ed Davey’s bow. 

The North Norfolk MP beat Frome’s Anna Sabine by 44 to 27. The latter had tried not to be portrayed as the establishment candidate but as Davey’s parliamentary private secretary that was hard to sustain.

The item goes on to suggest that:

Aquarone’s 44 votes is enough to have some front benchers among it, suggesting dissatisfaction including with the Daveybunker’s power runs deeper than might have been thought.