Those Lib Dem targets for the next general election in full

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Michael Mullaney, who was our candidate in Hinckley and Bosworth on Thursday, has tweeted a list of the Liberal Democrat near misses at this election. They form a handy list of targets for the next election.

The second column gives the number votes we were adrift of the winner, and the third the percentage swing needed to win it next time. It is this latter figure that determines a seat's ranking in the list.

All these seats are held by the Conservatives except Burnley, which is held by Labour.

                                                                         %

Godalming and Ash                         891         0.81

Farnham and Bordon                     1349        1.27

Hampshire East                              1275        1.27

Shropshire South                            1624        1.57

Dorset North                                   1589        1.60

Romsey and Southampton North   2191        2.19

Cotswold North                               3357        3.34

Torridge and Tavistock                    3950        3.89

Burnley                                            3420        4.31

Hamble Valley                                 4802        4.35

Hertfordshire South West                4456        4.62

Salisbury                                          5285        5.27

Buckinghamshire Mid                      5872        5.44

Sevenoaks                                       5440       5.45

Hinckley and Bosworth                    5408       5.66

When I blogged about Gordon Birtwistle, who was our candidate in Burnley having been MP for the town between 2005 and 2010, I wondered about his claim that the contest was between him and Labour, But he turned out to be quite right.

Former MP Gordon Birtwistle says he can win back Burnley for the Lib Dems

Gordon Birtwistle, who was the Liberal Democrat MP for Burnley between 2010 and 2015, has been chosen to fight the seat again at the coming general election.

And interviewed for the Burnley Express, he says he believes he has a chance of winning:

Speaking to the Burnley Express from his home of more than 40 years in Burnley, the grandfather-of-five said the Conservatives had made a mess of the country’s economy, and believed he was in a two-way fight in Burnley with Labour candidate Oliver Ryan.

The 80-year-old, who has said he is fighting fit, believes a large chunk of Burnley’s Asian population will vote with his party in response to Labour’s handling of the Gaza crisis.

He also described the town’s first Tory MP in a century, Antony Higginbotham, as "very average" and said that he was "nowhere to be seen" on the streets of Burnley.

Birtwistle has represented the Coal Clough with Deerplay ward on Burnley Borough Council for 40 years.

Coal Clough with Deerplay wins Ward of the Week

Clowbridge Reservoir is in Coal Clough and Deeplay ward - photo © Pete Chapman

The only high point of the resignation from the party of four Burnley Liberal Democrat councillors is that it has revealed the name of the ward represented by the group's leader.

Gordon Birtwistle, who is also the town's former Lib Dem MP, sits for Coal Clough with Deerplay.

And Coal Clough with Deerplay is our Ward of the Week.

Those new Liberal Democrat committee co-chairs in full

Several new Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee co-chairs have been appointed by Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg.

Paul Burstow has also been elected as chair of the parliamentary party. The former chair Lorely Burt stood down after being appointed as parliamentary private secretary to Danny Alexander.

The new appointments in the House of Commons are:

• Gordon Birtwistle - Business, Innovation and Skills
• Mike Crockart - Energy and Climate Change
• Julian Huppert - Home Affairs, Justice and Equalities
• John Leech - Culture, Media and Sport
• Greg Mulholland - Work and Pensions
• Alan Reid - Transport
• Mark Williams - Wales
• Roger Williams - Food and Rural Affairs
• John Thurso - Constitutional and Political Reform in addition to the role he holds for the Scotland committee.

The new appointments in the House of Lords are:

• Lord (Jonathan) Marks of Henley on Thames - Justice
• Lord (Monroe) Palmer of Childs Hill - Defence
• Lord (Mike) Storey - Education
• Lord (Martin) Thomas of Gresford - Wales

Thanks to the East Midlands Lib Dems site, which has the full list of Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee Co-Chairs.