"Fight for the soul of our country": Josh Barbarinde profiled in the New Statesman

During his successful campaign for the Liberal Democrat presidency, Josh Barbarinde's supporters emphasised his unparalleled ability to gain media coverage. They always sounded a little optimistic in a world where not even the party leader gets as much attention as he deserves, but Josh is indeed the subject of a substantial article by Rachel Cunliffe on the New Statesman website.

Much of the piece is about Josh personally, but then his compelling backstory is part of what attracts the media. And it does eventually get on to Lib Dem strategy:

As the Lib Dems gear up for 2026, this is how they are framing the conversation. Brexit is back on the agenda, with a renewed debate about the customs union as a way to spur economic growth and tackle the cost of living crisis. Electoral reform is high up on the list too, as the electorate fractures across too many parties for first-past-the-post to be able to cope with. Both are subjects on which the Lib Dems have campaigned vigorously, and even won parliamentary votes with the help of Labour rebels.

But if neither of those subjects can be relied upon to capture the public’s imagination, there is another option: presenting the party as the alternative to the narrative of division and nationalism seized upon by Reform. As flags pop up on roundabouts across the country like mushrooms sprouting over a lawn, the visible manifestation of a deeper decay, the Lib Dems, with their 72 MPs and message of “hopeful nostalgia”, want to be the antidote.

Asked what his personal role in this is, Josh replies:

"To gee-up our party to fight for the soul of our country."

The change isn't on the Lib Dem website yet, but the party constitution was amended at last autumn's conference to say that the president "shall be the voice of party members". This suggests that Josh, like every party president before him, will interpret the role in his own idiosyncratic way.

Perhaps the Lib Dem presidency is still a victim of its history. When it became clear the first leader of the Liberal Democrats would be a former Liberal (Alan Beith or Paddy Ashdown), the important-sounding but ill-defined role of president was created so it could be occupied by a leading former SDP member.

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.

No one expects Josh Reynolds' inquisition

Before Christmas it was Amazon, yesterday it was the fashion e-commerce platform Shein that was interrogated by the Liberal Democrat MP Joshua Reynolds at a hearing by the Commons business and trade select committee.

Josh later wrote on Bluesky:

With their poor record on modern-day slavery, I was hoping that they could reassure us they were taking the issue seriously...

Josh Reynolds takes no nonsense from Amazon boss

Josh Reynolds MP repeatedly attempts to get Amazon boss Jennifer Kearney to answer his question about why so many of her staff have chosen to go on strike.

He is the youngest Liberal Democrat MP, sitting for Maidenhead. Slightly mysteriously, Wikipedia says he was born in 1998 or 1999.

Lord Bonkers' Diary: I've been running my eye over our new MPs

You know what? I bet Josh Reynolds has never heard someone make a joke about his name and the great painter before. He's going to be so amused!

In his maiden speech Josh admitted he couldn't paint to save his life, but went on to point out that Stanley Spencer's Cookham is in his constituency. Lord Bonkers once asked Spencer to paint one of his barns, but it turned out to be an unfortunate misunderstanding.

Friday

One advantage that my political experience brings is the ability to spot talent, so I have been running my eye over our many new MPs. Epsom and Ewell’s Helen Maguire, to take one example, is a former captain in the Royal Military Police and thus a chief whip in the making if ever I saw one. 

Roz Savage from the South Cotswolds is the first woman to row single-handedly across three oceans: the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian. She did so in order to raise awareness of environmental issues, and I shall certainly invite her to cross Rutland Water with the same aim in mind, though not while Ruttie is in her current mood. 

As a former archaeologist, Charlotte Cane from Ely and East Cambridgeshire is bound to take an interest in someone as ancient as me, though I have my doubts about Joshua Reynolds, who took Theresa May’s Maidenhead. These artist fellows can be A Bit Of A Handful – the tales I could tell you about my old friend Augustus John! 

At least I shall now have a reliable source among our team in the Commons in the shape of Steve Darling’s delightful guide dog Jennie.

Lord Bonkers was Liberal MP for Rutland South West, 1906-10.

Earlier this week in Lord Bonkers' Diary

• We drank the Bonkers’ Arms dry
• Practising with the Elves of Rockingham Forest
• Some unfair coverage in the tabloid press
• The woods, meadows and hedgerows of the Bonkers Hall Estate