A parallel universe

Forget your traditional view of Lib Dems, it's changing. And nobody mention sandals. We used that visual gag yesterday

WE ARE in week three of Ashes to Ashes and Doctor Who, David Bowie is playing in the background, the Liberal Democrats are ahead in the polls. Suddenly, I feel like I have slipped into a parallel universe.

As if to add to the sense of a surreal experience, Britain became engulfed in ash from an Icelandic volcano and all planes were grounded. Nobody seems to know when it will end, which is a bit disconcerting. Of course it is not just holidaymakers and other travellers who have been affected. The Leaders’ campaigns have had to rethink their tours as well.

The sun has come out and for the first time for as long as I can remember canvassing and leafleting offers the danger of a tan. Outdoor rallies are possible and random members of the public encountered on walkabouts tend to be in a good mood and more willing to talk.

The General Election has come alive in the most unexpected of ways. This week was scheduled to see the launch of the party manifestos and so they came -Labour, Plaid Cymru, the Welsh Liberal Democrats and finally the Welsh Conservatives.

All contained their own vision of the future and the themes and promises on which the parties would be seeking to make their case to the electorate. But the defining moment was Thursday night, with 90 riveting minutes of television in which the whole contest was thrown upside down.

In truth none of the three leaders did badly. I thought that Gordon Brown actually belied his image somewhat and came across as human and approachable. Maybe I am in a minority on that one. Cameron put in a competent performance but the great communicator was ill-at-ease, not on top of his own policies and misfiring in his attacks on the government. I thought also that Cameron’s upper class accent was more pronounced than ever and that created an extra barrier between him and his audience.

Nick Clegg did what Liberal Democrats have seen him do in hundreds of town hall meetings up and down the country every Thursday and more for the last two years. He was direct and honest. He engaged his audience as individuals and he did his best to give an honest answer to the questions he was asked. This was a debate that was about expectations, but it was also one in which those who do not live on a diet of Prime Minister’s Questions, Question Timeand numerous news and current affairs programmes saw for the first time who Nick Clegg was and what he and his party stood for.

If the evidence on the doorsteps since is to be believed, then for many it was a revelation. I do not want to exaggerate the impact, especially with less than three weeks to go to polling day, but clearly many who had been looking for an alternative after months of scandal and betrayal of trust felt that they had found one.

What they saw were Liberal Democrat principles and policies clearly expounded and for the first time many felt that they might give the party a chance. The polls that have followed since then seem to have confirmed that this is the case. It was also the Liberal Democrat leader as underdog, coming good against the big two and the public responded to that.

What happens now is difficult to predict. Nick Clegg will be facing higher expectations himself in the next debate while the other two leaders may be better prepared. In Wales we have already had the first of our own debates in which I thought that the only surprise was how badly Cheryl Gillan did.

Here we have four parties and so anti-government votes will fall differently, and it may well be that the public will show alternative preferences. I understand that a Welsh opinion poll will be out later this week which may give us some clues.

Opinions polls of course are just a snapshot. The real test is on May 6. The Liberal Democrats understand that. As a party we have taken this turn of good fortune as an opportunity and we are redoubling our efforts. We have always had to work harder for every vote so we are not going to see improved prospects as a sign that we can ease up.

The mould has been broken and it is not going to be put back together by the two old parties very easily – if at all.