WI: Liberal Wipeout in 1970

The Liberal brand is strong enough -the same applies to the larger two parties- that they can come back as long as they elect at least three MPs.

One MP doesn't work as the single MP is effectively an independent, see Douglas Carswell and Caroline Lucas. With two there is a problem if they are in opposing factions within the party, or one defects to one of the bigger parties. An interesting test case turns out to be the Canadian Progressive Conservatives, who did sort of but not quite came back from two MPs. The Scottish Nationalists and the Bloc Quebecois were both knocked down to two MPs at one point, we will see what happens with the Bloc.

The current Liberal Democrats are of course a good test case for this. But keep in mind that in the 1950s the Liberals weren't even running candidates in half of the constituencies.
 
Obvious issue is that neither NF nor the Powellites appealed to the Liberals voters, and whilst Democratic Labour might have worked, it was just one Man and, had it picked up, faced the same issues the SDP and New Party faced- broad support, but squashed because of a lack of organisation and establishment. The DLP would be the best shot at wiping the Liberals out, but you'd more than likely end up with a merger.
The new third party doesn't have to take the Liberals' voters - the two main parties could do that. In the 50s when the Liberals couldn't even run candidates in half the constituencies, their supporters who could no longer vote for them generally went Tory. If we assume (perhaps debatably) that the Liberals are finished for good after a 1970 wipeout, something like that could happen again. The new third party, be it the NF, the DLP or something else entirely, could then peel away a different set of voters.
 
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