By, Marcus Dysch
1 min read
In the hubbub around party conference season, few leading politicians covered themselves in glory.
Labour continued to squabble over Zionism, antisemitism and the Holocaust.
The Tories had their own problems in relation to foreign workers and controversial speakers.
Only the Liberal Democrats managed to steer their ship through without a scandal running them aground.
You may joke it was because there are too few of them left to ruffle any feathers, but the point stands. Look at Ukip for a measure of how chaotically a smaller party can be run.
Tim Farron's keynote speech was a passionate pitch to Blairite Labour supporters - a group which a decade ago included large swathes of the Jewish community.
The Lib Dem leader's address received positive coverage until news broke about the separation of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. The Hollywood gossip eclipsed Mr Farron's very gentle rippling of the tide in Brighton.
The previous week I had sat down with him in Westminster as he outlined his intention to encourage British Jews turning away from Labour to back his party.
He was sufficiently self-deprecating about the struggles he faces - as the leader of just seven other MPs - to get a reasonable share of media coverage or public interest for their endeavours.
When I told him only four per cent of British Jews planned to vote Lib Dem he joked the number had doubled from two per cent last year.
But this hides some facts. Within the party, the Friends of Israel group is undergoing a resurgence. At the Brighton conference, its debate on the consequences of Brexit was attended by around 100 people. Panellists included Lord Oates, Nick Clegg's former chief of staff.
Gavin Stollar, LDFoI chair, said the group was thriving despite the party's reduced status. "I think as a group we are definitely having an impact out there," he told me. "We could not do much more under the constraints we have, such as having no full-time staff." Mr Stollar is now planning to take Mr Farron to Israel.
The leader has a small, dedicated group of Jewish aides, including Monroe Palmer, the peer who advises him on the Middle East.
The Lib Dems were the only party to offer a significant figure for interview ahead of conference. And it is making clear, confident statements to the Jewish community. These may seem like small goals and minimal achievements, but it is in the Lib Dems' attitude that the main positivity can be found.
Years ago, Charles Kennedy, probably the party's most popular leader, campaigned on a slogan which said the Lib Dems were "the real alternative". British Jews may now decide he had a point.
Marcus Dysch is the JC's political editor
