As Lib Dems eye by-elections, and UKIP begins to fade, Labour must set out its vision for the country that backed Brexit

Back in the 1980s the SDP – a forerunner of the Lib Dems – were the in-between party. Whatever policy division emerged between Labour and the Tories, the SDP would adopt a position between the two. It was a strategy of fence-sitting and resulted in them sweeping up the protest vote, but never getting any further.

On the biggest issue of today, Labour has become the in-between party. The Tories are for Brexit. The Lib Dems are for Europe. Labour sits on the fence, reluctantly accepting the referendum result, but insisting that parliament be provided with details.

In the Witney by-election, the Lib Dems surged by 23 per cent and Labour declined by 2 per cent. The Tories declined by 15 per cent, but kept the former prime minister’s safe seat. If the Lib Dems had also picked up Labour’s 5,765 votes, then the West Oxfordshire seat would have a Lib Dem MP today.

Now we have one more by-election, in the Richmond Park seat resigned by Zac Goldsmith, and it looks like Labour will stand.

Meanwhile, UKIP has gone into meltdown. Nigel Farage has chosen to quit while he is ahead. Many Labour MPs will be relieved that their competition is the Tories. However, if we continue to be confused about our EU position, or provide an ambivalent message, such as pro-soft but anti-hard, we will be badly mauled in elections. The Lib Dems are back with very large teeth.

The classic comic film Strictly Ballroom was about a boy who wanted to dance differently to the traditional ballroom standard, but he also wanted to win the judges’ votes. Ultimately he chose to make his own rules rather than conform to others. because it is better to have conviction with the risk of losing, than sell your soul and still potentially lose. Strictly Ballroom became a massive hit because people recognised the dilemma and admired that the character chose to dance his own way.

In politics, the policy position is much less important that the character of the candidate. Many people disagreed with Margaret Thatcher but voted for her in droves. Ed Miliband never quite persuaded the public that he was a person of conviction. Jeremy Corbyn has conviction but within a narrow range of interests.

Politics is a bit like football, in that it periodically attracts people who are less interested in the game and more interested in finding someone to shout and scream at. As the country becomes increasingly divided, more of those people will come forward, presenting themselves as former Labour supporters, then pouring bile and hatred towards Labour candidates. An in-between policy will not stop this.

Everyone knows that Labour has a strong conviction to remain as part of the EU. To pretend otherwise in the hope of gaining votes will not create admiration. To set aside our convictions due to our commitment to democracy would be admirable if it wasn’t such a faulty prospectus.

As for Brexiteers, some of them are angry and scream that Labour is against democracy. These are people who have never voted before. Not because they weren’t inspired, but because they have contempt for politics and democracy. However if they want to vote in future elections, we should welcome them to the ballot box, because we do believe in democracy.

Further, what we believe in, far more than the process of politics, is our vision for the future of our country. At ease with ourselves and our neighbours. The moment we stand in an election on a platform which is against that conviction is the moment that we are finished, and the Lib Dems will take over.