The sun is blazing in Taunton and Lib Dem leader Ed Davey has his shirt sleeves rolled up as he leaflets in the Blue Wall town of Somerset.
He’s here with local Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Gideon Amos and they are enthusiastically knocking on doors pushing pamphlets through letterboxes.
And they are right to be feeling sunny: after being routed by the Tories in the 2015 general election – losing all but eight of their 57 parliamentary seats – the Lib Dems stormed home in last month’s local elections, taking 46% of the vote and winning control of Somerset council.
After years in the wilderness, this part of England is finally becoming fertile ground for a Liberal Democrat fightback.
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The big test will come this week when the Lib Dems try to win Tory stronghold Tiverton and Honiton in Thursday’s by-election. The Lib Dems once held 10 seats in this part of the world…
