Guardian may back Lib Dems at election

Wednesday, 27 October 2004 12:00 AM

The editor of the Guardian has said the left-leaning broadsheet may back the Liberal Democrats at the next election.

Although the newspaper has traditionally endorsed the Labour Party, Alan Rusbridger said there was "every chance" it may swap allegiances to Charles Kennedy's party.

He added the caveat that the switch would be "very dramatic" with the final decision taken "collegiately".

The paper endorsed the Liberal Democrats - on a one off basis - in last month's Hartlepool by-election.

Mr Rusbridger told a talk in London on Tuesday: "The Guardian is a small 'l' liberal paper and has, at many times in its history, supported the big 'L' Liberals.

"I think you only have to read the paper to see that we have a lot of worries about the conduct of the New Labour government."

Election commentators are divided on the importance of the newspapers' editorial stances.

Whilst many commentators credit the Sun's switch to supporting Labour in the 1997 general election as convincing swaying voters that the party was ready for power, other opinion polls suggest that voters do not believe that the editorials influence which way they vote.

Tags: