Questions About Other Countries' Politics that You Were Too Afraid To Ask

[Wiswylfen]

What kind of people usually vote for the Lib Dems in the UK ?

Varies and they are sort of for those who dislike Tories and Labour.  Used to have base in Southwest and Scottish Highlands but much less so.

In 1992, 1997 and 2001 mostly people who were tired of Tories but felt Labour was a bridge too far.

In 2005 a mix of students who liked their promise of free tuition and many who opposed Iraq war (Liberal Democrats only major party to oppose it).

2010 mostly people in centre to centre-right tired of Labour but still not sold on Tories.

2017 mostly strategic left wing voters who wanted to defeat Tories and happened to live in few constituencies Liberal Democrats had better odds.

2019 a mix of wealthy remainers who were against Brexit, but found Corbyn's economic policies too extreme.

Fact it is not a cohesive consistent group unlike Labour & Tories is big reason they struggle as they lack a solid base main two do.

This is not correct.

Protest voting did exist but it was mainly in places they didn't win and it's a thing of the past now. As can be seen by how seats that were won by the Lib Dems in 2010 were clear two-party, Labour-Conservative contests in 2017, it was not the most important factor. It came from tactical voting, personal voting, and I'm not sure I would say dislike for but a regional alienation from (and 2017 saw the end of this) the party they 'should' favour.

[Wiswylfen]

Yes, its the "protest vote" element of LibDem support that literally fell off a cliff post 2010 (in at least some places, it transferred pretty much wholesale to UKIP in the 2015 GE) and its the part that isn't likely to meaningfully return any time soon, the odd flurry in local by-elections notwithstanding.

Though—given the thread title—it should be mentioned that there is a difference between such protest voters (the I-hate-them-alls, who then generally voted UKIP in 2015) and the anti-Labour 2010 Lib Dem/2015 UKIP/2017 Conservative voter as found in Bishop Auckland. Whose consolidation behind the Conservatives will no doubt be the source of much stupid #realignment analysis for years to come.