Greenberg says he was ‘impressed’ by Jo Swinson when they first met

The last time the Labour Party won an election without the help of Stan Greenberg it was 1974. Showaddywaddy were in the charts, Billy Bremner was anchoring Scotland’s World Cup midfield and Harold Wilson edged past Ted Heath in the polls. It was a while ago.

Greenberg, the American pollster and political strategist, describes himself as being Labour “in his bones”. He started working for the party in May 1995 and played a role in all three of Tony Blair’s election victories. He has maintained close ties with it ever since.

As of last month, however, the 74-year-old is Labour no more. Greenberg is now advising Jo Swinson’s Liberal Democrats as part of their quest to supplant his old allies as the dominant party