Jo Swinson could change the face of British politics if she plays her cards right

Editorial: Her appeal will be based on sweet reason, the antidote to Johnson, Corbyn and Farage. But the first challenge for the new leader of the Liberal Democrats will be getting the public on her side

Congratulations to Jo Swinson. The first female leader of the Liberal Democrats, or any of its antecedent parties, fought a clean campaign against Sir Ed Davey, who put in a respectable performance. He too deserves to have a major role in the years ahead.

The contrast between the relative unity, thoughtfulness, rationality and courtesy in the Liberal Democrats’ leadership election stands in stark and favourable contrast to that other contest that’s been dragging on through the summer. Now it is only the Labour Party among the UK’s major political groupings that has its glass ceiling intact.

Ms Swinson is the fourth leader the party has had in a decade, but, as a young woman with much goodwill behind her, there is no reason why she should not stick around for much longer. She will certainly have the incentive to do so. Liberal, progressive values have not been under such sustained assault globally since the end of the Second World War, and the intensive work required to campaign for a second Brexit referendum is all too painfully obvious.