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As far as I can see the Liberals or Lib Dems never stood for anything. Their voters were people who couldn't make their minds up to be one thing or the other and their policies were decided after the other parties had made their position clear.
Now that they are established as second rate tories will anybody need to vote for them again?
Even if it had failed a coalition with Labour might have seemed like an ethical choice for Clegg. But the pathetic self interest of his choice means that nothing he or his party say will be seen as other than desperate brown nosing.
They'll have to be careful what kind of electoral reform they get as I don't think they will be anybodies first or second choice.

[quote]As far as I can see the Liberals or Lib Dems never stood for anything.[/quote]

This is one of those statements lots of people say but never go on to explain why they think it.

[quote]Their voters were people who couldn't make their minds up to be one thing or the other....[/quote]


How arrogant. You're either a 'good old Tory chap' or a 'salt of the earth Labour man'....anything else and you're confused. The language you used gave away your overly-simplistic mentality on the issue here. "one thing or the other...". There's only room for two different ways of governing a country and any other way muddles you up so much you try and make sense of it by deciding these pesky 3rd and 4th parties cannot really stand for anything, and that their supporters are just confused!

[quote]Now that they are established as second rate tories will anybody need to vote for them again?[/quote]

Will anyone need to vote for them again? What do you mean 'need'? According to your two party only utopia there was never any 'need' in the first place, right? They stood for nothing and their voters were just confused, so for you this coalition changes nothing. There'll always be confused people after all.

[quote]Even if it had failed a coalition with Labour might have seemed like an ethical choice for Clegg. But the pathetic self interest of his choice means that nothing he or his party say will be seen as other than desperate brown nosing.[/quote]

Have you actually read articles surrounding the coalition talks or not? It was Labour that decided they didn't want power. Many many Labour MPs have said that they lost the election and should accept it. It's been repeated many times. There were people within Labour that would have been happy forming a coalition, sure, but they were obviously a minority because it didn't happen. It didn't happen because it makes political sense for them to let the Tories and Lib Dems get on with power during these hard times when they'll have to make unpopular decisions. They hope these decisions will bring people back over to them. I mean, what Labour supporter can deny that this election was probably the best election to lose in a long time? The 'self-serving interest' has come from the Labour side, in my opinion. Labour stood for something all right: themselves.

Labour stood for themselves?No,they stand for the people who will be crippled by this cosy coalition,..i.e,the poor,the sick,the vulnerable

[quote]Labour stood for themselves?No,they stand for the people who will be crippled by this cosy coalition,..i.e,the poor,the sick,the vulnerable[/quote]

Poppycock. How are they standing for the poor and crippled by backing away from a coalition with the Lib Dems?

"This week, for the first time in my three years as executive editor of Question Time, we were told by Downing Street that a cabinet minister would only appear on the programme if another member of the panel was replaced. According to No 10, a senior member of the cabinet was available to do Question Time but only if Alastair Campbell was replaced by a member of the shadow cabinet."

Hi Sam
thanks for your comments but as usual you haven't said anything that is worth responding to.

Oh, I'm ever so sorry, muswell. I'll try ever so hard next time.

"Poppycock. How are they standing for the poor and crippled by backing away from a coalition with the Lib Dems?"

Still banging away at that tired, old, totally discredited line, I see.

Even a similarity of views on many issues and the resignation of Brown couldn't get a Lib Dem Labour alliance. The main reason, I suspect, was that many thought the numbers didnt really add up and they felt that they would forever be tarnished with the coalition of the losers tag.

Given the vast majority of Lib Dem manifesto measures have been kicked into touch with regard to the economy, education, foreign policy, defence etc. I really dont know why you voted Lib Dem in the first place. As far as I recall all the reasons you originally gave for voting Lib Dem instead of Labour have been more or less scotched by joining the coalition.

Perhaps Sam you can link to your pre-election posts in favour of the Lib Dem policies and let us know which of these are actually happening as part of the coalition.


D

"Vince Cable is increasingly looking like a Burnley supporter who finds himself in the middle of the Blackburn fans" Alistair Campbell. How true.

I'll look forward to that.

"Don't let anyone tell you that this time it can't be different - it can."

Nick Clegg

Well he did warn us!