Quote:
Originally Posted by MTVN
Tough for the Lib Dems holding their conference last when Labour and the Tories have nicked two of their core policies; the mansion tax and the increasing the tax free threshold to £12,500
It's not a popular opinion but I have a lot of sympathy and time for the Lib Dems, I feel they did what they needed to do and what was in the public interest in forming a coalition and that they've fought tooth and nail to uphold their values and water down Tory policies as much as they feasibly can as the minority partner
|
I take the opposite view, as all I see is that they threw out just about all their principles and values to get a shared time in Govt.
In truth, they should have been the stronger element in this coalition, the reality for the minority Conservative party was that without the Lib Dems they could get nothing passed at all really.
So where did the NHS reforms come from, neither party in the coalition had them in their manifesto, yet they got supported by the Lib Dems.
The severity of the policies against the most vulnerable, where did the support for those come from the Lib Dems.
In 2010 the Lib Dems were more to the left of politics than Labour,yet they could support such measures.
There are really only 3 things the Lib Dems can take any credit for, that was the AV referendum,they never even pushed for a full PR referendum or discussion.
That was lost.
The 2nd thing was the legislation to ensure the Govt stayed in power for the full 5 years, that was only in their own interest too.
The final thing was the increasing of the tax threshold,which really the Conservatives would have likely done but would have also done for the top end of paying tax too again.
All they have done is allow something like 70% of the Conservative manifesto and further extreme policies get through Parliament.
The problem for the Lib Dems now are, that voters haven't a clue what their values or principles are anymore,what they thought they stood for,no matter the policy, they have seen them thow out completely for a time in Govt.
So why should they be believed again.
The media could simply replay the whole 2010 election campaign as to the Lib Dems, saying this what they said needed to be done and then look at what they supported.
It would be massively enlightening and and also a massive condemnation of the principles of the Lib Dems under Nick Clegg's leadership and it is why, no matter whatever else happens in 2015, they will be heavily hit by the voters who did put their trust in them and who have had to wait a full 5 years to get their votes back to now use against them.
That's my take on the Lib Dems now anyway and I was one who did trust them, never ever again.