Lib Dem Hopes or pipe dreams

Nick Clegg is playing a dangerous game, ditching the unwritten alliance with the labour party and making a bid for the official opposition seat if not the dispatch box itself. Is this a brave move or a juvenile prank? Whilst he denounces both the Tories and Labour for not telling the truth about the extent of the countries deficit he is in danger of loosing votes by dropping the pledge to remove tuition fees. Can he afford to upset any sector of voters if he is really serious about his party's claim to be the a contender for Government. A qualifier that a review of tuition fees and entry into higher education with a pledge to cap existing levels of tuition fees until that review was complete would have sounded better than just the honest statement that neither the Tories or Lib Dems could say exactly how they would get us out of this whole until after they have had an opportunity to examine the books in detail, after the election. And the Labour Government wouldn't even admit to just how large this hole is even if they were re-elected, or if they did the blame would be cast on someone else who had been digging away whilst the Government's back was turned.

In the Liberal Moment references are made to the Gladstone Government and the huge reforms brought about by a Liberal Government. I don't know whether we are again at such a moment but there is little chance that the Labour party can win another term of office and can we be any more confident that the Conservatives under Cameron will be any more successful in bringing about the changes that are so urgently needed. The Tories may have sorted out many of the labour problems we were experiencing in the 60s and 70s but they squandered our oil revenue and sold off the family silver to do so. Apart from removing the Bank of England from Government control, the Labour Government has followed the Tory line of deregulation of the money markets but have regulated, for the sake of it, just about everything else.

It is time for a real change and I for one am prepared to give the Lib Dems a chance. At least we would have a competent Chancellor in Vince Cable and whilst I am not a supporter of the un-elected Ministers that we have seen multiply under Labour, I would be prepared to see Shirley Williams brought into the Cabinet to give support to what would admittedly be an untested Cabinet. She would not wish to remain there any longer than necessary and would be a great asset to the Country.