LibDems - The Right in ascendency

Britain's Liberal Democrats, the third largest party in Parliament, are a funny bunch. They don't seem to know whether they are to the left or right of Labour. But after some dirty tussling over leadership, Sir Menzies (Ming) Campbell, backed by the right wing, has been appointed.

In 2004, a number of leading Liberal Democrats produced The Orange Book: Reclaiming Liberalism....In a series of 10 essays, the Orange Book came down firmly in favour of ...calling for the party to refashion itself as the champion of “free market” capitalism....David Laws, the party spokesman for work and pensions, argued for abolishing the state-run National Health Service and replacing it with an insurance scheme embracing the private sector....Clegg has made clear he intends to drive forward the policies of “tough liberalism” by sharpening up the party’s line on crime and rebutting claims that it is “soft” on law and order....David Laws, unveiled plans to remove welfare benefits from lone mothers.

Radical? Well not quite. Laws wants lone parents to support themselves when, wait for it, their youngest turns twelve. And in the May 2005 general election, the Liberal Democrats called for an increase in taxes on the rich to finance health and education. They do oppose ID cards and the war in Iraq.

It always surprises me how many political parties seem to tackle each issue in isolation without any underlying and guiding principle. A quick look at their website tells you diddly squat about what they actually stand for. Yet they win seats. Proof that the public vote for people - not policies, philosophies or principles.