http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8263813.stm

Cameron might be a twit (in fact, I'm pretty sure of it ), but I'd still trust him over Clegg or most of the Lib Dems... I have to say I don't think the Lib Dems cost-cutting proposals there will do them any harm come election time though, assuming they can pull them off

Lib Dem FTW!

Seriously though, have we not learned that both Labour and Conservatives just f**k everything up in an ever repeating cycle? Perhaps it's time to give someone else a go.

I think they could do quite well with a few more people like Cable, but Clegg would need to put a lot more work in just to get the party noticed if nothing else...

That I don't doubt - Lib Dem need to have a word with Apple.

I just get annoyed that Labour f**ked it all up, then the Tories f**ked it all up, then New Labour got elected, said "things can only get better" and f**ked it all up and now the Tories will get elected and f**k it all up.

Truthfully the last time any governement did anything truly great was in 1948 when Nye Bevan started the NHS. Since then all we've had is a long list of substitute teachers.

Finally, someone has seen Cameron for what he really is.

A big part of the problem is that no matter who gets in you still have the same clueless civil servants overseeing ground level operations (though I have reason to believe some of the ones over here have more of a clue than the MLAs they answer to ), though they are obviously doing their best with some of the absolute nonsense that comes down from on-high...

Another aspect is the politicians carrying on doing what they've been getting away with, the expenses scandal being a good example, meaning any promising new blood gets swept up in the ways of old (just look at the younger Labour members)

Good people do go into politics, hoping to change the system.

The system soon changes them...

and that is the truth
for things to change the whole system has to change …

I think the LibDems get a bit hard done by.

They really should get some credit for predicting the recent financial crash several years ago.

They do get hard done by, but I think it's mostly cos they don't seem to have concrete policies, at least as far as the public are concerned - I suspect most people couldn't tell you where the Lib Dems stand on the given issues

I'm only speculating, I'm something of an outsider

I don't doubt your right about the general publics ability to identify Lib Dem policies are concerned however it's a bit unfair to say they don't have concrete policies. Quite to the contrary, out of the three main parties I think they have had the most consistent polices over the long term. Things like changing income tax, proportional representation (although that at least is a little self serving), and scraping our nuclear weapons.

There are advantages to realising you have no real chance of getting into power in that you can be far more honest about what you want to do if you get in. How much would actually be delivered if the Lib Dems somehow did get in would be interesting.

The point above about the civil service however is rather well made. Sadly, to replace the system would require it to be comepletely broken up first which would result in utter chaos in the interim time.

^ I meant the public aren't sure if their policies are concrete or not - you often get the impression the party itself isn't sure sometimes, although that could be because they don't seem as PR savvy as the big two...