Has the Lib Dem leader now proved his critics wrong?

Question

the lib dem conference has been by and large a big success for wee old Menzies Campbell - who long do you think this will last though?

Has anyone decided to vote for the Lib Dems this time around?

Answer 1

Well the Lib Dems seem to be gaining in the polls at the moment. 2 % up on their previous position in last Sunday's ICM poll. The conference certainlty can't have done them any harm.

Their moderate, reforming, left of centre agenda certainly does seem to be striking a chord with a lot of people who are fed up with the Tories, but would never consider voting Labour and vice versa.

Quite a few people here on Y/A would prefer you to believe that dissafected Tories are going to UKIP, or the vile BNP. The polls however show that this isn't the case, since support for the minor parties is falling. It seems much more likely that the recent 2% fall in the Tory vote has gone largely to the Lib Dems.

I don't think the recent Lib Dem increase in popularity is so much down to Menzies Campbell doing anything to prove his critics wrong, however. It might be more that the fiasco of Charles Kennedy's replacement isn't so fresh in peoples minds any more, so the Lib Dems are regaining support previously lost.

How long their current success will last, I think largely depends on Gordon Brown and David Cameron rather than Menzies Campbell. If Brown and/or Cameron perform poorly, the Lib Dems can only go from strength by gaining support from people dissafected with the two main parties. If Brown or Cameron are more successful, Labour and the Tories may attract votes back from the Lib Dems.

Personally I have lost any trust I had in the Lib Dems, after the blatant lies they told in their election leaflets during the last Scottish Parliamentary election.


By the way - Americans: This question was asked in UK answers. Please check that you are seeing US questions only, rather than answering questions on UK politics that you know nothing about.

Answer 2

what is the lib dem conference?

I've never heard of such a thing...

Who are these liberals that people keep talking about?
Last I heard, Rosie O'Donnell was not a senator...

Answer 3

as awful as the dems are, the alternative has simply become unthinkable.

i'll never vote republican ever again - not after rubber stamping the bush admin.

they are a national disgrace and need to be severely punished for their traitorous behavior.

oversight was their JOB and they didn't do it.

i say the republicans should be removed from american politics.

or as bush likes to say:
fool me once - shame on you.
fool me again - won't be fooled again...

Answer 4

it looks as if the petraeus lies did not work, according to the latest polls.