Choice, integrity and the Lib Dems

Here is one long-serving Lib Dem who agrees with practically every word of your leader (8 March) and pleased to see a change from the seemingly endless criticism of our party. But when you speak of us hoping "for a better time ahead, as economic conditions improve", I feel bound to report with some dismay what I heard a few days ago, at a local party function, from a Lib Dem MP. He blandly described the coalition's expectation for the runup to the 2015 election: that as it approached, the "nationalised" banks would have recovered and, having been purchased very cheaply, they could be sold off for a massive profit to the government. That would so transform its economic fortunes that it (but who?) could sail through to victory. I didn't quite hear the words "giveaway budget", but they didn't seem far away. No thank you. You say that for us "to cut and run from the coalition is scarcely a credible option". In those terms perhaps not, but I have believed for some time that Nick Clegg has lost sight of the power we hold as the party that consented to let Cameron form a government. In his determination to appear always loyal to the coalition it looks as though it was Cameron who did the consenting, not us. A Lib Dem walkout might at least slam the door for a time on the early implementation of some of the most damaging policies, on the NHS, education, local government and several more, being promoted by some of the most ideologically motivated Tory zealots. I know I am not alone in believing that almost everything we hold dear hangs on the outcome of this weekend's party conference and I just hope there are enough people there with the courage to save us. Michael Quinton Lancaster • Oh that it were true that "Lib Dems stare silently at their feet whenever the coalition does something particularly egregious". Unfortunately, as a Liberal/Lib Dem activist for almost 50 years, I am haunted by the opposite, particularly the vision of Nick Clegg putting his arm round George Osborne and congratulating him on a budget which betrayed all the teachings of Keynes. If arcane rules of collective responsibility preclude Lib Dems in government from verbally dissociating themselves from decisions alien to the tenets of liberal democracy, then at least some distancing by body language would be welcome. For Lib Dem MPs not members of the government an opportunity arises to establish the party's true stance at this weekend's spring conference. An amendment heavily critical of the NHS reforms and, in particular, the opening up of NHS services to "any willing provider" is to be debated. By supporting this they can express their vigorous opposition and the party can be seen to be doing its best to stop this ideologically driven quasi-privatisation in its tracks. Peter Wrigley Birstall, Yorkshire • It is by no means obvious that "the Lib Dems made the only plausible choice they could". Suppose Nick Clegg had settled for supporting a minority Tory government on a "confidence and supply" basis. It is at least arguable that this option would have enabled them to fend off fiscal "shock and awe" in favour of a more balanced and less ideological approach to the four questions that had to be addressed in framing a plan to reduce Britain's budget deficit: how much fiscal tightening is necessary? When should it start? How quickly should it be completed? And what balance should be struck between cutting spending and raising taxes? Contrary to coalition claims, there is no evidence that last May Britain stood on the brink of a Greek- or Irish-style sovereign debt crisis. David Purdy Stirling • YouGov asked people before the election how they thought they would react to a Con-Dem coalition. Just 11% of Lib Dems said they would be delighted. Four times as many, 43%, said they would be dismayed. That 80% of Lib Dem respondents anticipating dismay at a Con-Dem coalition furnish the perfect rationale for Liberal Democrats MPs to rediscover their integrity and cross the floor in Westminster before the destruction of the NHS and much else has been secured. Hilary Burrage Liverpool • One way of persuading the Liberal Democrats to change their stance over the proposed reforms will be to target their candidates in the forthcoming local elections and to ask them where they stand on a piece of legislation which formed no part of the coalition agreement. The party is proud of its record at local level and a disastrous performance in May might encourage them to regain their own identity and to cease being supine lobby fodder. Chris Thompson Cromford, Derbyshire