The Tories won the election
So they were chosen by the people as the most popular party. The Lib Dem manifesto was written on the proviso that they won the election, they didn't they don't have the power to enforce their policies. They have diluted some Tory policies, but if you think having a 16% Lib Dem Government means they will be able to implement their manifesto as they see fit then you are wrong.

If the lib dems had to make some sacrifices to make the coalition work, and they had to make a lot more sacrifices than the Tories because they won a lot less seats. If they hadn't made those sacrifices and formed a coalition then there would have been a re-election and everyone who was anti-tory would vote labour and everyone who was anti labour would vote tory. The lib dems would have been screwed.

Until the elctoral reform comes into play, which is what they fought most strongly for, they will never stand a chance in this country.
(Little Animal Disaster isn't finishing what he started, Fri 24 Dec 2010, 10:45, 1 reply)

The Tories
DIDN'T win the last election thats the entire point. They didn't win enough votes to form a government and neither did Labour hence one party or another needed the Lib Dems or less likely a coalition of the other lesser parties to form a government. If Clegg and his cronies had been smart (and or had a spine or principals) they would have agreed to the coalition and then just stuck to their guns on their own policies. They had a chance at real power as the Tories cannot get anything done without their support.
As it is Clegg has made them unelectable for a very very long time
(andythepieman Is surfing the waves of indifference on, Fri 24 Dec 2010, 12:03, closed)