Re: Since the Lib-Dems dropped off the face of the Earth
they dropped off the face of the earth partly (at least) because they promised not to vote for higher education fees when they get into power. Some people genuinely believed they would be 'different' to labour (which broke promises) and conservatives (that broke promises) so they voted for lib-dems. And once in government, the lib-dems quickly broke their promise, which was particularly glaring, given a large proportion of their voters were students (I wasn't, by the way, but I was observing from the sidelines) and instead of 'doing the right thing', i.e. old fashioned - resigning from government, they started (yes Clegg, you, _personally_) to offer usual, typical, political weasel bullshit, e.g. that they can't resign, nosir, cause they have to try and limit damage being done by the conservatives, their senior gov partner. People remembered the glaring discrepancy between a new party that promised a break from the usual political empty promises (before election), and reality (post election), and that was, in effect, the end of that party.
Naturally, most people who vote labour or conservatives, are more pragmatic or resigned (or hypocritical, arguably), they know they vote for lying (...), they simply have no choice about lying v. true-to-their word, and chose those they 'like' most.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
