Voting Lib Dem

I voted Lib Dem at the last election. And I would be more than happy to do so again*.

It isn’t just down to the fact that they made the right decision after the last election and decided not to prop up the failed Labour government – although, had they decided to back Brown, then I would rather have set myself on fire than ever back them again. No, there is another reason why I’d vote Lib Dem again – it is because they have been fantastically entertaining in power. An ongoing comedic bout of political slapstick is the best way to describe the Lib Dem side of the coalition. And at a time when the Tories are quietly getting on with the process of remembering how to run the country and Labour are saying and doing precisely nothing, it is nice to have a party in power who increasingly represent an episode of The Brittas Empire.

They’ve always had a propensity toward comedy – witness their 2006 leadership election, which consisted of senior members of their party washing their dirty linen in public before that party elected a doddery old fool. But since coming to real power, the party has been funnier than ever. Right from the get-go, when Cameron and Clegg did their rose garden press conference, the Lib Dems have been shedding whatever credibility they might have had at a startling rate. That press conference reminded me of an early 1990’s romantic comedy, with Cameron representing a fat Tom Hanks with Nick Clegg as a bemused looking version of Meg Ryan. From there, they have been unstoppable – witness David Laws, and his 22 days in power – the shortest ministerial career in history? Or Simon Hughes lurking in the background, acting like some sort of shady but utterly ineffective nemesis of the coalition’s plans. A bit like the Child Catcher, but without the gravitas and menace. And most recently, that wonderful, wonderful footage of Cable explaining to the world why he might abstain from a parliamentary vote on his own fucking policy! Pure, pure comedy.

It may seem a bit off to be deciding who to vote for based on their entertainment value, but then since all parties do fuck all when they get into power other than make things just a little bit different (and, more often than not, a little bit worse) it is as good a way of making the decision as any. The Lib Dems have always been glorified amateurs at the political game; it is hugely entertaining to see such amateurish behaviour writ large on the national political stage.

*Providing they don’t ditch Clegg and elect a left-winger like Simon F*cking Hughes. And assuming that there wasn’t a Libertarian candidate running in my constituency.