Why are the Liberal Democrats seen as a Labour alternative...

Amp34

Amp34

Amp34

Caporegime
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...not a Conservative alternative?

Obviously it's changed a little since the last election but I'm always suprised when people express confusion when I suggest Lib Dems and Conservative ideals are similar. So many people see them as some kind of Labour alternative, which I find a little confusing sometimes.

Is it due to the past, or the present? Due to the merging of two seperate parties in the 80s?

To me the modern Conservative party is aligned in most of it's major philosophy with the Liberal side of the Lib Dems, moreso than Labour Philosophy with the Social side of the Lib Dems.

Am I completely wrong or are there just too many students* with no idea of the history and present of the Lib Dems?

Enlighten me please:)

*Yeah I am a student as well...;)
 
Lib Dem and Labour are left-wing. Conservatives are right-wing.

It's why the conservatives wanted FPTP, they know they are the only real choice on the right, whereas the left is split.

edit: it's actually even in the names... 'Liberal' Democrats as opposed to the 'Conservatives'
 
Well, I'm a student of political science, and I would both agree, and disagree with you. ;) :D

It's important to remember that the Liberal Democrats are not the Liberal party. They're a coalition of both the Liberal party, and the Social Democratic Party. As such, you're going to have strong elements from each side at the top of the Lib Dems. You've got a large amount of Orange Book Liberals formulating policy, but as you say, the bulk of their support comes from the left who do see their heart as being closer to the Labour party than to the Tories.

I would say that the Liberal Democrat policy priorities are much closer to Labour, and they even try to dress up their more liberal/conservative stances as being so. They definitely try to market themselves as a party of the left, so it's no wonder that people see them as that, really.
 
KNiVES said:
Lib Dem and Labour are left-wing. Conservatives are right-wing.

It's why the conservatives wanted FPTP, they know they are the only real choice on the right, whereas the left is split.

edit: it's actually even in the names... 'Liberal' Democrats as opposed to the 'Conservatives'
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Labour have not been 'left-wing' for decades...
 
Conservatives can be trusted with the country.

Lib Dems/Labour want to implement ridiculous ill-conceived ideologies at the cost of economic and political stability. Hence the mess we are in.
 
New Labour tried to be caring Thatcherism, true left wingers are unelectable, in fact the lib dems are more left than the Labour party and have nothing in common with the Tories policy wise.

The conservatives will destroy the country, but then so would Labour.
 
naffa said:
Well, I'm a student of political science, and I would both agree, and disagree with you. ;) :D

It's important to remember that the Liberal Democrats are not the Liberal party. They're a coalition of both the Liberal party, and the Social Democratic Party. As such, you're going to have strong elements from each side at the top of the Lib Dems. You've got a large amount of Orange Book Liberals formulating policy, but as you say, the bulk of their support comes from the left who do see their heart as being closer to the Labour party than to the Tories.

I would say that the Liberal Democrat policy priorities are much closer to Labour, and they even try to dress up their more liberal/conservative stances as being so. They definitely try to market themselves as a party of the left, so it's no wonder that people see them as that, really.
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That's kinda my point, the LDs are in the centre essentially (in the sense of being between the two main parties), with overlapping policy points with both the Conservatives and Labour, yet somehow those Labour leaning don't seem to realise this?

Looking at their policies, both historic and current, even though they seem to try and align themselves with Labour they appear to be very be more related to conservative policy, essentially less state interference?*

I ask this because my standard reply to someone asking me which party I supported/voted for is replied with me usually swinging between Lib Dem and Conservative...

*In the smaller state/less spending and more social responsibility/less regulation.
 
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The Liberal Party have historically been the opposition to the Conservatives in this country until the rise of Labour. The Social Democrat Party was formed by disgruntled Labour MPs. Now they've merged into the LibDems, I guess their supporters have maintained a deep-down mistrust of the Conservative party - not that there are many Whigs still around in the LibDems though.
 
scott212 said:
Historically speaking the Tories always clean up Labour's economic mess.

Then Labour inherit a strong economy and proceed in destroying it.

The pendulum swings.
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not really, just an urban myth, the Tories bleed the economy dry and labour spend into oblivion.

Neither approach works.

If Maggie and Major had done such a great job, why did labour sweep to power with such a huge majority?
 
scorza said:
The Liberal Party have historically been the opposition to the Conservatives in this country until the rise of Labour. The Social Democrat Party was formed by disgruntled Labour MPs. Now they've merged into the LibDems, I guess their supporters have maintained a deep-down mistrust of the Conservative party - not that there are many Whigs still around in the LibDems though.
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I remember that , David Owen, Shirley Williams and Roy Jenkins, who was the other one? Just checked, Bill Rodgers.

Shirley Williams is still around, she must be a bit aghast that the Lib Dems are propping up the Tories.
 
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