Before the 2010 election, the LibDems peddled themselves as being the party of 'No more broken promises'. Nick Clegg on Broken Promises. "Broken Promises - there have been too many in the last few years".
What was the LibDem's biggest promise? "I pledge to vote against ANY rise in tution fees".
I have heard the argument "But we didn't win the election, and therefore couldn't enact all of our manifesto". Frankly that is a ridiculous argument. Because the pledge to VOTE AGAINST any rise in tuition fees would ONLY be valid in the event of the LibDems NOT winning the election outright. If the LibDems had won outright, they presumably would not have introduced a bill increasing tuition fees, and therefore there would be no opportunity to VOTE AGAINST such a rise. The only opportunity to vote against a rise in tuition fees would be if the LibDems were in opposition, or in coalition, not in government on their own.
Bearing that in mind, how can you possibly expect a voter to ever trust a word a Liberal Democrat says again? Your manifesto will not be worth the paper it is written on, because you have proven that you will say anything to win votes in the election, and your promises that you bought the votes with may be cast aside immediately. I (to my shame) voted Liberal Democrat because our candidate assured me that in our area, the only way to keep the Tories out was by voting Liberal Democrat. He reassured me they would not be enabling a Tory Government, because Nick Clegg 'would not be a kingmaker'. For the first time ever I am glad a Conservative won our area, because at least I know my vote has not gone towards electing this terrible Government, which in my view is undemocratic, on account of the positions the relative parties took prior to the election - Labour and LibDem both took a position of a slower, shallower cut to the deficit, and this position gathered over 15 million votes, compared to 10 million votes for the Conservative sharp, deep cuts proposal. Therefore I regard this coalition as entirely undemocratic.
So my question is - how can you possibly expect any voter to believe or trust a word you say ever again? Please don't answer with a 'spun party line' - I've heard them all, and would like an honest answer, not one that begins "we didn't win the election", or "working together in the national interest".