Party politics

IT is becoming increasingly evident that the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats are not the perfect bedfellows. Traditional Tory voters are defecting to the United Kingdom Independence Party and Lib/Dem supporters are turning to Labour. The latest opinion polls make bad reading; the Tories are under the 30 percent mark and the Liberal Democrats are under 15. At the same time thetwo parties are locked in a bitter dispute over spending cuts. Tory back-benchers want welfare cuts the Liberal Democrats don´t. Prime Minister David Cameron can´t continue to alienate his party's grass root support. It was evident at the Eastleigh by-election that they are not happy. So what can David Cameron do? He can´t call an early election because Labour would win by a landslide and win up to 90 Conservative seats, according to the latest opinion polls. The only thing he can do is stand firm and risk further battles with the Liberal Democrats. If spending cuts have to be made I don´t think any department should be ring fenced. The National Health Service must also make cuts. It would be hugely unfair if the axe was to fall again on the defence budget. If they are not careful both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats risk being blown out of the water by their own voters and giving UKIP and Labour an important victory. Unfortunately for as long as they remain in coalition together I can´t see them patching up their big differences.