The UK Election!!!!

This makes the rather massive assumption that this is in fact possible. My extensive (albeit subjective) experience suggests that there is not a hope in hell that it is even remotely possible. People are stupid and insanely biased.Western countries have managed to achieve a level of government where that stupidity and insanity is largely contained, and episodes such as the Iraq war are simply a result of releasing the pressure somewhat.And should the UK ever turn into a democracy such as you envision, I will retire to my island base, and nuke the UK from orbit - it's the only way to be sure...

Yes, exactly. But knowing several senior CS, this is no comfort As Huntard perceptively points out - better the small number of idiots in Parliament and the demagogues in Whitehall than the 65 million idiots on the street!!

Of course not. What you have to remember is that the UK has not experienced this situation in nearly 40 years. For most of us, this is completely new territory. I think that Legend's objections are to be expected and somewhat reasonable. A Lib-Con alliance actually hits my politics spot-on (i.e. bizarre, perverse, but rarely boring) but I can see how it would be anathema for many Tory-voters and Lib-voters.

For me:

Deficit reduction

Troop withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan

I think the referendum is being viewed as a bizarre and unnecesaary distraction from the far more immediate concerns for the economy...