Election Post Mortem (from a Lib-Dem non-voter)

The election results were very disappointing, but I console myself that they had an element of justice.

LibDems were punished for the tuition fee débacle

I agree that punishment at the ballot box is the only way to deal with the tuition fee lie: to the end it was not acknowledged that LibDems had a choice in the matter, compounding the lie with Clegg's "rock and hard place" and Cable's 'achieved a better outcome' comments.  So Cable was ousted, and Clegg remains to deal with the consequences - no escape for him.

However, my own decision was that there are not enough alternatives to change my vote because of it, but I can't forgive without perceiving remorse for the deception rather than irritation at the consequence.

Meanwhile in Labour...

There were other satisfying manifestations of justice aside from Lib-Dems: yay-hey... Ed Balls had spouted complete bollocks about the economy for five years, and his constituency made him pay for it.  In the end it's comparable with the Clegg/Cable story: Labour opposed every coalition saving to fix the economic disaster of their own making.  Miliband ended-up saying Labour hadn't overspent, Balls demanded they spend more.  The electorate saw through it: Balls got his comeuppance and Miliband is left to face the music.  Fair-dos.

But LibDems were great in government!

I felt that in government, LibDems did an awesome job with the economy and moderating tory extremes.  I tried to persuade everyone I knew of reasons for supporting LibDem, until the week before the election, when Nick Clegg laid out his red lines.

Lib-Dems de-robed themselves of EU support

The red-lines didn't include opposing an EU in/out referendum, and that means the LibDems would prop-up the Tories a scheme resulting in our exit of the EU.  I was stunned by that.  The one thing I would have bet my shirt on is that Lib-Dems would support EU Membership in any way possible.

Even the end result is better than that, where a handful of LibDems are free from the shackles of coalition.

Do I misunderstand Clegg's position?

Clegg said that he would campaign for us staying in the EU.  First of all, that's worth nothing: the Lib-Dems are hopeless at campaigning.  They accepted Cameron's proposal for 'the wrong kind of' Proportional Representation, and had lost the referendum without anybody realising they had made any case for it!

What wasn't assessed is that the Tories are not a single party on Europe: half of them are much more closely aligned with UKIP.  Whatever deal Cameron makes with the EU, whether or not he recommends an "In" vote, half of his party will campaign for "Out".

Justice Served... with a heavy heart

And that is why I didn't vote at all in the election.  My conscience is at least clear that I haven't voted for a party which would help BRExit.