Conforming to Liberal Democrat Stereotypes

Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we cannot shake of the shackles of our stereotyped image in the Liberal Democrats.

No matter how many times I deny it, I can guarantee whenever I go to a regional conference I will always find some Lib Dems who do indeed have big bushy beards and some of them do indeed wear sandals. Yes, they do make up a tiny minority, but they do exist (much like the "Blue Rinses" and "flag waving xenophobes" in the Tories and the "Trots" in Labour.

I have also noticed though a tendency in the leadership election to also conform to other stereotyped views. Firstly, we are accused of saying one thing and then doing another. In the case of the 5 Tracks blog, it appears that dithering has become something of an art form. However, he ought to be praised for being honest and aren't blogs allowed or indeed supposed to be a way of thinking out loud ? At first he thought Huhne was the man for him, and now he thinks Clegg is. To be fair to 5tracks, at least he has made a decision.

I, sadly, conform to that other great Lib Dem stereotype. I am a fence sitter. Yes, I cannot make a decision and indeed, given my support of Ming, and then turning Judas on him, I cannot think that either side will be forming a queue for my support. I have felt in the last few days that Huhne has had the edge in terms of ideas, policy and campaigning but Nick Clegg's speech at the National Liberal Club has proved he has got the ideas and the vision too.

So in the interim, I'll have to remain on the fence and at least keep people happy in the knowledge that I am a proper Lib Dem.