GORDON HENDERSON MP

The clear message coming out of this week's Liberal Democrat Conference is that at the next General Election people will have a straight choice between voting for a Conservative government, or a Labour government.

Have those who are inclined to vote Liberal Democrat for the best of reasons - whether it be they believe in liberalism, or in democracy - thought this one through? Don't they realise that if the Tories lose the only government they will get will be a Labour one?

Even if there were to be a shift in voting intentions of seismic proportions and a Liberal Democrat government was elected, judging from some of the policies coming out of Bournemouth in the past couple of days, we might just as well have a Labour government!

Take the policy announced yesterday that Lib Dems would impose an extra tax on those living in a house worth over £1 million. That is not liberalism, it is socialism - pure and simple.

Never mind that people living in a £1 million house might be struggling to pay the mortgage on their home (just ask some of those living in not such grand London town houses), or, that a widow might be forced out of the home left to her by her husband, because she has insufficient income to pay the Lib Dems' new annual "mansion" tax. Never mind because at least it got them noticed!

But the strangest news to emerge this week was that in the eventuality of a hung Parliament these so called "liberals" would prefer to work with Labour, rather than the Tories, by a margin of three to one.

That is quite extraordinary when you consider that they would be propping up the most illiberal administration in living memory. Identity Cards et al.

We might yet see that old cliche of an election slogan: "Vote Lib Dem - get Labour" rolled out at the next General Election, only this time it could be true!