Political shift

I have become the person I hoped I would never be.

At university, I was very left-wing in my views and was outside the mainstream of all major political parties.

Then I because a member of the Labour Party and was generally happy with their political stance on most things.

At the last election, however, I could not bring myself to vote Labour. I cancelled my membership, gritted my teeth, and voted Lib Dem.

I now find myself, not disappointed in their coalition with the Tories, but admiring of their political courage in not being afraid of grasping power and taking tough decisions. Nick Clegg continues to impress me.

So whilst I know that many Lib Dem supporters are horrified, I maintain my support for the Coalition and the Lib Dem role in this. They have helped temper the excesses of the Tories. Of course they have had to compromise but, hey, they hold less than 10% of seats at Westminster. They are punching above their weight, doing it in the national interest and doing it sensibly.

Have I simply become a realist or is self-interest starting to drive my political views? I hope it is not the latter. But I have certainly shifted my political position. And, strangely, I am entirely comfortable with that.

I hope for some form of proportional representation, for gay marriage, for support for a multi-cultural Britain, for assisted suicide, for rehabilitation of prisoners, and for resistance to faith schools. I remain socially progressive. But I am becoming economically prudent.

Maybe it's an age thing.