Left, right, left, right – the people and the policies splitting the Lib Dems in two
**THE RED LIBERALS*
*
*PEOPLE*
*Who's more red than blue?*
* *
*Vince Cable, *business secretary. Cable, a Labour councillor in Glasgow in the 1970s, has always been closer to Labour than Tories. The big question is: would he serve in a second coalition with the Tories?
*Simon Hughes, *justice minister and MP for Bermondsey, with its big housing estates, is unashamedly left on many issues. Has said the benefits cap will "damage the lives of literally hundreds of thousands of children".
*Tim Farron, *president of the Liberal Democrats, seems to find life with the Tories close to unbearable. Has described Tory immigration proposals as "ugly and stupid".
*ISSUES*
*On what do Libs swing Left?*
*Education*
Liberal Democrats detest the idea of allowing state schools to be run for profit, which is one of Michael Gove's objectives.
Also, they oppose the use of unqualified teachers. On both issues the party dovetails with Labour.
*Taxing the rich*
They want a mansion tax to hit owners of properties worth more than £2m, something Cameron will not do, and want tax cuts for low earners more than for the middle classes.
*Europe *
Pro-EU through and through, setting them miles apart from Tories and closer to Labour. Most Tories are now prepared to contemplate leaving the EU. Lib Dems are as determined as ever to be in there.
*Health*
Opposition to the market-based reforms of the NHS led by Tory health secretary Andrew Lansley was a key part of the Liberal Democrat plan to show clear blue water between them and the Tories.
*NORTH/SOUTH DIVIDE.*
Northern Lib Dems swing left to compete with Labour. They are angry that the coalition is not doing more to support the northern economy.
**THE BLUE LIBERALS*
*
*PEOPLE*
*Who's more blue than red?*
*Nick Clegg, *leader*. *Clegg was demonstrably happy to join a coalition with the Tories in 2010. He now says they have got worse, but is still regarded as more on the right than left.
*Danny Alexander, *chief secretary to the Treasury. Has been mocked by his party for being George's Osborne's willing accomplice. Condemned Ed Balls for proposing the reintroduction of the 50p tax rate.
*Jeremy Browne,* former home office minister who is so far to the right he almost falls off the edge. Criticised the Lib Dems for being a trolley that always veers to the left.
*David Laws,* education minister. Has called for deeper spending cuts and "lower marginal rates of tax at all income levels", though recently tore into Gove over independence of Ofsted.
*ISSUES.*
*On what do they swing right?*
*Economy*
Clegg, Alexander and Laws have been determined backers of Osborne's austerity plan and have not been derailed from that view by claims that deep public sector cuts have damaged growth. A lean state is best.
*Tuition fees*
Despite the huge damage inflicted upon Clegg's reputation, the party signed up to university tuition fees and is now refusing to budge on the issue. Labour wants to reform the system, but the Liberal Democrats believe the subject has been settled.
*Welfare*
Clegg's party is as one with the Tories on both the bedroom tax and the benefits cap. Clegg has echoed the Conservative line that limiting benefits to £500 a week will encourage people to move back into work.
*NORTH/SOUTH DIVIDE.*
On some issues - particularly Europe - Lib Dems in the south have to tack more to the right. Euro-enthusiasm is not a vote winner in the south-west where they remain strong. Reported by guardian.co.uk 6 hours ago.
**THE RED LIBERALS*
*
*PEOPLE*
*Who's more red than blue?*
* *
*Vince Cable, *business secretary. Cable, a Labour councillor in Glasgow in the 1970s, has always been closer to Labour than Tories. The big question is: would he serve in a second coalition with the Tories?
*Simon Hughes, *justice minister and MP for Bermondsey, with its big housing estates, is unashamedly left on many issues. Has said the benefits cap will "damage the lives of literally hundreds of thousands of children".
*Tim Farron, *president of the Liberal Democrats, seems to find life with the Tories close to unbearable. Has described Tory immigration proposals as "ugly and stupid".
*ISSUES*
*On what do Libs swing Left?*
*Education*
Liberal Democrats detest the idea of allowing state schools to be run for profit, which is one of Michael Gove's objectives.
Also, they oppose the use of unqualified teachers. On both issues the party dovetails with Labour.
*Taxing the rich*
They want a mansion tax to hit owners of properties worth more than £2m, something Cameron will not do, and want tax cuts for low earners more than for the middle classes.
*Europe *
Pro-EU through and through, setting them miles apart from Tories and closer to Labour. Most Tories are now prepared to contemplate leaving the EU. Lib Dems are as determined as ever to be in there.
*Health*
Opposition to the market-based reforms of the NHS led by Tory health secretary Andrew Lansley was a key part of the Liberal Democrat plan to show clear blue water between them and the Tories.
*NORTH/SOUTH DIVIDE.*
Northern Lib Dems swing left to compete with Labour. They are angry that the coalition is not doing more to support the northern economy.
**THE BLUE LIBERALS*
*
*PEOPLE*
*Who's more blue than red?*
*Nick Clegg, *leader*. *Clegg was demonstrably happy to join a coalition with the Tories in 2010. He now says they have got worse, but is still regarded as more on the right than left.
*Danny Alexander, *chief secretary to the Treasury. Has been mocked by his party for being George's Osborne's willing accomplice. Condemned Ed Balls for proposing the reintroduction of the 50p tax rate.
*Jeremy Browne,* former home office minister who is so far to the right he almost falls off the edge. Criticised the Lib Dems for being a trolley that always veers to the left.
*David Laws,* education minister. Has called for deeper spending cuts and "lower marginal rates of tax at all income levels", though recently tore into Gove over independence of Ofsted.
*ISSUES.*
*On what do they swing right?*
*Economy*
Clegg, Alexander and Laws have been determined backers of Osborne's austerity plan and have not been derailed from that view by claims that deep public sector cuts have damaged growth. A lean state is best.
*Tuition fees*
Despite the huge damage inflicted upon Clegg's reputation, the party signed up to university tuition fees and is now refusing to budge on the issue. Labour wants to reform the system, but the Liberal Democrats believe the subject has been settled.
*Welfare*
Clegg's party is as one with the Tories on both the bedroom tax and the benefits cap. Clegg has echoed the Conservative line that limiting benefits to £500 a week will encourage people to move back into work.
*NORTH/SOUTH DIVIDE.*
On some issues - particularly Europe - Lib Dems in the south have to tack more to the right. Euro-enthusiasm is not a vote winner in the south-west where they remain strong. Reported by guardian.co.uk 6 hours ago.