Round Two in the UK Debate

Last night at dinner my 23 year old daughter announced that in addition to her German and American passport she was now applying for a British passport. I am not sure what all her reasons are but I know that she was annoyed that she is unable to vote in the upcoming UK Parliamentary elections so I am sure that is one of them.

In fact, in what I think is a very good sign for (British) politics it appears that her friends and associates-she is a medical student, her friends are either in University or at the beginning of their careers-are all very much engaged in this election.

She mentioned that before the recent smear campaign(her words)by the Tories against Mr Brown she was open to at least a discussion about the Conservatives. Now, however, after two weeks of billboards attacking Brown without any indication of what Mr Cameron would actually do she is quite convinced that the Conservatives won't be getting her vote.

Furthermore she finds it difficult to believe that the Tories would actually decrease the gap between rich and poor; will save the NHS; have any idea how to address youth unemployment; have a strategy to fix the pensions mess; and have a viable plan to decrease the national debt. Somehow platitudes like going after the "causes" of whatever falls on deaf ears. For her the campaign has moved to a choice between Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

Interestingly enough this morning in the BBC News Show the same discussions were aired. Again those interviewed were primarily either university students-tonight's debate is in Bristol-or young professionals. They too were almost universally dismayed by the Tory campaign, had that quintessentially British fascination with the need for change (for the sake of change) and so were almost unanimously leaning towards Mr Clegg and his Liberal Democrats.