PS

As for the Lib Dem question, all of the furore around the fees pledge just highlights to me how easy it is for some parties to make promises when there is a slim chance of their ever getting into power to carry it out.

I do think these are extremely difficult times and the coalition is a necessary evil, and any party would have done the same as the Lib Dems as it is probably better to be in power just a little bit rather than be out of it. The truth will come as and when things settle down, when we have got through the worst of the cuts, which is when we will see how ardently the Lib Dems sign up to Tory policy.