(Note to American members, this is a political party in the United Kingdom which has nothing whatsoever to do with the Democrats in the USA!)

The "student" riots in London yesterday have raised some interesting points with regard to the Liberal Democrats position, especially since before the election they were definitively against exactly what they are now pushing through.

Are they going to be able to survive as a distinct political party? Certainly for myself Liberal Democrats == Conservative Party. They have their place around the cabinet table at the moment but come 2015 (if we get that far) and the next election will they be able to stand on their own platform and attract their own voters, or will those who voted LibDem this year decide just to vote Labour or Tory instead and cut out the middle man?

Have they consigned themselves to years in the wilderness and a long spell of 2 party politics in the UK?