The cosmopolitanism of Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, is perhaps best summed up by this simple news item:
Nick Clegg says he hopes his three young sons, Antonio, eight, Alberto, five and Miguel, one, will be able to return to UK tomorrow after being stranded in Spain due to the Iceland volcano ash. They were staying with the family of his wife, Miriam Gonzalez Durantez in Olmedo.
Clegg favors an amnesty for illegal immigrants, British adoption of the euro, an end to the UK's nuclear deterrent, withdrawal from Afghanistan, and beefing up civil liberties:
We will introduce a Freedom Bill to restore and protect our most important liberties. We will scrap expensive and unnecessary ID Cards; remove innocent people from the criminal DNA database; restore the right to protest and freedom of speech; and restore other vital freedoms. We will protect people’s privacy by strengthening data protection laws and stopping unnecessary state intervention in our lives.
The Lib-Dems want strong government intervention on environmental grounds:
Liberal Democrats will drive a massive programme of investment in renewable energy sources such as wind, wave and solar. We will also transform the National Grid into a smart decentralised grid which will respond dynamically to the changing patterns of energy demand. Smart metering and guaranteed prices will unlock the potential of local and community energy generation, giving people control over the energy they use.
They back cutting income tax for the poor, while raising it on the rich. They also backed the scientists over the government in assessing the social harm of marijuana and other soft drugs.