New Lib-Dem leader Nick Clegg has announced that the Lib-Dems will back a Tory minority government so long as it promises some "liberal" measures (such as, for example, "liberating" schools from local authority control).

Since 1997, sizeable numbers of formerly solid Labour voters, or leftish-minded young people, have taken to voting Liberal Democrat because the Lib-Dems seem a "realistic" option, and a bit more leftish than New Labour.

In fact the Lib-Dems have been moving right since 1997. Let's hope Clegg's statement gives pause to those left-minded people with illusions in the Lib-Dems.

Clegg's statement also increases the already high probability that by some time in 2009 we will have a Tory government. As things are going now, only some petty scandal engulfing David Cameron, or a complete failure to eventuate of the apparently-looming world recession, is likely to avoid that.