Letters: Fear and loathing at the ballot box

Martin Kettle is baffled by the virulence of the criticisms made of Nick Clegg (This hatred of Clegg says more about us than him, 22 April). I am not one bit bemused. I still have the Lib Dem election publicity from a year ago in which that party presented itself as a staunch opponent of the Conservatives, and what they planned to implement were they to be elected. Clegg's subsequent participation in the Conservative-led government is not that of a fifth wheel, it is that of a facilitator. Without Lib Dem participation, the Conservatives would not be able to implement their programme that is bringing in policies that aim to destroy the welfare state. In exchange we get a few paltry concessions that cost nothing, and the irrelevancy that is the AV referendum.

This current government is the most destructive in living memory; the widespread hatred shown towards Clegg is a clear recognition on the part of many people of his crucial role in its formation and continued existence.

Dr Paul Flewers

London

? Why on earth should we be asked to navigate the marshes of semantics on behalf of Nick Clegg? Where precisely is the dividing line between extreme disapproval and hatred? In this case, who cares? Because of Clegg the country is now governed by two first-past-the-post losers who have perversely seized the opportunity to abandon their pre-election promises and make it all up as they go along. His betrayals include faster and deeper public spending cuts and increased tuition fees. His ultimate disgrace is to have ushered in the NHS reforms plan ? which was not even in the coalition agreement and would surely have been a massive vote-loser in any party's election manifesto. For Lib Dems specifically, his humiliation is to have reduced their long-term commitment to proportional representation to the molehill of AV ? and not even that, just a referendum about it. What a negotiator!

As long as Clegg understands the widespread abhorrence that exists towards his continuation in politics, because of his personal culpability for reducing our democracy to its current sorry state, I really don't mind what word is used.

Dave Bradney

Llanrhystud, Dyfed

? Martin Kettle is wrong when he says: "The thing we really hate, I suspect, is the difficulty of getting hard things right." No, what we really hate is that the vulnerable and weak are disproportionately suffering the consequences of the bankers' gross incompetence, irresponsibility, destructiveness and greed. And no politician has had the balls to express this and really take them on. The pusillanimous Clegg is the easy target, but the fault is with them all.

"Hate" might seem the right word for what is being felt , but it's not quite correct. The English have a strong sense of justice. Truly what is being felt is outrage.

David Crosher

Taunton, Somerset

? The hatred of Nick Clegg could be somewhat lessened if he decided to support the overwhelming rejection of Lansley's infamous bill on the NHS by the Lib Dem spring conference, and pressed Cameron to withdraw the bill.

Lawrie Nerva

Hon secretary, Aneurin Bevan Society

? Vince Cable must think Labour supporters are stupid (Vote yes to AV and end Tories' dominance, 23 April). The Lib Dem leadership, supported by the entire Lib Dem parliamentary party, decided to go into coalition with the Conservatives, breaking all the main promises in the Lib Dem manifesto. Vince needs AV to prevent his party being wiped out at the next election and to safeguard the Conservative-led government he supports from collapsing. Both outcomes desired by Vince will only frustrate the hopes and wishes of Labour supporters, who should therefore vote No in the referendum. If former Lib Dem voters wish to avoid the Conservatives dominating British politics, they should support Ed Miliband's reformed Labour party. If Vince Cable wants the same, his first step is to resign from the government that he clearly has little sympathy with.

Roger Titcombe

Ulverston, Cumbria

? It's a bit rich for Vince Cable to be lecturing others about the need for a voice for the progressive majority in this country when his party throughout the last century diluted the anti-Tory vote, thus ensuring power never reached the people. The Labour party was formed at the beginning of the 20th century precisely because the political carve-up between the Tories and Liberals throughout the 19th century had ensured that the voices of the ordinary people had not been heard.

The Liberals could have thrown their weight behind the Labour party to enable a progressive 20th century but they were conspicuous in their lack of solidarity and support for the working people of Britain and instead took up esoteric pursuits that allowed them to preach without responsibility. As the Blair governments proved, a progressive majority does exist in this country and if the Labour party once again has a coherent plan, and has ditched the partisan posturing within its ranks, it will get a whopping majority, regardless of the system of voting we have. AV is a sideshow.

Chris Trude

London

? Twice Nick Clegg bottled the chance to force a referendum on not just AV, but on proportional representation. First, when negotiating the coalition agreement, and second, when voting against Caroline Lucas's amendment to the referendum bill in favour of PR. After having in their grasp the fairer system they had longed for for decades they betrayed the many who had travelled with them for so long.

Richard Cohen

London

? Hey Vince, here's a little idea: why don't the Liberal Democrats get together with Labour ? and perhaps invite the Greens in ? to form a single anti-Tory coalition? Wouldn't that be more sensible? Oh yes, I forgot, you blew that chance only a few months ago.

Petar Bavelja

Sheffield

? I read Vince Cable's call for a "progressive majority" of Labour and Liberal Democrat voters with a certain sense of deja vu. Wasn't this promised by the Lib Dems just before the election last year with the wholehearted support of a well known newspaper. As our American cousins say, "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."

Paul Hewitson

Berlin, Germany