It is an unfortunate side effect of democracy that the views of the stupid or unprincipled receive the same weight as those of others. Given the alternatives I'll usually settle for democracy, but none of that is any reason why stupidity and lies should not be called stupidity and lies, those who swallow the lies should not be called fools and those who promulgate the lies be called liars.

It should be remembered however that at least two major reforms of UK law - the abolition of the death penalty and the partial derestriction of homosexual activity by the Sexual Offences Act - were passed by Parliament when a referendum would not have passed them. Sometimes leaders have to lead.

In the present case if the deserved destruction of the Lib-Dems puts all less rightward leaning votes into the Labour party that will eventually reduce the need for AV to give a true reflection of voting intentions - but it will still mean that there is a barrier to plurality in political representation.