[MadIvan]

The UK used to be a two party system...we appear to be breaking out of that by stages. It is fair to say, and the newspapers have repeated it ad nauseam, that we are a 3 party system (Labour, Tories, Lib Dems). I see no particular harm in this. Let's have a system by which we are not bound by Eeny or Meeny - let's have genuine ideological differences and a competition of ideas.

Regards, Ivan

[datura]

Remember Ivan, that here in the US our political views are extremely polarized - basically you're either "with us or against us" - with the Democrats being against all that our nation was founded upon.

Also, since we aren't a Parliamentary system, having to form coalitions in order to secure the top leadership position is unheard of here. Until this election, I too thought of Britain as having two parties: Labour and Torie. I'd hate to see your system there devolve into one such as Russia's with so many parties that keeping track of them would be a full time job.

We all wish you the best of luck at staying out of the damned EU - by fully assimilating into that one world government test, your nation will learn what our founders meant about "taxation without representation". Likewise they'll understand why America chose revolution over the King's rule.

[VaBthang4]

"...we are a 3 party system (Labour, Tories, Lib Dems). I see no particular harm in this. "

I do.
It is out of balance. They need a '[true]Christian/Conservative Right'. Labour [=US Democrats] and Liberals [=Howard Dean/Al Gore democrats] are still both Liberals one is just further left than the other.