The Lib Dems' Opportunity

A lot of my Oxford Liberal Democrat friends will be bolstered by speculation that the Lib Dems stand to benefit from the chaos swirling around Westminster as the result of the expenses scandal that has swept the country. It was the dominant news story during nearly my entire time in England -- members of Parliament (MP's) have rampantly been claiming expenses for things that quite clearly reveal at minimum a widespread shamelessness and at worst serious corruption and abuse of power. As of yesterday morning, 12 MP's had either resigned or announced that they would give up their seats after the next election. Eight of them are Conservatives (Tories), four Labour. At least in part as a result, the Lib Dems have seen their popularity rise (they are pretty safely the country's third-largest party), though trust in government is at historic lows.