And still it drags on. Anyone else getting fed up of it? Anyone else wish they had one simple vote to decide the leader instead of round after round of tedious bickering and accusations? It seems very silly to make such a fuss over the leadership of a party which has next to no chance of regaining power in the next general election. Whether it be Cameron or Davis, the Conservatives will continue to loose support, after all they are still clinging to the same old principles which simply do not suit modern day life in Britain. Never before have the Liberal Democrats been in such a good position to seize the opportunity to become the only credible opposition to Labour, and everything is there to suggest we can do exactly that, on our route to a free and fair society. Never before have the Tories been so weak, with their constant leadership changes and decreasing popularity among the British electorate. Please, just get this contest over and go back to scraping out narrow margins in elections, because at the end of the day, that is all they are going to achieve.

Having succeeded in winning a third term in office (although with a significantly slashed majority), it seems that Tony Blair's government plan to push ahead with their ridiculous ID cards proposal. Have we had any solid evidence that ID cards will succeed in their aims (i.e. reduce terorism etc.)? No. Will these ID cards come at great cost to the public, who don't want them in the first place? Yes. Are the Liberal Democrats the only major party to have a sensible view point on yet another stupid Labour idea? Yes. Will Britain reject ID cards? I certainly hope so!

So now we have the true inspiration for George W. Bush's attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq. Yes, the Good Lord Himself told George to do it. Sure, and I'm Brad Pitt. Having used just about every excuse in the book, the fumbling US President has resorted to God in order to shift the blame from his own shoulders. Some Americans may be fooled by his pathetic excuses (probably the same Americans who think people make good politicians because they've been in a movie or two), but I for one have had enough! It is time that George Bush held up his hands and admitted that he has made a mistake (and then resign with any luck). Meanwhile, back on this side of the pond, our very own Tony Bliar told the press that "...Iran, or any other country, has no right to interfere in Iraq". I'm sorry, what?! These words from the very man behind the illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq, the very man who refuses to admit that he was wrong to go in when he did. A bit of advice Mr Bliar: it is not one rule for Britain and the US, another for the rest of the world. Get a grip Tony.

...ARE interested in politics. You go into any High School in the country and mention the big political issues of today (the war in Iraq, university tuition fees, tony blair's lies etc.) and you will find that young people do have an opinion! As someone who is still at school (leaving soon, thank god), I know that you can often find yourself in the middle of a political debate, although many people may not think of it as that. So we must ask ourselves, why is the 18-25 age group the most reluctant to vote? It is our job to try and make young people realise that they can relate their opinions on big issues to voting, but it is also our job to make sure that WE are the party to do that. Surveys have shown that the Liberal Democrats are the most popular party among young people, and we have to seize that opportunity and get young people into polling stations, and hopefully voting for us! The LDYS have a huge part to play in this, and I sincerely hope that we succeed in engaging with young voters before the next General Election.

We may have had a general election just a few months back, but it is NOW that we have to start preparing for the future. As Liberal Democrats, we believe that our party is going places. We believe that a Liberal government after the next general election IS achievable, and the man to lead us is, of course, Charles Kennedy. The press may have given him a hard time lately, but I, and no doubt the vast majority of Liberal Democrats, believe that he is the man for the job, and he is certainly capapble of making a fine Prime Minister. If we work hard, we can elect more Liberal Democrats to all levels of government, with the ultimate aim of winning a majority in the next general election. In coalition government here in Scotland, the Liberal Democrats have proven that we are a significant force in British politics, and that we are capable of being in control of Parliament. Next stop Westminster.