Why didn't The Sun switch to the Lib Dems instead?

Imaginatively, The Sun today declared their support for the Conservative Party after 12 years of backing Labour.

But is this a mature approach in modern times?  Does a publication have to declare its support for a particular party, drawing their lines and wearing hearts on their sleeve?

Many would argue that all publications will have their slant so it may as well be explicit.  However, something about this doesn’t seem right to me.  Why should it be about parties rather than policies and ideas?

After all, Parliament provides an arena where policy may be proffered by anyone, to then be considered for the country and iterated via gladiatorial debate.

Too strong a focus on parties breeds self-interest, the most obnoxious obstruction to this country’s future.  In repeating over and over again how The Conservatives are always wrong, Gordon Brown was serving Labour at the expense of recognising the importance of good.  To be expected in the kicking off of an election campaign perhaps but discouraging nonetheless.

It’s this focus on ideas rather than ideology that has cultivated my own inclination to try and get 3 different perspectives into Parliament.  Of course this means, as it has for so long, voting for the Lib Dems.

When big questions come up in the Commons, it reassures me to consider that three options will be presented rather than two.  For me, that’s justification enough.

With this in mind, I’m disappointed that The Sun didn’t adopt a similar policy.  At the very least, the shock move would have led to serious sales and publicity and at the very best, it would have encouraged a change to the two party dominance that would only have stimulated interesting debate.

In a world of politics dominated by The Third Way, it’s a shame that UK can benefit from the advantages of real literal third way offered in Parliament.

But maybe the country isn’t ready for it yet. The Sun isn’t, Brown isn’t and if I’m totally honest, maybe the Liberal Democrats aren’t either.

Perhaps when Cameron gets elected and proves to be useless, it will be time to consider it again.