Clegg – just as much a toff as Cameron

I am puzzled by the upsurge in support for Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems following his appearance on the first TV debate. He comes from a background every bit as advantaged as David Cameron, but Cameron gets the "toff" abuse.

Mr Clegg's education was just as exclusive; more so, in fact, as his alma mater keeps well below the radar, unlike the more flamboyant Eton.

When Mr Clegg was working in Europe, he demonstrated his enthusiasm for responsibility by turning down the invitation to join the Tories, preferring to join the Lib Dems where he presumably thought he could enjoy a well paid political career without ever having to do anything more arduous than picking up his pay cheque.

Do voters really think that Mr Clegg and the Lib Dems are any different to the snake-oil salesmen currently in power? Any more honest than other MPs? More competent?

Do they really think that a party with zero experience of power is what we need?

Mr Clegg may have ambushed his rivals with a likeable X-Factor performance, but I think we need a bit more than that.

GRAHAM M McLEOD

The Muirs

Kinross

The Liberal Democrats keep referring to the two old parties. They are one of the two old parties, the Liberals and the Conservatives, or Whigs and Tories. The addition of the SDP has not resulted in them losing their heritage. The new party is Labour, which has replaced the Liberals as the radical party.

The last Liberal prime minister, Lloyd George, was a great orator, but also a good fund raiser. He raised money by selling peerages.

It ill becomes Nick Clegg to claim that they are the cleanest of the parties when it comes to fund raising or claiming expenses off the taxpayer. How naive of him not to open or have access to a separate bank account for funds from donors.

All the parties have abused the system and they all have the task of cleaning it up. They must not, however, be allowed to change the system to their own party's advantage.

The SNP are not innocent, either. They even manage to claim expenses when they are not there.

JOHN KELLY

High Street

Dalkeith

It is said the people get the government they deserve. This could well turn out to be true on 6 May. If the polls are correct the public are not interested in policies or past record; only who has the best visual impact on TV, as if the election was some sort of game show. Heaven help us.

WILLIAM H SCOTT

St Baldred's Road

North Berwick