Promises, promises

SO NOW at last, with the publication of all three of the main parties' manifestos, the people of Britain know what sort of choice they have to make when they vote on June 7th. They know at last, because the 20-page manifesto says so, that the Liberal Democrats stand for “Freedom, Justice, Honesty”. They know, because its 46-page manifesto declares it, that the Conservative Party thinks it is “Time for Common Sense”. As for Labour—well, according to the manifesto Tony Blair unveiled this week in Birmingham, the Labour Party has “Ambitions for Britain”. Indeed, it has a whole 44 pages of ambitions for Britain. Such is the scope of his vision, says the prime minister, that his party kindly requests another ten years in government.