What exactly is the difference between Conservatives, Lib Dems and Labour?

[La Aliaj]

Conservatives - Focused on business, historically they are the party of the rich and their policies generally benefit people who are already quite well off. Under Cameron they have changed a bit, to reflect changes in society and in people's views in the last 10 years. They're now more focused on the environment, more cuddly, and less homophobic, xenophobic and sexist. Some of the party's members are still stuck in the past though. Generally more Euroskeptic than the other parties, with some notable exceptions like Ken Clark.

Lib Dems - Formed out of an alliance of the old Liberal Party and the SDP (Social Democrats, a group who split from Labour because they thought it was too left wing in the 1980s). It's hard to say quite what the Lib Dems believe. This is partly because as a party of opposition, they never really have to make tough choices. It's unlikely that they'll get into power any time soon, so they can promise whatever they like. Lib Dems sometimes favour more socialist policies (ones focused on improving the lives of the poor, even if this does involve what some could call government "meddling") and sometimes more liberal free market policies (tax cuts, incentives to businesses, allowing individuals more choice on various issues). What is clear is that the Lib Dems are a progressive party. They are broadly supportive of gay rights, racial equality, women's rights, and the EU.

Labour - A democratic socialist party that focuses on improving the condition of the Working Classes and also the Lower Middle Class. They believe in social justice, equality, and opportunity for all. They believe that the state (government) can and should be used to change society for the better. So for example, Labour would focus more on ways to improve schools in poor areas than on schemes to allow rich parents more choice in the schools that they send their children to. Broadly pro-EU. Very supportive of gay rights, women's rights, and racial equality. As, unlike the Lib Dems, they have a habit of winning elections, most of the improvements on issues like gay rights that we have seen in this country are a direct result of the Labour Party.

Clause 4 of Labour's constitution sets out their beliefs:

"The Labour Party is a democratic socialist party. It believes that by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone, so as to create for each of us the means to realise our true potential and for all of us a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few, where the rights we enjoy reflect the duties we owe, and where we live together, freely, in a spirit of solidarity, tolerance and respect."

Clause 4 used to say stuff about nationalising industry, but Tony Blair changed that when he reinvented the party as "New Labour" and moved it away from the rather more left wing position that it held during the 1980s.