Lib Dems' comment

Norman Lamb’s comment on the Daily Politics about the Lib Dems having become a "human shield" for the government sums up the mood on the Liberal Democrat benches. Lamb went onto wonder whether this was inevitable: "Whether that's inevitably the case for the junior partner I don't know... But we are in this for the long term.

That could be down to Norman Lamb, the Lib Dem's MP and Nick Clegg's advisor.

He's been seen as a coalition loyalist - until a recent furore over the health reforms.

In the same way that Nick Clegg has proven to be the issue in Sheffield, where the Lib Dems were also kicked out, Norman Lamb may have been the issue in North Norfolk.

For this reason, the Liberal Democrats need to start making a positive, "liberal" case for the policies they’re voting through. Comparing themselves to hostages will just make things worse for them.