In response to Thursday's events (Charles and Camilla caught up in violence after student fees vote, 10 December), the coalition politicians are predictably wrapping themselves in the flag of democracy. They have no right to it.

At the last election, the Tories failed to win an outright majority in the most propitious circumstances possible. They are propped up by a Liberal Democrat party that lost seats at the election – despite all the propaganda about their time having come – and has haemorrhaged support because of its desertion of principle. The Lib Dems are already virtually a spent force in politics, their sole residual role being to ease through vicious Tory legislation by toning it down a tiny bit. Thus, the government claims to be "listening".

On the basis of this stitch-up, the Con-Dems are attacking the welfare state, effectively privatising higher education and the NHS, and destroying what is left of the life we have in common. This is the shrinking society, and the neoliberal ambition of the project is breathtaking.

Raymond Williams once suggested "if people cannot have official democracy, they shall have it unofficially". Thursday provided ample evidence of this.

Dr David Alderson

University of Manchester

• Your editorial (10 December) concludes: "Mr Clegg must rediscover his distinctive voice, if he is not to repeat the tragedies of his party's past." After this week's events, I wonder how many of my fellow radical liberals in the Liberal Democrats have come to the reluctant conclusion that Mr Clegg may have little interest in rediscovering a distinctive liberal voice, and even less in avoiding repeating the tragedies of our party's past?

After three-quarters of a century of opposition, liberals are understandably reluctant to criticise fellow party members in the coalition government, the creation of which most of us would appear to have supported. We will have to reconsider our position if the economic liberals appear intent on consigning us to an even longer period of oblivion.

Phil Rimmer

London

• Your editorial illustrates the farcical chaos into which the Lib Dems have fallen in recent weeks. As an active member of the party, I am appalled by the results of the Commons vote on tuition fees. The party has lost all moral authority, and no specious call by Nick Clegg for "party unity" can hide the extent of the disaster. We cannot simply put the issue behind us and hope the electorate will have forgotten all about it by 2015.

This vote, set alongside the "broken promises" election broadcast put out by the Lib Dems at the election, will continue to haunt us. The party outside Westminster must reaffirm its commitment to abolish tuition fees and participate in the continuing student campaign.

Simon Hebditch

London

• The "most difficult day in [the Lib Dems'] modern history" (Comment, 10 December)? On that day the party won a Fareham council byelection with 49.8% of the vote. This was no freak result based on apathy: turnout was 35%. The Lib Dem vote was up from 331 in May 2008 to 933 – after weeks of vilification of the party's leaders. Sure, many people told us on the doorstep they were unhappy with the rise in tuition fees – as were many of us who knocked on doors and delivered leaflets.

But real voters in real elections recognise that a party in government has to take tough decisions. The Lib Dems' strength remains our willingness to meet, engage with and listen to our local electors and try to address their concerns. The crises predicted by commentators who listen only to one another have a satisfying habit of failing to come about.

Jim Forrest

Deputy leader, Fareham council Liberal Democrat group

• Well done to the coalition. In six months or so you have managed to turn a largely apathetic generation of young people into a band of potential anarchists prepared to brick the monarchy. The reason is plain enough – you have a thoroughly dubious mandate for your policy. Part of me would like to see you go now, but on the other hand I am intrigued to see what cockup you will serve up next.

Nick Pearson

York