He is in good company. No matter who wins the next election, it is likely that abstainers will outnumber those voting for the winning party. This is a relatively new phenomenon for Britain, and says much about our imperilled politics. It’s not just the Lib Dems: voters seem to have had enough of all political parties, and view them not so much with scepticism but cordial contempt. Just 1 per cent of the electorate are members of political parties, the lowest in Europe save for Poland and Latvia. Somehow, the mother of all parliaments has managed to produce one of the least appetising political menus in the free world.