As the third party of British politics, the Liberal Democrats always struggle to make their mark, finding themselves constantly defined in relation to Labour and the Conservatives by the public and media alike.
Last week's annual conference in Bournemouth, the last before a general election, was a chance to grab the limelight. Despite his talk of "savage cuts" in the public sector, leader Nick Clegg used the event to pledge his commitment to children and young people, who, he says, will be at the heart of his next manifesto.
The idea of a Lib Dem government might seem far-fetched but bookmaker William Hill is giving odds of 5/2 on the election resulting in a hung parliament with no party winning an overall majority of seats. If this happens, the Lib Dems could have real clout, holding the balance of power in a coalition government.
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