SIR – That the Con-Dem coalition is falling apart should be a surprise to no-one. The surprise is that it got off the ground in the first place.

The facts are that the manifestos of the two were so far apart that it was impossible to reconcile what were two diametrically-opposed sets of policies based upon two distinct political philosophies.

The Lib-Dems were given two lead positions – Nick Clegg as deputy Prime Minister, virtually without portfolio, and Vince Cable as Business Secretary.

The two parties have rarely joined hands.

The last time was when the Liberals brought down the 1924 Labour government after being instrumental in setting it up and made a pact with the Tories in the following general election to help split the Labour vote.

An eminent historian pointed out at the time that this was “highly damaging to the survival of a distinct Liberal image”.

This raises the question, does the tangled web now unravelling mean the end of the Liberal (Democrats) party?

Max Hey, Fairway Grove, Bradford