What is it about the Liberal Democrats ?

It is, to say the least, notable that a large proportion of leading members of the Liberal Democrat Party seem to get themselves into hot water over a variety of scandals and problems in their personal lives. The list is remarkable : Paddy Ashdown, party leader up to 1999, was revealed to have had an affair with his secretary (resulting in his being nicknamed, 'Paddy Pants Down'), though it did his position little harm. Charles Kennedy, Ashdown's successor and leader from 1999-2006, resigned when it was revealed he was having treatment for alcoholism. Mark Oaten, one of the leadership contenders after Kennedy's resignation, withdrew when there were allegations he had had an affair with a rent boy. David Laws resigned after only a few weeks as a member of the coalition cabinet in 2010 over alleged MPs' expenses irregularities. Chris Huhne, guilty of perverting the course of justice in 2013 and involved in messy court cases involving his former wife and mistress. Lord Rennard, Party Chief Executive 2003-9 now faces accusations of improper conduct towards several women, as yet merely allegations. Given that the party's leadership cohort is inevitably limited in number, this represents a high proportion. So what is it about Liberal Democrats ? Three theories come to mind : 1. It is part of classical liberal ideology that one should be free to act as one wishes, provided one does no harm to others. Certainly some, though not all, of the above could claim to be folowing this maxim of John Stuart Mill. It also has to be said that most of the problems do not seem to have adversely affected the fortunes of the party, so little harm done there either. So they are merely putting into practice their fundamental beliefs perhaps. 2. Liberal Democrats simply get caught more often. There is no explanation for this phenomenon so it cannot be substatiated, but it is a possibility. 3. Until recently there was no prospect of Liberal Democrats being in power. And now there seems little prospect of them regaining power for the foreseeable future. This means they have too much time on their hands and so inevitably get themselves into mischief. Take your choice. But another thought occurs to me. Nick Clegg has escaped any whiff of 'scandal' at all. Yet it could be argued that he has done more harm to his party than any of the above. His breaking of several pledges and now his risible explanations of his part, or non-part, in the Rennard affair, seem to be wrecking the Lib Dems chances in the Eastleigh by election. We shall see.