SIR – There are many things I could be critical about the recent Liberal Democrat conference but the most astonishing stance is that the Lib Dems in any hung parliament would again negotiate with the largest party, whoever that is.

Coalition politics is something we as Liberals in principle welcome and government by consent is fundamental to our beliefs.

But the concept that any party of “liberal belief” would throw its bargaining position away and commit to support the larger of either the Tories or Labour parties in a coalition without considering and bargaining for the maximum Liberal influence on a coalition deal is crazy.

It means that whatever the Lib Dems say in an election is worthless, they have in fact given their negotiating hand away in full public view.

Many believe both in and outside the Lib Dem party that the deal struck with the Conservatives gave too much away The Lib Dem president’s stance of going with whoever is the largest party means the Lib Dems will be trapped into making the same mistake again.

STEVE RADFORD President of the Liberal party