A manifesto is a statement of what you stand for and a pledge is the principles you hold, now should you be elected in to power, whether that be to an office of your local British Legion or a political body, such as government, the manifesto is your collective aim, whilst your pledge is paramount over everything. Which is exactly what Nick Clegg and Co did prior to last May, they pledged to their supporters that they would do something if in government and that was to abolish tuition fees. They weren’t dragged kicking and screaming in to 10 Downing Street, they walked in, almost hand in hand with David Cameron. Hence they made a pledge and now won’t keep it.
I will agree that in a coalition, compromises are necessary, but the electorate should be informed beforehand what you would do, if a coalition was to come about. Once again the Fib-Dems didn’t do this either.
By making a great deal of their pledge, the Lib Dems gained tens of thousands of votes primarily because of their pledge on tuition fees. Hence they will have to live with that pledge come hell or high water, otherwise it could end the political career of many a Fib-Dem politician, locally and nationally.
Here is Nick Robinson's view on his BBC blog;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2010/11/does_a_pledge_t.html
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