choose hope over fear - kennedy voters will have a clear choice between the politics of fear and the politics of hope in the next general election  said charles kennedy.  in his new year message the liberal democrat leader said labour and the conservatives were united in relying on fear and  populist scares . he said his party was the one of hope and was ready for a 2005 poll. on the asian tsunami he said it had been  very heartening  to learn of the generosity being shown by britons. mr kennedy said his thoughts were with all those caught up in the disaster  which had dominated the christmas and new year period. at home he said many people were turning to the liberal democrats as they became disheartened with the politics of the other two main parties.  the general election would be a three-party struggle  as the conservative party  fades away  as a national force and the liberal democrats challenge labour in its heartlands  he said.  a clear division is emerging in british politics - the politics of fear versus the politics of hope.  labour is counting on the politics of fear  ratcheting up talk of threats  crime and insecurity. while the conservatives are re-working their populist scares about asylum and the european  menace    he said. he said the government was using this climate of fear to try to strip away civil liberties.  it was already using detention without trial at belmarsh prison  ignoring a recent law lords judgement that this contravenes basic human rights  he said. he also criticised attempts to bring in trial without jury  plans to lower the burden of proof in some criminal trials  curbing of rights to protest  increased stop and search powers and id card plans. he said while everyone had the right to be secure they also had the right to be protected against unfair discrimination.  but at the same time  an overmighty state is a dangerous one   he said. his party  instinctively  understood the  new liberal britain  which is no longer a nation with one family structure  and one colour  he said.  we are less deferential; more inclined to think for ourselves; more open about sexuality and equality.  our national institutions are changing too. we are no longer a nation of one church; we are a nation of many faiths. in our attitudes and the way we live our lives  this is in many ways a liberal britain.