LIB-CON DEAL BACK ON!
May 11th, 2010 Posted in Election, UK Politics by Julian Harris
And so it seems like the Lib-Lab talks have broken down, as even a Labour minister signals the end, and Sky (reassuringly, in my opinion) say that differences of opinion over the deficit caused the breakdown.
Mike Smithson at pb.com cites a “top source” from the Lib Dems informing him that Lib-Con talks are back on, and the LD cabinet is said to be meeting later this afternoon.
Could we soon see the climax of the most chaotic and fun 5 days in modern British politics?
May 11th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
good, kick the war-party into the long grass!
May 11th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Encouraging.
However, the way the BBC reported the reasons for the Labour and Lib Dem talks faltering made it sound like Labour felt deficit reduction was the obstacle to some Lib Dem demands!
The only way that makes sense to me is if Labour were rejecting LD tax cuts on that basis. I certainly hope it wasn’t because we were taking a softer stance on the deficit…
Iain Dale says civil liberties was also an obstacle, which doesn’t surprise me…
May 11th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Perhaps we should now be speculating on who will serve in this joined up government. We all want it to be a success for the good of the country so why not propose Lord Ashdown as Defence Secretary ? He would have the respect of the country far and wide, NATO and the military and Labour have set a precedent with the odious Mandelson being unelected. If Ashdown could get us out of Afghanistan with honour he would earn the respect of every member of the British public,regardless of party colours
May 11th, 2010 at 4:52 pm
Jules you do know the opposite of Libservatives is “CONDEMS”..!
May 11th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
A footnote to this story on reasons why the Lib/Lab talks foundered (fortunately, from my perspective, because it would have been a disaster):
BBC reporting that Lib Dems doubted Labour could deliver their promises, and felt Labour was largely just offering its manifesto whereas there had been more movement from the Tories.
And Labour apparently said Lib Dem tax and spending demands were unaffordable. I suspect, as I surmised earlier, this is code for Labour not wanting to support our income tax cut and possibly the pupil premium.
Anyway, largely academic now hopefully. But I hope any concessions the Tories have made to us on deficit reduction concern the timing only, and not the scale – which, in any case, can’t really be finally assessed until a proper audit of the public finances and spending review is done.
May 11th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
Well I’m pleased to see we might get a Conservative – Lib Dem coalition.
It is being reported that the Labour-Lib Dem talks have broken up due to the uncompromising approach and inflexibility from one of the side (it doesn’t mention which side).