The Lib Dems: dithering or duplicitous?
This is the first time in most of our life times that we are facing post-election coalition negotiations. It is therefore understandable – as this is new to everyone – that it will take a while to reach a conclusion.
BUT having watched unfolding events yesterday, and listened to various phone-ins this morning, it is clear that the country’s patience is running out. The Liberals are right on the cusp of screwing this up. If a definitive statement is not made in the next few HOURS (not days as some suggest) – then the Liberal’s standing with the electorate may be damaged for a decade – however good the final decision turns out to be.
Reports of the Lib Dems being in parallel talks with both Tories and Labour are not playing out well. Regardless of the facts of the matter, and in spite of statements to the contrary from Nick himself, this LOOKS, for all the world, as though the Liberals are putting party interests before those of the country. Trying to screw out a last few concessions from both parties by playing one party off against the other.
This is NOT the ”change” to politics that people signed up for.
I know Nick, a little. I have no doubt that he is attempting to do “the right thing”. But perception is as important as fact. And the public perception is that self interest is being put first.
Now comes the time for decisive leadership. He needs to get a grip and bring this thing to a close – and fast.
Having watched the tired old faces from Labour over the past 12 hours, trot out the Campbell-inspired lines on why a Lib/Lab/SNP/Plaid etc etc coalition is legitimate, I am more convinced than ever, that it is not. Even they don’t look very convinced as they mouth the words.
The Tories -the party with the strongest mandate as judged by the electorate – have moved a long way to accomodate the needs of the Liberals – and are sitting smugly on the moral high ground. The Liberals, in contrast, risk looking somewhere between dithering and duplicitous. Sorry that has to be said.
So, Nick MUST act now. He has in my view has only one option – to go into full coalition with the Conservatives- step up to the plate – and get on with it.
The public will not forgive the Liberals for propping up a defunct Labour party, and a shambolic rag tag of nationalist and independent junior partners (each with a price tag attached to their support). An ugly looking alliance that has little chance of long term stability. Add to that the prospect of a Prime Minister that this country has no say in appointing or judging when they cast their vote for Labour last week and it just becomes an impossibility.
The only other option is to say – for all those demands for PR – that you can’t do a deal with either! One you cant agree with, the other one is too repugnant to contemplate. So you will sit at arms length from the least-worst, like a petulant child. If that is how you plan to sell PR to the public it’s a sorry one. You might as well give up on the idea of PR for good.
So do a deal with the Conservatives – take the full blown option – and do it now.
May 11th, 2010 at 11:05 am
“The Liberals are right on the cusp of screwing this up.”
Although I agree with your post, I’m afraid the Liberals have already fallen off the cusp
May 11th, 2010 at 11:20 am
No . I think they have about 3 hours. But Nick will need, I think, to explain the last 24 hours.
May 11th, 2010 at 11:25 am
will an agreement with Labour at this point be more than a wafty, wind-blown piece of paper – little more valid than Chamberlain’s?
minority governments don’t tend to last!
May 11th, 2010 at 11:29 am
even the Labour party seem to understand that a Lib/Lab alliance would be poison
May 11th, 2010 at 11:43 am
“The Lib Dems: dithering or duplicitous?”
My money’s on a bit of both. Amateur hour for the Lib Dems.
May 11th, 2010 at 11:58 am
I think if the right decision is made, the country will forgive a little more time. Remember, only the angry ones write in to the news.
That hangs, however, on the right decision being made. Cameron could start retracting portions of his offer, and then there’d be trouble.
May 11th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
You’re right. But I’m also afraid we won’t get the parliamentary party and the Fedexec to give the Tory deal a thumbs-up until tomorrow at the very latest.
May 11th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
Q: How many Liberal Democrats does it take to change a lightbulb ?
A: None. “Well it’s not really a question of should we change it or should we not change the lightbulb, but more a question of…(blah blah waffle)”
May 11th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
If they don’t take the offer it must be entirely clear the split is on whether we should be allowed a referendum on that. In which case Conservatives would lose votes in a subsequent election. If it is on anything else the LDs will look intransigent & they will lose the votes.
May 12th, 2010 at 1:59 am
Done deal.
May 12th, 2010 at 3:14 am
My opinion? I think Cameron and Clegg played a blinder.
I think the talks with Labour were to scare the s**t out of the right wing Tories. My reasons:
1) If you check the BBC News 24 I am sure that around Saturday lunchtime / afternoon it was mentioned that Clegg had a face to face meeting with Brown and that Cameron knew about it.
2) I genuinely think Cameron is a moderniser. I know Labour and left wing activists paint him as son of Thatcher but I think (and hope) he is different. He would have struggled to get AV past the old school Tories.
3) Is it just good timing that Clegg spoke to Brown who then made an announcement just as the Tories were meeting about the LD proposals.
4) From the LD side, I’m sure Clegg could convince the FedEx to deal if they thought they’d have almost NO power if they let the opportunity slip away.
I think they outplayed Mandelson and played him at his own game!
I genuinely feel optimistic about the future now. I know things will be tough but I think with the team that’s in place the UK has a fighting chance of sorting out Labour’s appalling financial mis-management.
One final note, I await the REAL state of the UK’s finances once they start looking at the books. I fear they are worse then Labour have been saying.
They lied over reform with Jenkins in 1997, defence, immigration etc so I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve been doing the same over the economy.
May 12th, 2010 at 10:33 am
But the LDs have largely sold out on PR (AV isn’t PR) to get their feet under the table. We have a right to a referendum on whether we want an honest or corrupt electoral system.