Blog:Dave and Nick, the New Civil Partnership

From Bolton Interweb

Myles Aweigh, Election Correspondent, 13th May 2010

Like many Lib Dem voters it was with shock and initial disappointment that the end result of the discussions between the parties to form a new Government has been a full Coalition between the Lib Dems and the Conservatives. It was unexpected because the natural alliance would have been between the parties of the left and centre.

But there is a load of absolute nonsense being spouted. The electorate voted for a parliamentary situation that meant that no one party could govern alone. The maths meant that a coalition of the left and centre would still not command a majority and to get even a small majority would require up to 7 different parties to agree, all of them with supporters complaining about sell-out. I still think that a Labour – Lib Dem coalition, ruling as a minority, would have worked but it was clear that this was not the view of some senior Labour leaders, and without their support it was a dead duck.

The reality of hung parliaments and coalitions is that they require parties to negotiate to get the best deal for their voters and this means compromise. This is what we voted for, even if we did not understand that. It is no good Lib Dems complaining that some Lib Dem policies have been sacrificed; outside Government all their policies would have been sacrificed. It is no good Tories complaining the tail is wagging the dog and they should not have compromised; they only got 36% of the vote and would not have got any of their policies through. It is no good Labour complaining; they did not get enough votes to make a strong coalition possible and their leadership were not willing to give it a go.

Cameron and Clegg took a big gamble by agreeing on a full coalition. It remains to be seen whether the gamble will pay off but, surprisingly, the will seems to be there at the top of both parties. This is currently a novelty that we don’t know how to react to, hence outrage by Labour supporters about what the Lib Dems are doing but the Lib Dems were not elected to do what Labour voters wanted them to do. 59% of us voted for the parties now in Government. Like them or not, and 41% as a starting point don’t like them, this is the most democratic peacetime government we have had. Is it stable? It is more stable than anything else that could have happened.

But the biggest reason why we should back this unusual result is that we do not have a Tory government that can implement any right wing policy they like; the inheritance tax break for the very wealthy is, ironically, dead. We do not have a Lib Dem government that can implement loony ideas like the mansion tax. We do have a government that has to agree, representing 59% of the people, on each policy and therefore only the best ones will pass into law and the ones that favour the patrons of the parties to the detriment of the population at large will be consigned to the dustbin where they belong.

We asked the politicians to work together in the interests of us all. That is what they have done and are now being slated for. Conceptually I don’t like Osbourne at the Treasury but with Cable in the Business role and a Lib Dem as No. 2 in the Treasury, the damage Osbourne could do is mitigated to a degree. I don’t trust Cameron as PM but he has to agree everything with Clegg so there is a brake on the worst he could do. Conservative on its own, or Conservative and Liberal together, that was the choice in the end. Given that choice I am glad it is the combo. This is not a Conservative Government and for that I give thanks.

In the fallout, about 100 Lib Dem members have resigned from the Party. 400 have apparently joined. To those who have left I say this. Opposition is easy and the Lib Dems have been in Opposition for the entire living memory of all but the most elderly amongst us. Governing means being willing to make decisions and stand on your record, and that carries risks the Lib Dems have never been asked to take. Those of us that voted Lib Dem did not vote for them to be in Opposition and we asked them to take those risks and said we trusted them. It was the least likely outcome but this is not the time to withdraw that trust. In fact the Lib Dems will be stronger for the loss of negative members who think that perennial Opposition is better than Government. Unease and caution is different and understandable and the Lib Dem leadership have to be given time to reassure and demonstrate the trust was not misplaced.

Please don't judge before reading the Coalition Agreement, which will be bulked out over the coming weeks. It is not a long read and most is easy to read, aside from some of the pensions bit. If this is borne out in reality then personally I only have minor disagreements - a 5 year fixed term Parliament is too long. 4 years would be better. Allowing existing peers to remain in a democratised and fully proportionately elected House of Lords needs to be removed.

Links

They appear to be identical, but choose the source you trust most...

Web Version of Coalition Agreement (Lib Dem Party provided)

Download of Coalition Agreement Document (Conservative Party provided)

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© Evrose, 2010