Comments on: Why the Coalition was the least of the many evils for the Lib Dems http://www.demo-critic.com/archives/51 Join the debate... Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:45:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Duncan Sim http://www.demo-critic.com/archives/51#comment-26 Duncan Sim Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:49:22 +0000 http://www.demo-critic.com/?p=51#comment-26 Suzanna - if you were a Lib Dem voter for years, you must have agreed with at least some of their policies. Now we have an opportunity to finally put some of our policies into government, I cannot understand how you see this opportunity as a betrayal. Yes, perhaps it would have suited us better ideologically to make a pact with Labour, but a) the numbers didn't add up, and a 'rainbow coalition' would have disintegrated within minutes, and b) the Labour party clearly lost the election, and had we propped them up in government a greater proportion of the country would be feeling betrayed right now. So it was in the party's interest to do this. Perhaps you might like to take a look at my next article, discussing the future for the Liberal Democrats, which should be coming up shortly on this website, which deals with a few of the issues raised in the article you have linked above, which I happen to find, by the way, excellent as a piece of dark comedy, but really very insubstantial in reality. Suzanna – if you were a Lib Dem voter for years, you must have agreed with at least some of their policies. Now we have an opportunity to finally put some of our policies into government, I cannot understand how you see this opportunity as a betrayal. Yes, perhaps it would have suited us better ideologically to make a pact with Labour, but a) the numbers didn’t add up, and a ‘rainbow coalition’ would have disintegrated within minutes, and b) the Labour party clearly lost the election, and had we propped them up in government a greater proportion of the country would be feeling betrayed right now. So it was in the party’s interest to do this.
Perhaps you might like to take a look at my next article, discussing the future for the Liberal Democrats, which should be coming up shortly on this website, which deals with a few of the issues raised in the article you have linked above, which I happen to find, by the way, excellent as a piece of dark comedy, but really very insubstantial in reality.

]]> By: Duncan Sim http://www.demo-critic.com/archives/51#comment-25 Duncan Sim Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:45:14 +0000 http://www.demo-critic.com/?p=51#comment-25 Well, he does have some areas of responsibility, e.g. electoral reform, that are his and his alone, just like in any other ministerial post. But he is also Dave's shadow, whose main job is to keep the coalition together - that's the sort of job Deputy PM is, for example Prescott was made DPM to appease the Trade Unions, who were never particularly keen on Blair. Well, he does have some areas of responsibility, e.g. electoral reform, that are his and his alone, just like in any other ministerial post. But he is also Dave’s shadow, whose main job is to keep the coalition together – that’s the sort of job Deputy PM is, for example Prescott was made DPM to appease the Trade Unions, who were never particularly keen on Blair.

]]> By: Joshua Fleming Yeh http://www.demo-critic.com/archives/51#comment-24 Joshua Fleming Yeh Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:51:09 +0000 http://www.demo-critic.com/?p=51#comment-24 Your welcome Duncan, One queston though, what is Nick Clegg's role as Deputy PM?? Apart from obviously covering for Dave in PMQ's. All I see it as is more of a ceremonial role, does he have any exectutive powers that exceed members of the cabinet and other ministers? Thanks. Your welcome Duncan,

One queston though, what is Nick Clegg’s role as Deputy PM?? Apart from obviously covering for Dave in PMQ’s. All I see it as is more of a ceremonial role, does he have any exectutive powers that exceed members of the cabinet and other ministers?

Thanks.

]]> By: Suzanna http://www.demo-critic.com/archives/51#comment-17 Suzanna Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:13:36 +0000 http://www.demo-critic.com/?p=51#comment-17 I was a Lib Dem voter for years. I feel betrayed. This sums it up: http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2010/08/06/james-ruddick-bids-farewell-to-nick-clegg I was a Lib Dem voter for years. I feel betrayed. This sums it up:

http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2010/08/06/james-ruddick-bids-farewell-to-nick-clegg

]]> By: Duncan Sim http://www.demo-critic.com/archives/51#comment-11 Duncan Sim Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:51:26 +0000 http://www.demo-critic.com/?p=51#comment-11 Thanks Liam - I think the point you make about the Labour leader's decision to attack us or not is a key one, and it makes us realise that we have in fact unwittingly put our party's very survival in the hands of the other two parties, given that the Conservatives could destroy us equally well - The Independent recently ran a story about Lib Dem ministers telling George Osborne that his cuts could destroy our party, and of course Danny Alexander is in a position where he, and the Lib Dems more widely, could take a lot of public flak over budget restraints. I hope Cameron will not attack us over that, he at least sees the coalition as a positive thing, unlike many other Conservatives, but Labour could do us serious damage, with all their candidates (apart from Balls) putting a large amount of baggage at our feet. It will be interesting to see how things turn out, although my feeling is that it will take several election cycles until the Lib Dems enjoy anywhere near the support they commanded at the election (yougov poll today puts us at 12%, compared with 24% on May. Thanks Liam – I think the point you make about the Labour leader’s decision to attack us or not is a key one, and it makes us realise that we have in fact unwittingly put our party’s very survival in the hands of the other two parties, given that the Conservatives could destroy us equally well – The Independent recently ran a story about Lib Dem ministers telling George Osborne that his cuts could destroy our party, and of course Danny Alexander is in a position where he, and the Lib Dems more widely, could take a lot of public flak over budget restraints. I hope Cameron will not attack us over that, he at least sees the coalition as a positive thing, unlike many other Conservatives, but Labour could do us serious damage, with all their candidates (apart from Balls) putting a large amount of baggage at our feet. It will be interesting to see how things turn out, although my feeling is that it will take several election cycles until the Lib Dems enjoy anywhere near the support they commanded at the election (yougov poll today puts us at 12%, compared with 24% on May.

]]> By: Liam http://www.demo-critic.com/archives/51#comment-10 Liam Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:07:42 +0000 http://www.demo-critic.com/?p=51#comment-10 I also agree. Was definitely the right choice and really the only choice available to the Lib Dems as I've said on my blog. Given the chance of power they could not seriously claim to be a political party of worth had they not taken the opportunity to implement some of the policies they believed were vital for society. Despite the apparent size of the spending cuts many within the party are also hopeful they can restrain the worst of a Conservative government. But you're quite right too about the next election; the Lib Dems have a difficult tightrope to tread. They'll have to simply valiantly defend their contribution to government and point out they key things the Tories wouldn't allow them to do; most likely electoral reform, transport investment, windpower, greater tax reform. A lot will depend on the stance of the victorius Labour leader and whether or not they choose to back off the Lib Dems and properly examine what is mainly a Tory government, again a point made on my blog. Well done on an excellent piece Duncan I also agree. Was definitely the right choice and really the only choice available to the Lib Dems as I’ve said on my blog. Given the chance of power they could not seriously claim to be a political party of worth had they not taken the opportunity to implement some of the policies they believed were vital for society. Despite the apparent size of the spending cuts many within the party are also hopeful they can restrain the worst of a Conservative government. But you’re quite right too about the next election; the Lib Dems have a difficult tightrope to tread. They’ll have to simply valiantly defend their contribution to government and point out they key things the Tories wouldn’t allow them to do; most likely electoral reform, transport investment, windpower, greater tax reform. A lot will depend on the stance of the victorius Labour leader and whether or not they choose to back off the Lib Dems and properly examine what is mainly a Tory government, again a point made on my blog. Well done on an excellent piece Duncan

]]> By: Duncan Sim http://www.demo-critic.com/archives/51#comment-8 Duncan Sim Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:51:31 +0000 http://www.demo-critic.com/?p=51#comment-8 Er ... Thanks Josh! Er … Thanks Josh!

]]> By: Fleming http://www.demo-critic.com/archives/51#comment-2 Fleming Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:18:26 +0000 http://www.demo-critic.com/?p=51#comment-2 Yeah, I agree. Yeah, I agree.

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