The Lib Dems prepare their strategy for future coalitions
Peter Hoskin 5:29pm
Contain your excitement, CoffeeHousers: the Lib Dems are debating whether to change their ‘constitution’ so that their members have a greater say over future coalition negotiations. The amendment has been put forward
Tim Farron and Norman Lamb, and proposes that, in the event of coalition talks, the party's ‘negotiating team’ should have to consult with a ‘reference group consisting of not
more than nine people appointed equally by…’ blah, blah, blah. In fact, you can just read the whole thing on page 41 of this document. The Lib Dems will be voting on it at their Spring Conference next month.
But while internal Lib Dem governance may not be the sexiest topic in Westminster, this Farron ‘n’ Lamb amendment is actually quite intriguing. On one level it is typically Lib Demmy: they love making a show of involving party members in policy decisions. But it is also quite strategic too, and is no doubt designed to counter some of the problems that the party encountered after the last election. The feeling among many Lib Dems now is that Nick Clegg — for all that he gained in the coalition agreement — too easily surrendered ground on key issues such as tuition fees. The plan with this amendment is no doubt to dilute those sorts of accusations next time around, as well as to bind the party membership, tighter and earlier, into the finished document.
This is also the first proper step to formalise the coalition-making process since 2010. Much of that work will have to be done by the Lib Dems — because the Tories and Labour won't be eager to admit publicly that they're preparing for coalition — but all sides will have to give it some thought. Should the Lib Dems open negotiations with the party with the most seats, even if that's Labour? Or do the Tories have first dibs by default? These and a hundred other questions abound. And, with odds of 6/4 that the next election will yield another coalition, there will likely have to be answers.
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TrevorsDen
February 16th, 2012 5:43pm Report this commentWill this new group ban the signing of petitions before elections?
Will it ban being all things to all people according to where they are and who masks the questions.
Only an idiot would think that the lentil eaters would not continue to object to their precious views being ignored if they find themseves in a govt again.
William Blakes Ghost
February 16th, 2012 5:46pm Report this commentAs ever the Libdems have to put at least three extra layers of bureaucracy in the way of any decision.
As a result, I'm sure that negotiating a Coalition Agreement with a Libdem steering group will be great fun and will ensure that making the success of any future Coalition negotiations far less likely and from my perspective anything that makes Coalition Government with its weak, compromised no man's land outcomes, less likely is a good thing.
Rhoda Klapp
February 16th, 2012 5:48pm Report this commentPerhaps the next coalition decision ought to be made for them. Today.
AAE
February 16th, 2012 6:02pm Report this commentJust as no journalist ever asks all those 'equality and fairness' redistributive socialists why their ideology and consciences allow them to amass huge personal fortunes, so I doubt those advocates of proportional representation will never be asked why they not only exert far more influence on policy than their actual representation should allow, but it is their boast that they do so!
Can anyone remember any union leader refusing more pay because it would be unfair on society as a whole? Has any Lib Dem ever said in this coalition, no we won't push for a particular policy because we can't imagine that more than 8% of those who voted (that is about 4% of the electorate as a whole) would support it?
That Cameron was never hauled across the coals for saddling us with fixed term Parliaments is another failure of journalists and a victory for the Liberal Democrats, who seem not to know what either of those words actually mean, and like all Lefties, since Roosevelt purloined the word Liberal, push totalitarianism upon us whilst marching unchallenged behind such oh so nice labels.
TomTom
February 16th, 2012 7:11pm Report this commentWhatever the LibDems decide the "Conservatives" will go along with.....anything to stay in power
Verity
February 16th, 2012 7:13pm Report this commentAce opening sentence, Pete!
Hexhamgeezer
February 16th, 2012 7:31pm Report this commentHusbands and wives having a joint points allowance might make it to the manifesto.
Tiberius
February 16th, 2012 7:36pm Report this commentDidn't Clegg have to overcome a "triple lock" to enter into the 2010 coalition? If these two guys have their way (calm down, Paddy, not that) won't that leave them with more locks than the BoE?
Cynic
February 16th, 2012 7:44pm Report this comment"[T]he Lib Dems are debating whether to change their ‘constitution’ so that their members have a greater say over future coalition negotiations." That's assuming there are going to be more than a handful of Limp Dim MPs next time round. As far as I can see, they've alienated just about everyone; those who saw them as a protest vote, those who couldn't quite bring themselves to vote Labour but didn't want the Tories and those who have seen that actually being in power means you have to make difficult decisions in the real world.
Jon Stack
February 16th, 2012 7:47pm Report this commentSo that should allow the coalition to come together in no time at all then. Who knows, it may even get in place in time for the next election five years later.
Let's hope the electorate spare us.
Heartless C.
February 16th, 2012 8:30pm Report this commentHow ridiculous. Or should be.
2trueblue
February 16th, 2012 11:12pm Report this commentIf we have another coalition frankly we are damned as a country. The Lib Dems have no idea how to behave. Cable is at present behaving like a spoilt child. I hope that the next election will result in them being wiped out. They are mostly interested in themselves and in tying us more closely to Europe and that is not what the majority in this country want. They have far too much say considering they did not do se well in the election. But we are where we are and they should grow up and act in a more adult manner.
lloydj
February 16th, 2012 11:17pm Report this commentGood, seems to signal the end of coalitions in future. The party with the most seats will form a minority government and then be forced into a new election at which they can blame the libbies. The voters will make the third party suffer!
Nicholas
February 17th, 2012 9:52am Report this commentLovely succinct post AAE. When one watches the usual round of politico-journo-celeb media, joined at the hip twaddle (none more representative of its ills than the Levison enquiry), the questions are bleedin' obvious, but answers come there none.
Frank P
February 18th, 2012 5:16pm Report this commentAAE
As ever -superb !
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