10 May 2010

I like coalitions, except with parties I don't like

The Liberal Democrats believe in proportional representation, so as a party it believes that government in the UK should generally comprise coalitions.

However, more than a few Liberal Democrat members and supporters have been interviewed on various TV channels saying "I didn't support the Liberal Democrats to get the Tories put in power".

No, maybe not, but you did support the Liberal Democrats surely understanding that supporting coalitions means that the Liberal Democrats might back Labour or the Conservatives?

After all, if you supported Labour why didn't you vote or join the Labour party?

No doubt if the Conservative-Liberal Democrat agreement comes off, many Liberal Democrat supporters will be upset. No doubt many Tories will too (I for one would rather there be a coalition of the losers, because it would be largely dismissed by much of the public, prove unstable and incompetent).

However, be grown up. You wont always get what you want, besides YOUR party has been advocating just this sort of scenario being the norm.

Frankly, you need a Conservative-Liberal Democrat deal to work. Because if it doesn't, it will demonstrate to the public that coalitions are unstable and don't work well. Another election will cost the Liberal Democrats.

Which is, in fact, why I don't really care that much. All of the parties want to hike taxes, all want to at least maintain the existing size of the state, it really is a matter of not much change.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The point is that there is an anti Tory majority among the voting public. It is simplistic to say that a Lib Dem prepared to form a coalition with a particular party should simply have voted for that party. Britain should give proportional representation a shot. It works in many countries around the world where cool heads prevail.
When NZ held the referendum that kicked FPP into touch I voted for the status quo agreeing with the likes of Shirtcliffe that we would wind up rather like Italy in the 70's (though without the Ferraris and Lambos). In fact stable government has been the norm since MMP became a reality and not even the editorial team on the Dom Post gains any traction these days wanking on about the tail wagging the dog. Ian

Libertyscott said...

Well an anti-Tory majority outside England. The Tories won a clear majority of seats in England, bear in mind that Scottish and Welsh MPs vote on many matters that do not have a bearing in their own constituencies.

The problem with electoral reform now is that the UK is in a serious economic crisis, with the worst budget deficit and public debt ever. This has to be confronted. It is not time to focus on electoral reform, although I'd support preferential voting, so all MPs have majority support. Perhaps the House of Lords could be elected with PR though.