Power sharing talks as battered Lib Dems gather
More strange framing from the worst photographer in the universe but I thought it poignant that the Lib Dems are holding their internal talks on power-sharing in Transport House, long the home of the Labour party which the Lib Dems were hoping to displace in this election.
This location would have had a very different potency if the Lib Dems hadn’t had a 1992 Kinnock style night of disappointment.
They gather battered by the shock and disappointment of Thursday night and sleep-starved. Nick Clegg on his way in again emphasised the four principles he’s said must be at the heart of any programme…the fourth one being comprehensive political reform.
There is no sign of him getting what he would describe as that which makes you feel we move soon towards discussion of a lower key “confidence and supply” discussion which allows the Lib Dems to keep at arms length from the Tories but which gives David Cameron no job security in No 10.
There are 5 comments on this post
It’s no bad thing that all three parties got some kind of disappointment in the election – helps to concentrate their minds, induces a little humility.
Paul a pity it was bigger for Labour and even bigger for the Liberals .Neither have any moral authority for anything
There is only one real issue on which they have to agree – the economy.
I have to say I was surprised that Cameron was willing to enter talks so I am thus far encouraged.
My hope now is that Nick Clegg can at least act to moderate the excesses of tory cuts and ensure that tax rises are applied fairly.
As much as I want electoral reform, this is not the time to make it a deal breaker. If Clegg can make an agreement work for two years or so, he will have made the point that hung parliaments are not a disaster, far better than any debate ever could.
It is self evident, in my opinion, that if Nick Clegg goes into any sort of pact or power sharing deal with the Conservatives it will be the Liberal Democrats who, in the next election, will be picking up one solitary seat in Scotland similar to the Conservatives this time.
Most of the core Liberal Democrat vote comes from Scotland. No one in Scotland voted for the Conservatives I would have thought that the above consequences would have been only too obvious.
However, it may be that in power sharing with the Conservatives Nick Clegg may be showing his true colours and he will be ‘turned to the wall’ by most who have voted for his party and it will be the Liberal Democrats, if they survive as a party atall, who will go into the wilderness for the next 30 years and not the Conservatives.
Now this is OTT self dispareging from you Gary , you usually use the right metaphors, but keep a lid on things. You must be trying to get your name in the Guiness book of records ” The worst photographer in the universe indeed ”
Didn’t we all predict this scenario , true colours are showing.
Tis a pity that some are asking Gordon to step down , his big spoon stirs it more. Jon Major talks about dignity .. sorry Jon as much as I think that your term of office was dignified ,things have changed into ‘a just go for it , no such thing as a fool’ mode. Lets see them manoeuvre.