tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post426554234790581256..comments2023-10-08T10:24:24.396+01:00Comments on Stephen's Liberal Journal: Has Dave Blown It?Stephen Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03027718551675624433noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3732919976442735382.post-82644722677335148072010-05-10T20:10:58.630+01:002010-05-10T20:10:58.630+01:00It's not Dave blowing it. The Tories have bee...It's not Dave blowing it. The Tories have been above board throughout this process.<br><br>Clegg has apparently acted in good faith so far, legitimately covering his bases. I'm happy to accept that premise at the moment.<br><br>What appears to have happened is that Clegg has run into minor difficulties selling this to the party...who can still fit in the back room of a pub ;-)...and Labour have pounced with a pre-planned ambush designed (by Mandelson and Campbell) to sabotage the Lib-Tory talks. Brown made his announcement just as the Tories were gathering for the 1922 committee and the usual Labour suspects (plus Evan Harris) were waiting in the wings to recite pre-planned lines to the media.<br><br>There are only three legitimate options for government:<br><br>- minority Tory government with some sort of Lib Dem conditional support (with a vote share greater than Labour in 2005)<br>- Tory Lib Dem majority coalition, my preferred option as I have supported both parties in recent years<br>Tory Labour majority coalition...why not?<br><br>Any attempt to foist a minority coalition or unstable rainbow coalition - with Brown unelected for a second time and a third unelected Labour leader for the next five years - would be illegitimate and without a democratic mandate. Put bluntly, it would be overthrown by public opposition and the Lib Dems would do well to steer clear.<br><br>Any prospect of electoral reform without the Tories on board will fail. It will take at least a year to get the legislation to the Lords and possibly much, much longer.<br><br>This is the new politics....co-operation across the left-right divide, and not propping up an illegitimate Labour government with no democratic mandate based on student union politics.<br><br>Remember Iraq? I do, I resigned my RAF commission over it...and you guys are even considering getting into bed with a party which wheels out Alastair Campbell to justify such an arrangement? Mirrors will be hard to gaze upon if you fall for this joke.<br><br>I look forward to a fruitful Tory Lib Dem coalition or alliance unfolding in the next few days.Jess The Doghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01694805454982688213noreply@blogger.com