Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/

What flavour should the next UK government be?

  • 10-05-2010 07:57PM
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,968 ✭✭✭✭


    Hope the mods don't mind a fresh thread for this subject.

    So then the Lib Dems have been and continue to be in discussion with Labour and the Tories. The negotiations with the Conservatives have been ongoing for a day and according to various spokesmen the talks have gone well thus far. Talks with labour opened formaly this afternoon and the LDs parlimentary party is being kept up to speed.

    With the Lib Dems clearly open to persuasion what form should the next UK government take? My own suspicion is that while apparently counter-intiuitive a Tory led two party administration would make the most sense for the country. The larger party has the most seats and votes and with the LDs to back them (on whatever basis) they will be secure for a reasonable period, a period that will see the UKs fiscal position become clear (its very bad). The
    alternative "Coalition of Losers" would need to include all the fringe parties with the obvious potential for hostage taking come a critical vote.

    Tories + LD + 8 DUP
    371
    Everybody Except Tories and DUP 329


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,462 ✭✭✭Peanut


    Could the resignation of Gordon Brown be paving the way for a lib/lab coalition?

    The numbers are iffy but then again there appears to be significant ideological differences between the conservatives and lib. dems.

    From BBC website,
    "If Labour and the Lib Dems joined forces, they would still not have an overall majority.

    With the support of the Northern Irish SDLP, one Alliance MP, and nationalists from Scotland and Wales they would reach 328, rising to 338 if the DUP, the independent unionist and the new Green MP joined them. "


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 971 ✭✭✭CoalBucket


    I propose Fianna Fail join in a coalition with the Conservatives and piss off over to England and leave us alone :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,733 ✭✭✭oppenheimer1


    Lib/Lab hopefully, but the numbers just don't stack up. There will have to be another GE very soon I think.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,859 ✭✭✭bmaxi


    I reckon the sticking point for the Conservatives has to be PR or a version of it, it'd be like turkeys voting for Christmas. I was listening to one marbles in the mouth Tory MP saying, "I didn't hear on the doorsteps, people asking for electoral reform". FFS, how petty can you get?
    Personally I hope the Lib Dems hold out for PR, how unfair is a system where you can get 23% of the vote and only one fifth the number of seats of a party that got six percentage points more. I think if the Lib Dems go with the Tories it will make them so unpopular, their efforts at electoral reform will be lost for a generation, not to mention the fact it would be unpopular among their own rank and file.
    Rock and a hard place for Clegg.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,470 ✭✭✭Kiwi_knock


    It's a lose-lose situation for the Lib Dems if they go into power with the Tories. They give up their key election promise of electoral reform. They will not get to enact the majority of their policies. The policies that to get enacted are already Tory policies. If the coalition succeeds the Tories will claim the credit as the policies are theirs. If the coalition fails the Lib Dems will take the blame for not curbing the power of the Tories. The Lib Dems should be able to see that a coalition with Labour would suit them better in the long run.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88,968 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    It was very interesting to hear John Reid (ex NI and Home Secretary) come out strongly against a Lab led coalition. His view was that Labour lost and should be willing to spend a spell in opposition regrouping.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,276 ✭✭✭Memnoch


    I'd be okay with a Tory-Lib coalition as long as Cameron didn't get to pillage the BBC and there was a referendum on PR.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88,968 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    I think we will know its a Tory-Lib coalition today.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,445 ✭✭✭BluePlanet


    I think the LibDem would be crazy to go with the Tories.
    It'd be rather like the Greens in bed with FF.
    I can imagine defections and the party taking all the flack for unpopular Tory decisions.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,859 ✭✭✭bmaxi


    mike65 wrote: »
    I think we will know its a Tory-Lib coalition today.

    What makes you so sure? Certainly both BBC and Sky seem to think it's still up in the air.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88,968 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Just a hunch, the promise for AV referendum could do it and apparently the Tories are also moving a bit on the 10 grand income tax cut off.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,911 ✭✭✭✭whatawaster


    My gut feeling is that the Lib Dems will side with Labour, and form a minority government with them, knowing that the SNP, PC, SDLP, Alliance, SF (not that they ever attend) will never vote with the conservatives.
    I think both parties will also know that soon after a new labour PM is chosen, they will need to return to the people and call an election – because the government won’t be stable enough to carry on for a full term, and the new PM will need a mandate


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,026 ✭✭✭Lockstep


    I'm guessing it'll be a Lib/Lab coalition.

    THere's just too many ideological differences between the Tories and LibDems, plus the final offer from the Tories is an AV referendum whereas Labour offer an AV bill and a STV referendum. I know a few LibDem supporters in Britain who would feel much more betrayed by going in with the TOries (the LibDems opponent on most policy issues) than by going in with Labour.

    THe SDLP are traditional Labour supporters so all they need is the SNP to get a majority. Plus the remaining parties (apart from the DUP) are all much more likely to vote with Labour than Tory.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,700 ✭✭✭irishh_bob


    CoalBucket wrote: »
    I propose Fianna Fail join in a coalition with the Conservatives and piss off over to England and leave us alone :D


    thier no more compatible than the conservatives and the lib dems


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,700 ✭✭✭irishh_bob


    mike65 wrote: »
    It was very interesting to hear John Reid (ex NI and Home Secretary) come out strongly against a Lab led coalition. His view was that Labour lost and should be willing to spend a spell in opposition regrouping.

    john reid was ( is ) a blair,ite and despises gordon brown


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88,968 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Brown had announced his intention to resign by the time Reid said that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,387 ✭✭✭✭DeVore


    Pistachio!!


    I think I want lib/lab but I think there should be lib/con, its what the people wanted.

    DeV.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,911 ✭✭✭✭whatawaster


    DeVore wrote: »
    Pistachio!!


    I think I want lib/lab but I think there should be lib/con, its what the people wanted.

    DeV.

    I don't think anyone who voted liberal wanted a conservative coalition, whereas many of them would have realised a labour coalition was their only path to government.

    Similarly, i doubt many conservatives envisaged a liberal-conservative coalition when they voted.

    It can be spun anyway the parties want it to be honest. Labour/Libs could come out and say they represent the will of more than 50% of voters.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 17 MaryDub


    lookin like Con/lib dem - would worry a little about both parties obvious ideoloigical differences.

    Will wait and see.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,069 ✭✭✭✭LordSutch


    At this moment in time it looks like it could be a Lib-Lab pact? but without the other smaller parties being involved (SDLP/SNP/DUP/PC/etc), which would lead to a minority government, butg still with a larger majority than a Lib - Con pact! of course this could all change by tea time today.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,601 ✭✭✭Marshy


    Tbh I don't see any non-Tory led government as a real option. A Liquorice allsorts coalition wouldn't be viable imo, even a minority Lib-Lab.

    Yet, I don't think the promise of a referendum on Alternative Vote is acceptable for the LDs. I think they're best off letting the Tories go it alone, perhaps with a confidence and supply arrangement.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,418 ✭✭✭JimiTime


    I hope it goes to another GE, with a new Labour leader. Hopefully with the unpopular Gordon Brown gone, voters will then return to Labour. I sincerely hope its not Tory government. An elitist despisible bunch IMO.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,283 ✭✭✭✭ejmaztec


    Whichever coalition ends up running the UK will have to wield a huge axe to tackle the deficit, and the general population will start to hate with a vengeance, all of the parties responsible. After the next election, the coalition members won't get another taste of power for about 30 years.

    On this basis alone, I think a Con/Lib-Dem coalition would be a good idea.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,823 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manach


    The Con/Lib. would seem to offer the greater standibilty for the UK. AFAIK it is a pity that no cabinet seats are on offer to the Libs, as Vince Cable seems to have some sense of economics.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88,968 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Its all happening, Tories and LDs are back in conference. I'd say we'll know by teatime


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,418 ✭✭✭JimiTime


    Manach wrote: »
    The Con/Lib. would seem to offer the greater standibilty for the UK. AFAIK it is a pity that no cabinet seats are on offer to the Libs, as Vince Cable seems to have some sense of economics.

    Really? So if they go into coalition, the Libs will get no ministers?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88,968 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Sounds like the deal is done.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 8,571 ✭✭✭ongarite


    Looks like the deal is done.
    Bags are being packed in No.10 for chance of PM.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,069 ✭✭✭✭LordSutch


    Yep, looks like the Labour Party have blown it big time (Ed Balls & others) seem to have been too heavy handed in negotiations with the Lib Dems > Now over to Conservative HQ, then possibly Mr Cameron will be driven down the mall to Buckingham Palace to have a chat with Her Maj QE2 :)


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88,968 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    The black sacks are being flung into the boot outside Number 10.

    Labour really are quite inept. Too much hurt pride I think.


Advertisement