Options for the Liberal Democrats (there aren’t many).

If they know what’s good for them…

 

The Liberal Democrats will pull out of the coalition before the term ends, forcing a general election.

 

Only they’ll have to do it at the right time.  As things stand with current polling, they will be decimated electorally when the country goes to the polls – and with good reason, in my opinion.  They did surprisingly well at the last election through managing to convince enough people that they were a principled enough opposition to Labour.  All those that didn’t want to see the Tories in but couldn’t bring themselves to vote for a Labour that had become so unprincipled throughout years of Tony Blair, and then so chaotic under Gordon Brown.

 

They had a real opportunity, but they haven’t used that effectively in this coalition.  They claim that it is important that Liberal Democrat views moderate the Conservatives in government, but they could have chosen to vote against anything at all… and it wouldn’t have gone through.  They haven’t done that.  What they’ve actually done is supported the largely ideological Conservative government reforms, but changed them a little.  If they really wanted to impress as a serious opposition, then they could have completely opposed NHS reforms – NOT ALLOWED THEM TO GO THROUGH – rather than watering them down.. they could have voted against tuition fee rises – NOT ALLOWED THEM TO GO THROUGH – rather than watering them down, etc.

 

If they were the party they lined themselves up as being before the election, they would have done this.

 

Of course, had they done so, then the coalition wouldn’t have been a happy one and would have ended.  But its difficult to see what the Lib Dems have got out of it anyway.  Other than a short glimpse of power for Nick Clegg, and largely just Clegg – Cable has little authority, Huhne has been forced to resign from cabinet.

 

And now they are in the not-enviable, but entirely-understanding position of having virtually everyone who voted for them vote for someone else at the next election.  This is a big problem for the Liberal Democrats.  If current polling predicts correctly, then there won’t be a Liberal Democrats party after the next election.  Some high-ranking MPs are likely to hold on to their seats (Charles Kennedy/Danny Alexander, Vince Cable etc.), but many of the high-ranking MPs like Clegg, Sarah Teather etc., are in real danger of losing their seats.  And that’s just the high-ranking ones.  The Lib Dem MPs that swept in because of the dissatisfaction with Labour will all sweep out again, leaving a few high profile MPs and no real support through the councils and heartland of the country.

 

Nick Clegg must know this is likely to happen, and must have thought through the obvious ways to avoid it.  I have to conclude, therefore that he doesn’t care.  But if he does, then he has one, and only one, small opportunity to save the Liberal Democrats, as I can see it.

 

He can actually stand up to the Tories on one big policy.  He can order the Lib Dems to vote against it, not allowing it to go through.  The Tories will be furious, of course (but they have to understand that they have no mandate to rule, only to rule in coalition.  There’s no reason why they should expect everything to go through), and it will almost certainly mean reprisals.

 

But if the Liberal Democrats pick the issue carefully, if its something that the grass roots of the Liberal Democrats feel strongly about (and their core grass-roots supporters are all that are left to them now, those straying Labour voters firmly turned off ever voting for the Liberal Democrats again), then this will earn them brownie points.

 

If they were to then immediately withdraw from the coalition, forcing a General Election, then it might save some of those MPs seats.  It might sufficiently persuade people that their is some backbone left in them worth saving.

 

It might not, but I don’t see that they can afford to take any chances.  If they continue as they are until the end of the term, they’re dead forever.  If they go soon, but go big, then they might save a few of them. 

 

The only question is, does Nick Clegg want to save them?

Is it time to argue for a new political system?

Is it time to argue for a new political system?

Perhaps, yes.

The context is that we [in Britain] are currently governed by a party that weren’t elected with a majority and don’t therefore have a mandate, have a Prime Minister leading them who, whatever you think of his politics and policies, has been proven a liar and has proven himself to have very exceedingly poor judgement in those he trusts.

Just to clarify some of those facts.  Liar… count numerous from broken election promises on NHS and Building Schools for the Future, to the bigger ones of trying to get rid of the lobbying that is epidemic in Parliament (despite a Tory cabinet who are all massively involved with lobby groups protecting their own interests).  Poor Judgement…  News International, Liam Fox [(“I have every confidence in Liam Fox” – I rest my case)]

And yet he’s not personally accountable to anyone except members of his own party (who could put forward a vote of no confidence in him if they wished).  And without that we are stuck with him, and them, for another four years.  How many more times may we be lied to in that time and betrayed by him and members of his inner circle without being able to do a thing about it?

So what alternatives?  Probably the best model hasn’t been invented yet.  But I do find the American model more and more appealing.  I don’t think Politics should be about personalities.  Particularly putting as much faith in one personality as the Americans do in their President.

But increasingly (particularly under a Coalition), the Prime Minister takes on such a role in our society anyway, so why not just elect him and then let him assemble the team he wants?  Only we need some sort of accountability built in.

I’m asking the questions here, not giving the answers.  But what about making it a Criminal Offence to lie to the public (is it already?)  One lie and your arrested and have to give up your position.

Seem a bit harsh?  Wouldn’t it be great though to know we could trust politicians?  What’s so wrong with the idea.

Either way, I’m not suggesting a Workers Revolution, or Proportional Representation.  I’m not suggesting a Dictatorship or a Monarchy or a Presidency.  I think I might want something that hasn’t been invented yet.  But I do feel that David Cameron has absolutely no right to be leader of this country anymore.  He’s lost the confidence of everyone who doesn’t already believe in him and proven why his government didn’t get a majority.  But somehow, we can’t make him go for that.