Did you see Vince Cable interviewed on television last night about his new appointment?
The deft, witty, always in command Vince looked like a man putting on a very brave act.
He stumbled for words. His posture was resigned.
Of course we now know he’d been appointed to be responsible for banking — to find George Osborne would not be letting him do the job.
If Vince was ever convinced of the merits of being a ConDem it was already clear he knew he’d been shafted.
He’s just the first to come to that realisation — and that there’s no way out for his party.
There will be a bloodbath soon. There is just no way most Lib Dems will pout up with this: they’ve been sold out by Clegg, Laws and the other free-market fundamentalists in their ranks.
I predict a split soon.
We got so close to PR. And now, maybe, two party politics might be restored. I do at least hope Vince has the courage to take his people back into a genuine third party.
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“We got so close to PR”
Really? From what I can see, this whole hung parliament has given everyone a fright. It forces politicians to make significant compromises (aka betraying their principles). It also means that the result of the election is decided behind closed doors with the smallest parties holding a disproportionate influence. We were lucky that the smallest party able to make a coalition was the LibDems: imagine if it had been UKIP, one of the nationalists, or even, God forbid, the BNP. I think this experience will have put a lot of people off PR.
The truth is there was no option for the Liberals: they either had to reject the Tories and effectively force the Tories to call another election in 6 months or else form a coalition with them. Labour realised a coalition with the LibDems wouldn’t work so that option didn’t exist.
And if the LibDems didn’t make a coalition with the Tories what would be the point of the LibDems? After all, if everyone knows you won’t have a majority but will only side with Labour: well, why not vote Labour instead?
But still: no 3rd runway, taxes on flights rather than passengers, CGT rates up to match Income Tax, a big rise in personal allowances for the lower paid: it’s not a bad start.
Con-Vince-ed?
Oh dear, oh dear oh dear. And there it is reported that it was Vince who was so influential in his colleagues signing up to this. Wonder what he was thinking.
Perhaps the parliamentary party will collapse in a large pillow fight. Perhaps the grass roots will desert them. BUT it seems a bit early to say don’t you think?
Perhaps you might be more concerned about what will happen to the remnants of the Labour party. Two party politics requires two parties, and one of them seems to be going down the tubes.
But even in this revolutionary period, still don’t think you will find parliament voting through PR, even if it was on the table (which it isn’t), and even if the electorate buy it (there is no particular evidence to suggest they would).
Face it Richard. Not even the Labour party are really in favour of getting rid of free markets.
The Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, Tony Brown, is not unduly concerned by Vince’s appointment.
http://www.manxradio.com/newsread.aspx?id=44986
I’m rather happier knowing that our leader has the measure of the matter.
Yep – I really sorry for Vince. On the plus side, if he wanted to defect to Labour asap maybe he could make a run for the leadership?
@mad foetus
” But still: no 3rd runway, taxes on flights rather than passengers, CGT rates up to match Income Tax, a big rise in personal allowances for the lower paid: it’s not a bad start.”
Yep
Even I can’t say it’s all bad
And I won’t
Howard, what a brilliant thought? After all Vince was originally Labour and quit because it was too left-wing for him – it certainly ain’t any more.
[…] May 13, 2010 at 8:16 pm Several on the Left are predicting that the Libservative coalition will break up nastily. […]
As Herbert Asquith, might have said, wait and see.
But to say “we were so close to PR” – plainly not, as Labour couldn’t deliver it while there are many, including many in the Trade Unions, who won’t accept it. Roy Jenkins died an unhappy man, and Robin Cook cried on the phone to Paddy Ashdown because the Labour Party wouldn’t deliver when Jenkins put the chance into their hands over 10 years ago. The “Progressive Coalition” option wouldn’t have worked this week either – many in the Labour Party plainly preferred being in opposition. And if you want inherent instability, try whipping Liberal Democrats through a lobby in defence of ID cards or any of the other distinctly UNprogressive things the Labour Party introduced, wouldn’t back down on in the negotiations, and which this Coalition is committed to repeal.
I’ve been a Liberal/Liberal Democrat all my adult life. I’ve fought the Tories all that time. But I’m going to wait and see what happens, because the programme of the Coalition isn’t at all bad. Will it last? Will it get blown off course? Will we get a good government, or even a half decent one? Will the Liberal Democrats come out of this in one piece? Truth is, I don’t know, and nor does anyone. Lots of fury and visceral bitterness won’t change the future, but it’s surely likely to cloud the view of it.
As things progress, I’ll be looking to you for some better commentary and fresh ideas. Keep up the good work, but please don’t allow yourself to get too associated with the Labour Party.
Trevor:
I’ve been in the Labour Party for much of my life—until 2003 when I quit for some of the reasons you outline above. There are many of us who want to work with LibDems (or more procisely, the progressives within the LibDems). As I argue elsewhere (and Richard has the link on his blog), the future of the left lies with coalition, with real PR—and tribalism is dead. And I have many friends who agree and who are still in the Labour Party (just as you presumably aare still in the LibDems).
George Irvin