A ‘grand coalition’ could never be in the public interest

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Lord Baker has called for a Grand Coalition between Labour and the Conservatives after the general election to prevent the Scottish Nationalists holding the balance of power in parliament and using that position to demand more control for Scotland.

This is an extraordinary suggestion. What it really says are three things.

The first is that the differences between Labour and Conservatives are not that big. Many of us might have been saying that for some time but for a major politician to confirm it says that politics in the UK has, in the opinion of some, for all practical purposes come to an end.

Second, it says that some politicians really do have contempt for the electorate. It shows that Cameron was never serious about the Scottish referendum and is wholly unable to accept the result.

And third, what this shows is that some in Westminster really do think that politics is the exercise of power irrespective of the consequence. So, Scotland must be controlled come what may, and that is more important than any other issue.

No wonder people are alienated from much of politics.

No wonder the people of Scotland now look to be rejecting everything to do with Westminster.

And no wonder that no party in the rest of the UK looks likely to be trusted with a majority (because that is a fact, with or without Scotland at present).

I am in Scotland for much of next week and am looking forward to learning a lot more of the current mood. But the feedback I am already getting is that Scotland has moved on. The question is, when will the rest of the UK?


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