tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post332587589533175283..comments2023-10-27T07:50:27.411+01:00Comments on Next Left: The Ashdown interventionTom Hampsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05917325958130851128noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-69199603797452418412010-05-11T11:22:23.947+01:002010-05-11T11:22:23.947+01:00Mark
- It is a fair point, well made.
- Though I...Mark<br />- It is a fair point, well made. <br /><br />- Though I can not see that AV without a referendum could be asked, offered or delivered. <br /><br />- Certainly my view is that Labour should offer and advocate legislation and a referendum on AV+ and expect its MPs to back that as a confidence measure, and that the government and party leadership would advocate a yes (with a small number of rebels no doubt on the no side in the referendum itself). It depends if those arguing against the arrangement as the best course of action would then veto it as a matter of confidence. It is necessary to be very clear about that to make the deal. If the party disagrees with David Blunkett, I can't see him doing that myself.<br /><br />I feel at least some of the Labour objections are particularly to the SNP being in the coalition itself, or having a veto over it.<br /><br />DespairingLiberal<br />- I think the Nats negotiating position is much weaker than many assume. It depends on the nuclear option of voting a Tory minority government in (and/or voting to call a general election). <br /><br />- It is not only the Commons arithmetic that matters. The SNP runs a minority administration in Scotland. I would not want to be Alec Salmond running for re-election in Scotland, having voted in a Tory government in Westminster. You can make an argument that a Tory UK government may help the independence cause, but it would be toxic for the Nats themselves to bring it about.<br /><br />- Ditto Caroline Lucas. Of couse, she could negotiate on her issues, and I would expect a Lab-Lib deal to contain some significant pro-green content. But she can not finally be a decisive vote in putting David Cameron in, and does not therefore have the nuclear button, though of course a progressive government should engage constructively and respectfully with her and the Green party more generally.Sunder Katwalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06671411534003530927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-258441204822175692010-05-11T10:55:53.636+01:002010-05-11T10:55:53.636+01:00Hasn't Douglas Alexander already ruled out a c...Hasn't Douglas Alexander already ruled out a coalition with the SNP? How pray would a Lib/Lab coalition work without SNP, Plaid and Caroline Lucas on board?<br /><br />On that front, Caroline has also indicated this morning that she wouldn't regard it as a "progressive coalition" and that presumably means she would attempt to block a lot of things.<br /><br />Plaid have a deep loathing of the LibDems, with whom they have had some fierce battles.<br /><br />It just isn't workable - at the moment, Nick Clegg is doing enough public manouvering to demonstrate to his people that he tried with Labour.<br /><br />Ashdown may have boosted his party, but that doesn't make him the fount of all knowledge on this. He has proven to be a very typical politician in the past, frequently shifting ground.DespairingLiberalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02903904463236135611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-46857852133820760452010-05-11T10:18:18.705+01:002010-05-11T10:18:18.705+01:00Brown has played his best political maneuver of hi...Brown has played his best political maneuver of his life as he is walking out the door.<br /><br />In chess terms, he has just looked at Clegg and said "Check Mate".<br /><br />http://redrag1.blogspot.com/2010/05/red-rag-brown-makes-ultimate-sacrifice.htmlRed Raghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04939482505068680304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-45238542828499822632010-05-11T10:06:43.372+01:002010-05-11T10:06:43.372+01:00I think you under-estimate the role of Labour MPs ...I think you under-estimate the role of Labour MPs in all this. Clearly some of them are quite happy to sink any idea of a rainbow coalition if it involves significant electoral reform.<br /><br />There's a strong onus on Labour to show that for all the talk about being progressive it can actually deliver the goods. If it can't show there is a plausible alternative, for all the angst that will no doubt be thrown at the Lib Dems by Labour members, smart Labour members will know the responsibility that their own party bears.Mark Packhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17596137350950820090noreply@blogger.com