Currently, I think that there will likely be a conservative minority government, with the permission of the Lib Dems. The Lib Dems shouldn't want to ally too closely. They may give their permission to a government, but not tie it around their neck like a millstone.
For example, the more pessimist predictions have said that public sector cuts will be so hard that whoever makes them may not be voted back in for a generation.
Who wants that poisoned chalice?
Far better to get the electoral changes, then promise to not object to the forming of a minority government (or to throw in with Labour). Then let the Tories get themselves hated, and try to turn that into seats in a future, fairer election.
Frankly, Tory policy is so biased towards the rich and the trivial that any Lib Dem policies are almost opposite. Forming a meaningful alliance seems doomed, so you may as well take what you can...
You raise a good point, and I suspect that there is a contingent in all parties who want "the other guys" to get in ;) For now ;)
Frankly, Tory policy is so biased towards the rich and the trivial that any Lib Dem policies are almost opposite. Forming a meaningful alliance seems doomed, so you may as well take what you can...
Hmm. When the Lib Dems and Conservatives share very similar policies/approaches in areas such as taxation, education and civil liberties, I'm not sure that your statement can be said to entirely hold true.
The Lib Dems and Conservatives start from very similar, if not identical in some areas, principles.
They then diverge rapidly in how those principles should be turned into policy.
For instance, both think that taxes should be low, to make both the public sector and private sector efficient. But how they apply that in practice gives different results - the Conservatives end up with inheritance tax breaks that affect very few, the Lib Dems end up with the removal of income tax under £10,000.
That's my view, anyway...
As to policies being opposite, I should also point out that I was going by manifestos rather than general concepts. The two could be much closer than their manifestos show them to be, certainly.
The Lib Dems shouldn't want to ally too closely. They may give their permission to a government, but not tie it around their neck like a millstone.
For example, the more pessimist predictions have said that public sector cuts will be so hard that whoever makes them may not be voted back in for a generation.
Who wants that poisoned chalice?
Far better to get the electoral changes, then promise to not object to the forming of a minority government (or to throw in with Labour). Then let the Tories get themselves hated, and try to turn that into seats in a future, fairer election.
Frankly, Tory policy is so biased towards the rich and the trivial that any Lib Dem policies are almost opposite. Forming a meaningful alliance seems doomed, so you may as well take what you can...
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Frankly, Tory policy is so biased towards the rich and the trivial that any Lib Dem policies are almost opposite. Forming a meaningful alliance seems doomed, so you may as well take what you can...
Hmm. When the Lib Dems and Conservatives share very similar policies/approaches in areas such as taxation, education and civil liberties, I'm not sure that your statement can be said to entirely hold true.
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They then diverge rapidly in how those principles should be turned into policy.
For instance, both think that taxes should be low, to make both the public sector and private sector efficient. But how they apply that in practice gives different results - the Conservatives end up with inheritance tax breaks that affect very few, the Lib Dems end up with the removal of income tax under £10,000.
That's my view, anyway...
As to policies being opposite, I should also point out that I was going by manifestos rather than general concepts. The two could be much closer than their manifestos show them to be, certainly.
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