If it came down to it, would Labour supporters be happy with a Lib/Lab coalition?
OvertheUnder
Posts: 4,764 Forum Member
✭✭✭
We all hear the Lib Dems getting bad PR about the election and being a party of traitors and backstabbers but if it came down to the wire would Labour supports be happy to have the Liberal Democrats in government to support Labour in power?
0
Comments
That's the nature of politics, talk a big game but when it comes down to it sign a deal with the devil himself if it means you get a sniff of power.
Anything that gets the gonk elected, I suppose. But, there is surely a very good chance of Clegg and co being politically obliterated at the GE, and UKIP actually having more MPs'. Then Grommit would be begging Farrage... who I hope would tell him where he could stick his offer.
I'd be fairly happy to see the Lib Dems in coalition with Labour, as a restraining influence.
No Clegg, Alexander or Laws though.
That seems extremely unlikely.
As an aside, my ideal government would be one that had a social democratic economic policy and liberal social policy. So a Lib-Lab coalition would have the potential to make me very happy.
That said I am hoping for a wafer-thin Tory majority, with any luck propped up by a few Kipper MPs. The result will be carnage, and is likely to grievously wound both parties, fatally in the case of UKIP who will be fighting like cats in a sack within weeks.
I think the Tories would be more likely to turn to NI unionists in that case before UKIP.
Result will be similar, so it's all good (except for the not killing UKIP part).
That's probably in the private view of many in the Labour party but then makes this campaign of attack on the Lib Dems seem strange i.e calling them backstabbers and traitors for joining a Tory coalition when in fact Labour may need the party for their benefit at the election this year.
I don't see why abusing the LD is productive. The utter hypocrisy of the Labour voters will be fascinating to watch - defending the Lib Dems for joining a Lib/Lab coalition!
I dunno if it would be all good as the thought of DUP in government is a frightful notion. They are no good in Stormont.
Frightful = stuffed Conservative party, and Lefties in despair. That'll do for me.
The best thing the Liberals can do is take a step back, and watch the others tear each other apart. It will be the best possible way of demonstrating their worth over the last five years.
People have forgotten what the Tories look like with their muzzle off, and Labour are unelectable.
I don't agree that Labour accepting a LD coalition would necessarily be hypocrisy.
The reason that Labour attacks the LD for going into government with the Tories was because they spent the previous decade plus campaigning to the left of Labour. Hence most voters viewed them (not unreasonably) as a center-left party that would be naturally opposed to the majority of the Tories agenda. The coalition in itself was a betrayal, but given the circumstances in 2010 it could have been seen as an understandable compromise. But their almost full acceptance of Tory economic policy and appeasement of the rest of their right wing agenda has been disgraceful.
I'm waiting to see how the LIb Dems position themselves in the campaign. If they come out against Labour policies then, yes, it would be hypocrisy to form a government with them. However if they decide to 'ditch' the Tories and support a return to centre-left politics I don't see what would be wrong with Labour agreeing to a coalition. That's how multi-party democracy is supposed to work.
Labour better off doing pact with nationalists and Greens.
Greens? As in you think there will be more than 1?:o
All 3 are too contaminated now, more Tory than LibDem now.
Labour supporters would probably accept a coalition but MPs won't like it, remember last time when Blunkett et al revolted during talks and said going into opposition was better than to attempt a rainbow coalition.
Alexander will probably lose his seat anyway. Clegg will probably survive but would have to agree to step down as part of any agreement, Tim Fallon would be much easier for Labour to work with.
The Conservatives and their media friends Including the whole of the BBC are already totally on election campaigning. At the moment there is concentration on anti-Muslim and pro Christian stuff (why did Cameron feel the need to say 'I am a Christian' when quite plainly he isn't) and gentle reminders that E. Miliband is Jewish which have suddenly crept in.
My guess is that all this will work fine and enough people will stick with the Conservatives and drop out of Labour to get the Conservatives in.
By the way, Nick Clegg will be dumped from the Lib Dem leadership about 6 minutes after the polls close. Cameron might even convert to Christianity so he can pray for victory because if he doesn't get in he will rapidly follow Clegg down the plughole.