[mithy73]

Originally Posted by Relugus

Like I keep saying, Clegg should have opted for a confidence and supply arrangement, thus enabling the Lib Dems to influence policy without being hemmed in.

I'm still not convinced about it. It would have entailed the Lib Dems voting though every Budget - which contained enough controversial measures of their own, such as that cut in the top rate of tax - and every measure that subsequently became the subject of a confidence vote, which could well have included university funding reform.

As such, such an arrangement had the potential to hem in the Lib Dems just as badly as the current agreement, with considerably less benefit in terms of being able to influence Government policy before it became proposed Government legislation.

When Clegg was negotiating he ruled out anything other than a formal coalition, which shows the negotiating skills of a gnat.

As I recall, it was Cameron who first offered a formal coalition. The option of a confidence and supply arrangement wasn't an attractive alternative, in my view. It didn't exactly do wonders for the Liberals in the Seventies.