Coalition Negotiations 2015. A Play.
Scene opens on a nondescript room somewhere in Whitehall, 9th May 2015.
Labour Lead Coalition Negotiator: "Well, thank you all for coming today. Obviously it's been a fairly gruelling election campaign but the fact that no party managed to achieve an overall majority has led us to this point. If we can come to some agreement over the next few days then we have a chance to form a majority coalition."
Lib Dem Lead Coalition Negotiator: "Absolutely. We very much hope that we can reach such an agreement between our parties. I have with me a document which forms our red lines if that would help."
LLCN: "OK, thanks. That might help speed things along a little bit!"
(Laughter)
(LDLCN hands over a document to LLCN)
LLCN: "Er, this is your manifesto."
LDLCN: "That's right."
LLCN: "I don't understand."
LDLCN: "They are our red lines. We insist on having every single thing in our manifesto implemented in full."
LLCN: "But surely you must understand that is not possible?"
LDLCN: "On the contrary. We thought you would actually insist that this be the case."
LLCN: "Er, I really do not understand what you are saying here. Why would we want that?"
LDLCN: "Well, for the last 5 years you and your Labour colleagues have taken every opportunity to tell the public that we have renaged on various parts of our 2010 manifesto. You have attacked us for not blocking tuition fee rises, for the NHS reforms, for allowing the Conservatives to reduce the top rate of tax and for putting up VAT amongst many other things. We have taken a big political hit for having compromised previously and as our chief critics for having done so we assumed you would totally understand how we are not able to budge an iota on our manifesto for fear of being accused of the same again."
LLCN: "Er...."
LDLCN: "We'll leave you to decide whether you want a coalition on these terms. It is a take it or leave it offer. Good day!"
(The Lib Dem contingent exit)
(Confused faces, swanee whistle, curtain)
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6 comments:
"Well, for the last 5 years you and your Labour colleagues have taken every opportunity to tell the public that we have renaged on various parts of our 2010 manifesto. You have attacked us for not blocking tuition fee rises ..."
That wasn't a manifesto pledge, of course. It was a personal promise, signed by candidates from all the main parties, about how they would vote on a particular issue.
It's no defence at all to suggest the pledge could only have been honoured if the Lib Dems had won the election. Indeed, if they'd won the election, there would have been no question of _raising_ tuition fees, because tuition fees would have been abolished altogether. That _was_ a manifesto commitment.
Your central point - that the performance of the lib dems in government need to take into account the fact that they are part of the coalition - is of course very true.
But that's not a complete "get out of jail free" card either. The libdems can't get away with anything and then just say "well it would have been worse with just the tories".
We have to judge the decisions based on the political situation. Case in point is the NHS bill. The LDs didn't have to support that. It wasn't in the coalition agreement (indeed the agreement specifically ruled such a bill out). It could have been blocked. Instead the votes of Lib Dem MPs made it law.
That's a decision for which the party is only just starting to pay the price.
It wasn't us, the big boys made us do it!
Bit pathetic
The thing is that the really contentious things that have left many core libdem voters and supporters feeling betrayed weren't in the the Coalition agreement (which is widely supported) - the NHS Reforms, Welfare "reforms" (actually just more cuts and making an already dreadful DWP and the companies it outsources to, even more hostile to the vulnerable) and the "internet snooping bill" are all made possible because Lib Dem MPs and leadership are listening more to Whitehall and the Tories than the party members, the public and industry.
Silly arguement.
"You have attacked us for not blocking tuition fee rises, for the NHS reforms, for allowing the Conservatives to reduce the top rate of tax"
Tuition fee rises - not required to support them under the terms of the coalition agreement.
NHS reforms - specifically ruled out in the coalition agreement.
Top rate tax cuts - arguably ruled out in the coalition agreement until the £10 threshold is implemented.
Labour Negotiator 1: [an aside to Labour Negotiator 2] Tell you what, thell them anything they like here. We can even put it in the Coalition Agreement "not top down this..., campaign for that..." We both know they'll cave on just about anything...
Labour Negotiator 2: [an aside to Labour Negotiator 1] true.
End scene
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