tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post7158138672629881419..comments2024-01-23T16:53:02.428+00:00Comments on Mark Thompson: The real lessons from the 2010 coalition negotiationsMark Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00744387583593537268noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-34754669061205774932013-05-28T14:53:54.769+01:002013-05-28T14:53:54.769+01:00The Liberal Democrats need Proportional Representa...The Liberal Democrats need Proportional Representation by STV to survive and they have not yet achieved it. They should have made a guarantee of this before agreeing to any coalition. If the Tories refused then let them govern alone and take the terrible consequences. For the L. D. the Coalition has been a disaster and our Leaders should leave it ASAP before their position gets any worse. The voters should be told that having seen the bad result they have to vote L. D. more this time to get a balanced government and save the Country. If we get a Labour or Tory majority government in 2015 then the move to Independence in Scotland will be overwhelming.donhighlandnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-90852706116951508922013-05-27T15:32:35.675+01:002013-05-27T15:32:35.675+01:00I hope by now that Labour, like the Conservatives ...I hope by now that Labour, like the Conservatives and LibDems, has worked out what they should do with various hung parliament scenarios in 2015. This, for them, should include a Con-Lab Grand Coalition which was the only realistic alternative in 2010. Smaller parties that might be vital, should also have their plans. Some Labour and Tory MPs still have the mindset that minor partners in coalition should completely follow the major party line - if so, why did the minor party go to the trouble and expense of setting up an independent party anyway?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3881762807913180318.post-4753772409924200662013-05-27T11:48:40.366+01:002013-05-27T11:48:40.366+01:00I fully agree with the following line: "But i...I fully agree with the following line: <i>"But it is hard to argue that the legitimacy those processes conferred on the coalition from a Lib Dem perspective is anything other than a very good thing."</i> I would go even further and say that not only is it a good thing, it is in fact essential in any healthy democracy, and it is evidence of where there is a real culture of democracy and where there isn't one. In the Conservative and Labour parties - there is an authoritarian streak which often comes through in their policy proposals for the country. All too often they fail to understand what it takes to carry people along with you. This ends up creating resentment and often results in the wheels falling off the cart before it arrives at its destination.<br />For the rest, interesting analysis and thanks for sharing.<br /><i>Sean O'Curneen Cañas<br />Sec Gen Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe<br />EU Committee of the Regions</i><br />Blogging about the culture of democracy at <a href="http://ocurneen.com" rel="nofollow">www.ocurneen.com</a>Sean O'Curneen Cañashttp://ocurneen.comnoreply@blogger.com