Sunday, January 03, 2010
Suddenly everybody likes the Liberal Democrats
Having been lovebombed by David Cameron not so long ago the Liberal Democrats and Nick Clegg in particular, now find themselves on the right side of a-wooing by Labour's unelected Transport Secretary, Andrew Adonis.
It is red roses and champagne all round as the former Liberal Democrat and arch-turncoat, Lord Adonis claims that that there is “no ideological divide” between New Labour and the Lib Dems and suggests they could forge a “progressive coalition”:
“Nick Clegg is a very capable leader and ideologically I am on broadly the same page as him, as I believe is Gordon Brown.
“I want to see a Labour majority after the election, but I also want to see us working as closely as possible with the Lib Dems on policies we share in common.”
The transport secretary said the two parties shared similar views on the reform of the constitution and public services.
The peer argued that if Labour were re-elected, it should create a new wholly elected House of Lords and said he was ready to face voters. “I would be delighted to stand for election,” he said.
Of course there are significant ideological divides not least the suspicion that much of Labour's constitutional agenda is shop-dressed opportunism to try and recruit the Liberal Democrats as an insurance policy against a rainy day.
On policy issues Labour have consistently failed to go far enough in terms of using this agenda to empower people with a fairer voting system, a fully elected House of Lords, and proper devolution.
Ideolgically they are centralising control freaks, who have done more to undermine personal liberties than any other party in a century whilst Liberal Democrats believe in empowerment and individual rights. And that is before we talk about Iraq, tuition fees and the growing gap between rich and poor in this country.
That does not mean that we could not work with Labour (or even the Tories) on a common (and Liberal) platform if that was the verdict of the electorate but please, let us not pretend that we are doing it because we like each other or have something in common other than wanting to do what is right for the best interests of this country and its people.
It is red roses and champagne all round as the former Liberal Democrat and arch-turncoat, Lord Adonis claims that that there is “no ideological divide” between New Labour and the Lib Dems and suggests they could forge a “progressive coalition”:
“Nick Clegg is a very capable leader and ideologically I am on broadly the same page as him, as I believe is Gordon Brown.
“I want to see a Labour majority after the election, but I also want to see us working as closely as possible with the Lib Dems on policies we share in common.”
The transport secretary said the two parties shared similar views on the reform of the constitution and public services.
The peer argued that if Labour were re-elected, it should create a new wholly elected House of Lords and said he was ready to face voters. “I would be delighted to stand for election,” he said.
Of course there are significant ideological divides not least the suspicion that much of Labour's constitutional agenda is shop-dressed opportunism to try and recruit the Liberal Democrats as an insurance policy against a rainy day.
On policy issues Labour have consistently failed to go far enough in terms of using this agenda to empower people with a fairer voting system, a fully elected House of Lords, and proper devolution.
Ideolgically they are centralising control freaks, who have done more to undermine personal liberties than any other party in a century whilst Liberal Democrats believe in empowerment and individual rights. And that is before we talk about Iraq, tuition fees and the growing gap between rich and poor in this country.
That does not mean that we could not work with Labour (or even the Tories) on a common (and Liberal) platform if that was the verdict of the electorate but please, let us not pretend that we are doing it because we like each other or have something in common other than wanting to do what is right for the best interests of this country and its people.
Comments:
<< Home
Just saw Gordon Brown on Andrew Marr show, awful, strange how easily Brown is rattled and begins to lose his temper. A weird guy.
# posted by 
: 2:42 PM
: 2:42 PM
I saw him too and actually thought he was good , he sorted Marr out nicely , got his ideas and thoughts accross and didnt seem rattled at all
(no I am not labour)
(no I am not labour)
# posted by : 3:34 PM
: 3:34 PM
R u serious Observer? It was a car-crash of an interview. Our self-proclaimed economic genius who has banished boom and bust of a PM announced that he was going to halve the financial deficit in 4 years by increasing spending!
The rest of the time he looked awkward and shifty; just like Nixon
The rest of the time he looked awkward and shifty; just like Nixon
# posted by : 6:49 PM
: 6:49 PM
Good point about the distinction between new Labour and liberals, as you say Labour have undermined individuals rights with the big Brother state, political historians of the future will trace the origin of the surveillance state using modern technology to this government, while LIberals are the antithesis of this promoting freedom of speech and individual liberties
# posted by : 7:01 PM
: 7:01 PM
I wonder what Adonis is doing in New Labour, let alone Old Labour, anyway. Apart from his views on education (which interestingly are shared by some of the Orange Book-ers), he seems more in sympathy with Liberal values.
Post a Comment
<< Home
