Tuesday, May 08, 2012
Making the point
The fallout from the local government elections continues in today's media, perhaps magnified by the fact that the government is made up of two parties not just the one. The Independent says that whilst Nick Clegg and David Cameron are seeking to relaunch the coalition (or not depending who you talk to), noises off in both parties continue to seek to attach blame.
The paper says that Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrats' deputy leader, yesterday accused Conservative MPs who oppose the Coalition of believing they were "born to rule". He was responding to those MPs who have demanded a traditional Tory agenda and who have urged Mr Cameron to stop giving in to Mr Clegg, claiming the Liberal Democrat tail was wagging the Coalition dog:
Mr Hughes laid bare the simmering tensions between the two parties by blaming their poor local election results last week on George Osborne's insistence on cutting the 50p top rate of tax on incomes over £150,000. He even claimed the Chancellor now probably realised it was a "mistake" because it overshadowed the Liberal Democrats' policy to raise tax thresholds for 24 million people.
About 20 Tory MPs defied Mr Cameron by issuing an alternative programme for government – part of a campaign to urge the Prime Minister to make fewer policy concessions to the Liberal Democrats. But Mr Hughes reminded Tory rebels that their party had failed to win a majority at the 2010 election.
"It may be uncomfortable for the Tories, some of whom think they're born to rule but, unfortunately, the electorate didn't agree with them," he told BBC Radio 4's World At One. He also suggested that the Liberal Democrats had been more united and disciplined than the Tories since last week's election drubbing for both Coalition parties.
This analysis very much reflects my own. It is important that the government take note.
The paper says that Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrats' deputy leader, yesterday accused Conservative MPs who oppose the Coalition of believing they were "born to rule". He was responding to those MPs who have demanded a traditional Tory agenda and who have urged Mr Cameron to stop giving in to Mr Clegg, claiming the Liberal Democrat tail was wagging the Coalition dog:
Mr Hughes laid bare the simmering tensions between the two parties by blaming their poor local election results last week on George Osborne's insistence on cutting the 50p top rate of tax on incomes over £150,000. He even claimed the Chancellor now probably realised it was a "mistake" because it overshadowed the Liberal Democrats' policy to raise tax thresholds for 24 million people.
About 20 Tory MPs defied Mr Cameron by issuing an alternative programme for government – part of a campaign to urge the Prime Minister to make fewer policy concessions to the Liberal Democrats. But Mr Hughes reminded Tory rebels that their party had failed to win a majority at the 2010 election.
"It may be uncomfortable for the Tories, some of whom think they're born to rule but, unfortunately, the electorate didn't agree with them," he told BBC Radio 4's World At One. He also suggested that the Liberal Democrats had been more united and disciplined than the Tories since last week's election drubbing for both Coalition parties.
This analysis very much reflects my own. It is important that the government take note.
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I think at this point the Tories are a bloody mess. At least the Lib Dems are fairly united and seem more disciplined. The Tories are all over the place right now.
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