Quick post as the aftermath of Thursday’s ‘decision day’ begins to unfold. Just wanted to add a comment before the political manoeuvring is completed.
Will be particularly interested in the Lib Dem decision re: the formation of a government serving the “national interest”. I wonder how many Lib dem supporters, most of whom presumably voted from positions of principle around policy, will be happy with any kind of alliance with a party that supports Trident, promotes fairly savage cuts in 2010/11, has never supported any kind of electoral reform and wants to offer succour to the wealthy through revision of the inheritance tax.
Given that the Lib Dem party promotes itself (perhaps justifiably, based on policy) as the truly progressive force in UK politics, there will perhaps be a specific and far from humorous irony in that same party providing a vehicle for a still unconstructed Tory party to serve in office; and kiss goodbye to a genuine opportunity to force through some kind of long overdue electoral reform. I guess Lib Dem supporters are accustomed to their votes not counting (despite a high proportion of votes cast for that party), but how many voted on the understanding that Clegg would box himself so cleverly into a corner in the run up to the election that he now feels duty bound to enter discussions with a party with which he and his party have so very little in common.
The next few days will be more than interesting 🙁