Is this a harmless poll or the grass roots being sounded out?
Previous Lib/Lab coalitions are, in my opinion the main reason why the Lib Dems are still the third party in British politics, as when things get bad for Labour the Lib Dems jump in. By accepting coalitions in the past they have sewn themselves into the position of the Third Party.
Should the possibility arise, I hope the Lib Dems take their chances and try to overtake Labour in the polls instead. Thing is, I really do not anticipate there being a hung Parliament now, the time and opportunity to fight for that has now passed Gordon Brown by. In my opinion, it is damage limitation from here on.
Also, In a hypothetical situation I suspect Vince Cable and Ming Campbell would be in favour of joining a national coalition, but I do not see Nick Clegg coming on board, so such a move could split, possibly terminally the Liberal Democrats.
2 comments:
I'm beginning to think the lib dems are past their sell-by date. What's needed is a party slightly to the right of centre and they just don't fit that. They try to be everything to everyone and have lost their path in recent years.
Interesting - why Labour have put that up I don't know, maybe they want to approach the Lib Dems to get some backing, some have clearly accepted this election will not be fun
Somehow I doubt the LDs will be actively going for this - they have previously allied with Labour in devolved parliaments, but that's a different system - and the Tories aren't a workable ally in Scotland and Wales, it's Labour or the nationalists
They've never been keen to support a party before a general election, as they don't want to be absorbed into the other larger party - I personally would hope they wouldn't be stupid enough to try and support the currently despised Labour party
I think their 'failure' as a major party is the same that has affected Liberals for the past century - they are the voice of middle class liberalism and that doesn't work well with first past the post system as their supporters aren't located in large groups
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