Lib Dems & Tories... Can they work together?

michaels

OK - Does this sound like a reasonable Tory/Lib Dim policy deal?

Voting Reform - agreement to have a fully elected PR upper chamber with staggered elections like for councils, referendum on voting reform for Commons

Tax/Benefits - Both parties actually more progressive than labour in removing benefits from higher earners and there would be votes in increasing the personal allowance and simplifying the tax system - may be paid for by that (secret) VAT increase

Nuke Deterrent - some sort of deal to go slow on Trident whilst looking at alternative nuke replacement

Immigration - Nation cap and regional 'caps' could easily be combined. I would have thought amnesty if tied in with actual removal non-amnesty illeagals via tough 'border police' would sell to both.

Europe - Tricky but agreement on no further transfer of power without referendum possible and Euro is currently dead issue

Spending cuts - probably one for the LDs to claim they are holding their noses and that it is all Tory cuts

Civil liberties - Tory party seems to cover whole spectrum but definitely has a small l liberal wing - David Davies for home secretary?

Education - Tricky especially student tuition fees

Is there a deal there despite the distaste of the Liberal rank and file - obviously GB will offer more as he would sell his Mother to cling on to power(although his party may see him as a sacrificial bargaining !!!!!!) so I guess it is a question of do they go 'all-in' on electoral reform and risk alienating the public for supporting the clearly defeated Labour party or go for a possible full term of influence on Govt?

mitchaa

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

As of today he's calling for a "progressive alliance" of Labour, Liberals and SNP/Plaid.

Has he changed his tune overnight? The article was only written yesterday:eek:

What on earth is a progressive alliance? To me that would be doing a deal with 1 of the 3 London parties. Bizarre given the 1st article.

258+57+6+3 = 324 seats. Still 2 short and with 4 parties. That is not workable surely?

tomterm8

It's workable. With sinn fein not turning up, and the fact the speaker doesn't vote (except to break a tie, in favour of the government), an effective majority is 320.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

michaels wrote: »

sacrificial bargaining !!!!!!

Ewwwwwwwww

Soubrette

mitchaa wrote: »

Has he changed his tune overnight? The article was only written yesterday:eek:

What on earth is a progressive alliance? To me that would be doing a deal with 1 of the 3 London parties. Bizarre given the 1st article.

258+57+6+3 = 324 seats. Still 2 short and with 4 parties. That is not workable surely?

Don't forget Sinn Fein seats are effectively dead seats - they won't take them up and so they will never be used for voting. This effectively gives 646 seats - half of which are of course 323.

I can't see it working myself and I'm afraid I do see as a slap in the face for the electorate - the party that won the most votes is the Conservatives, they should have first shot at forming a government imo

Sou

A_fiend_for_life

michaels wrote: »

Education - Tricky especially student tuition fees

Maybe not so tricky. Lib Dems have conceded abolishing tuition fees is not feasible any time soonish. Cameron has already proposed a 10% cut on prompt payment.

The incentive would need to be tapered in some way to encourage more people to repay sooner.

tomterm8

Soubrette wrote: »

Don't forget Sinn Fein seats are effectively dead seats - they won't take them up and so they will never be used for voting. This effectively gives 646 seats - half of which are of course 323.

I can't see it working myself and I'm afraid I do see as a slap in the face for the electorate - the party that won the most votes is the Conservatives, they should have first shot at forming a government imo

Sou

Don't forget the speaker and three deputies. And, indeed, Sinn fein might turn up for a vote on PR if they are offered a referendum for Northern Ireland to leave the Union. Labour and the Lib Dems only need two votes to screw the conservatives for the next generation.

mbga9pgf

Question is, would Brown give Sinn Feinn Northern Ireland if it could guarantee him another 5 years?

I believe he would. The guy is a sad pathetic loser.

nearlynew

This election stuff is nothing but a sideshow to take people's mind off the real problems.

And all the while, the real villains are laughing their heads off and slip away un-noticed.

Bread and circuses and all that......

Soubrette

tomterm8 wrote: »

Don't forget the speaker and three deputies. And, indeed, Sinn fein might turn up for a vote on PR if they are offered a referendum for Northern Ireland to leave the Union. Labour and the Lib Dems only need two votes to screw the conservatives for the next generation.

Sinn Fein will never turn up because they would have to swear allegiance to the Queen.

They will however, reluctantly claim any expenses and salary they incur as a non working MP *rolleyes*

Sou