lib dems as good as gone

[gull-able]

This coalition has efectively destroyed the lib dems, they have been swallowed up by the conservatives.

-if this government is a success the tories will claim the credit and all lib dem seats will be swallowed up by tories.

-alternativley if it fails then you will see unequivacal blame of the lib dems for allowing it to happen and labour will swallow up thier seats

-clegg is a tory in all but name, they have actually taken too many seats in government and the will be no distinguishing between the two parties.

-The lib dems have traditionally placed themselves as the centre left tory alternative, by entering into a formal coalition they have single handedly isolated their core vote.

-Either way clegg signed his parties last rites last night, wont get more tha 20 seats in the south west at any future election.

- they coped out on PR and clegg will go down in history as the leader that killed his own party

 

[Stoo82]

Still. At least the Labour government are no more.

 

[Mr Everyone]

This country has one less opposition party and Nick Clegg has helped retain the two-party-politics he so denounced at his three beauty pageants- sorry I mean debates!

RIP, LIB DEM.

 

[dannyboy]

Still. At least the Labour government are no more.

not for long id imagine. if the coalition doesnt work during these hard times , most libdem voters i fell would switch to labour at the next general election. a point not lost on labour who drove such a hard bagain with the libdems that they forced this issue i feel.

 

[pork pie]

In my opinion, as a hung parliment is the likely outcome of almost any PR vote, they have got almost exectly what they want. With PR there will always need to be a coalition government. Or are you just a bitter red and thinking that all coalition governments must include Labour?

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

This coalition has efectively destroyed the lib dems, they have been swallowed up by the conservatives.

-if this government is a success the tories will claim the credit and all lib dem seats will be swallowed up by tories.

-alternativley if it fails then you will see unequivacal blame of the lib dems for allowing it to happen and labour will swallow up thier seats

-clegg is a tory in all but name, they have actually taken too many seats in government and the will be no distinguishing between the two parties.

-The lib dems have traditionally placed themselves as the centre left tory alternative, by entering into a formal coalition they have single handedly isolated their core vote.

-Either way clegg signed his parties last rites last night, wont get more tha 20 seats in the south west at any future election.

- they coped out on PR and clegg will go down in history as the leader that killed his own party

Not the leader that put them into Government for the first tiime in LD history and Liberals back in power for the first time in over 75 years.

What must be the most worrying thing for Labour is that if this works (thats a big if) we might have the makings of a centerist coalition that can govern for a very long time.

 

[Man of Harveys]

- they coped out on PR and clegg will go down in history as the leader that killed his own party

Very true, let's hope so. And all for the sake of Clegg being crowned "deputy prime minister" - a role that doesn't really exist in constitutional terms, carries no weight or actual responsibility whatsoever and is worth even less than the proverbial pitcher of spit that someone once described the US vice-presidency role as being. Meanwhile the real jobs go to the Tories. Of course.

I've always found them a bit of a joke tbh and this enthusiasm for being allowed to play with the other boys even if it means acting as Cameron's chief wankrag merely confirms it.

Why isn't Spitting Image on these days, or something like it? Remember the good fooling they had with the Lib/SDP Alliance and the two Davids? That was NOTHING compared to this.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Very true, let's hope so. And all for the sake of Clegg being crowned "deputy prime minister" - a role that doesn't really exist in constitutional terms, carries no weight or actual responsibility whatsoever and is worth even less than the proverbial pitcher of spit that someone once described the US vice-presidency role as being. Meanwhile the real jobs go to the Tories. Of course.

I've always found them a bit of a joke tbh and this enthusiasm for being allowed to play with the other boys even if it means acting as Cameron's chief wankrag merely confirms it.

Why isn't Spitting Image on these days, or something like it? Remember the good fooling they had with the Lib/SDP Alliance and the two Davids? That was NOTHING compared to this.

I think that their first skit would be based on Clegg and Osborne fighting like girls, for Dave's affections, and the role of his fag.

 

[Mr Everyone]

In my opinion, as a hung parliment is the likely outcome of almost any PR vote, they have got almost exectly what they want. With PR there will always need to be a coalition government. Or are you just a bitter red and thinking that all coalition governments must include Labour?

Thankfully that is just your opinion. One that I'm sure is not shared with Lib Dem voters..

 

[gull-able]

Not the leader that put them into Government for the first tiime in LD history and Liberals back in power for the first time in over 75 years.

What must be the most worrying thing for Labour is that if this works (thats a big if) we might have the makings of a centerist coalition that can govern for a very long time.

-with less seats than they got at the last election after the worst recession in history.

-he is that leader by chance not design

-even the most ardent liberal democrat must be able to see that clegg failed in the election, and they will be the most inconspicous coaltion partner ever, we are back to the two party system he wanted rid of, this is sad day for progressives who and a terrible day for any advocates of electoral reform.

- cant see any way back for the lib dems except an early exit from the coalition which sees them distance themselves from the tories and another election.

- i give this 12 months at the outside

 

[The Wizard]

What choice did Clegg/Lib Dems have though?

 

[pork pie]

Thankfully that is just your opinion. One that I'm sure is not shared with Lib Dem voters..

Why? are they generally too thick to understand, or are they under the illusion that they will suddenly get enough votes to form a majority government?

 

[pork pie]

-with less seats than they got at the last election after the worst recession in history.

-he is that leader by chance not design

-even the most ardent liberal democrat must be able to see that clegg failed in the election, and they will be the most inconspicous coaltion partner ever, we are back to the two party system he wanted rid of, this is sad day for progressives who and a terrible day for any advocates of electoral reform.

- cant see any way back for the lib dems except an early exit from the coalition which sees them distance themselves from the tories and another election.

- i give this 12 months at the outside

I can now see why you use that user name. You obviously have no ability to form your own opinions, and have been taken-in by Labour's bitterness.

 

[gull-able]

What choice did Clegg/Lib Dems have though?

they shouldnt have formed a coalition, a simple agreement would have been enough to keep their autonomy, also think they have taken too many cabinet positions.

 

[gull-able]

I can now see why you use that user name. You obviously have no ability to form your own opinions, and have been taken-in by Labour's bitterness.

have plenty of my own opinions, which is more than you have if all you can do is critise mine with no reasoned position. You are probably just a meat head as your user name suggests.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Very true, let's hope so. And all for the sake of Clegg being crowned "deputy prime minister" - a role that doesn't really exist in constitutional terms, carries no weight or actual responsibility whatsoever and is worth even less than the proverbial pitcher of spit that someone once described the US vice-presidency role as being. Meanwhile the real jobs go to the Tories. Of course.

Heseltine was interesting on this. He was deputy to Major. He says as long as the Prime Minister and Deputy are of the same mind it works - but if there is a cigarette paper of difference then people know they can go over the head of the deputy.

No problem there then.

 

[Acker79]

This coalition has efectively destroyed the lib dems, the y ahve been swallowed up by the conservatives.

-if this government is a success the tories will claim the credit and all lib dem seats will be swallowed up by tories.

Not really. Every constituency that has a LidDem MP will know he was in charge during the good times, and will take credit. If the gonvernment is a success every LibDem that has a seat will have as good a shout as any to retain.

-alternativlu if it fails then you will see unequivacal blame of the lib dems for allowing it to happen and labour will swallow up thier seats

And alternatively to my last point, if they do a bad job, in all the seats that conservatives were in charge the libdems can argue it was the conservative's fault. The electorate are smart enough, imo, to recognise who their MP is and a sitting MP shouldn't be able to convince the people that it was the fault of the candidate who didn't have the seat.

-The lib dems have traditionally placed themselves as the centre left tory alternative, by entering into a formal coalition they have single handedly isolated their core vote.

-Either way clegg signed his parties last rites last night, wont get more tha 20 seats in the south west at any future election.

- they coped out on PR and clegg will go down in history as the leader that killed his own party

Or alternatively, it just ruined Clegg's career as a lib dem leader, and at some point in the not too distant future someone in the LD party will step up and get a ground swell of support as he "takes the party back"

 

[gull-able]

Or alternatively, it just ruined Clegg's career as a lib dem leader, and at some point in the not too distant future someone in the LD party will step up and get a ground swell of support as he "takes the party back"


That could happen but would be very damaging for the party.

 

[gull-able]

my point is that either way the electrote will only have two options at the next election, support or reject the government which will essentially be seen as conservative, either way i see the lib dem vote being squeezed at the next election, a little power is not always a good thing.

 

[Pantani]

This coalition has efectively destroyed the lib dems, they have been swallowed up by the conservatives.

-if this government is a success the tories will claim the credit and all lib dem seats will be swallowed up by tories.

Really? Will people not give equal credit if the Lib Dems get the things done they wanted to? The £10,000 tax threshold is their idea, and will be a massive vote winner with the young and less well off.

-alternativley if it fails then you will see unequivacal blame of the lib dems for allowing it to happen and labour will swallow up thier seats

Again, why? They are in coalition any mistakes are just as likely to be blamed on the Conservatives.

-clegg is a tory in all but name, they have actually taken too many seats in government and the will be no distinguishing between the two parties.

They have been given so many seats by the Tories to discourage dissent, government minsters have to follow the government line. Their is still plenty of distinction between the two parties, hence the concessions that had to be made to make this coalition possible.

-The lib dems have traditionally placed themselves as the centre left tory alternative, by entering into a formal coalition they have single handedly isolated their core vote.

This point may well be true. They have betrayed many of their voters.

-Either way clegg signed his parties last rites last night, wont get more tha 20 seats in the south west at any future election.

I cannot see Labour becoming a viable alternative to the other two parties (in the South West) by the next election. The voters in that area will still have to vote Lib Dem to keep the Tories out. Although AV may alter this, meaning Labour votes are not wasted there anymore.

- they coped out on PR and clegg will go down in history as the leader that killed his own party

They have a referendum on AV, more than they would have got had either perty been able to form a majority government. The Lib Dems will not die at the next election. Once again can we all stop predicting the demise of the parties we like the least and have a slightly more grown up conversation about this.