Most observers of the coalition, seeing the Lib Dems plunging in the opinion polls, have tended to portray them as poodles trotting along behind the Conservatives. Certainly the feeling that the Tories are using Clegg and co. as human shields to take the flak for the cuts is pretty widespread.
But for such a small group in the Commons it could be argued that the Lib Dem tail is wagging the Tory dog. The Tory backbenchers detest the notion of AV which went through last night, particularly those who fear Labour preferences switching to the Lib Dems to keep out the Tories. There is little doubt that a majority Tory government wouldn’t have given AV a second glance.
The same can almost certainly be said about proposals for. Gay marriage and the Lib Dems are claiming the credit for Cameron’s embarrassing u-turns on the sell-off of forests and housing benefits.
In addition the Lib Dems have rubbed the Tory backbenchers up the wrong way over ‘human rights’ issues like prisoner votes or control orders, which are a red rag to a bull for the backwoodsmen from the Shires.
Of course, you have to ask whether screwing over the public services, trotting through the Tory lobbies on VAT increases and tuition fees is a fair return for gay marriage or a rebranding of control orders… which if opinion polls are to be believed are not the sort of issues that score highly on the electorate’s agenda.
The first test is not far away now.
Bob, do you think the extent of what could happen now has not been grasped.
Now the LD’s have their prize (will the YES campaign dare show any LD never mind Clegg !!) their MP’s have nothing to lose by rebelling after May when they are certain to take a hammering and especially if AV is lost
Cameron needs the LD’s more than anything to protect him from the right, the LD’s know this and know they can not extract any more hence why all the LD’s bills up front first.
after May, well it could get fun
I think part of the problem for both parties, Ian, is that their backbenchers both feel cheated. Am I bovvered? No, not one jot!
indeed Bob, the price of coalition isn’t it …
just depends on the issue and I believe for the LD’s how can they support a NHS reform that opens up the market to any ‘willing provider’ on cost ?
this will mean local NHS services closing as private firms cherry pick the easy and profitable ops and the choice we have now to choose a hospital, always the city/Sandwell over the manor for me is totally removed as I am forced to go to the lowest cost place and not the most convient place.