The Cabinet is shaping up well. But here are three questions to start with...
1. What happens in a by-election. Will the parties stand candidates as normal, and if so how free will they be able to criticise the other party?
2. Will LibDem and Tory MPs call each other "My hon. Friend" in the House of Commons?
3. Will Nick Clegg and David Cameron address each other's party conferences?
I'd say the answers are yes, no and yes.
23 comments:
Never mind by-elections. What happens in Thirsk and Malton on 27 May? Presumably Lib Dem and Conservative candidates who are already in place will both run. But what sort of campaign will they fight?
No matter what they do and what they say, its just a joy waking up to find `Tears before Bedtime` Campbell and Lord Mortgage of Slimehole vanquished from the UK domestic scene.....let us truely rejoice at such momentous events and worry about the rest tomorrow...
How about "My Honorable Coalitionist"? "Honarable Co-allee"? "My Right Honorable Coalite"?
William Hague has been impressive this morning, not least on Today where he completely got the better of that silly know-it-all Nick Robinson. I've often thought the latter should be retired - he is really too painful.
I'm very pleased that Chris Huhne is Environment/Climate Change Secretary - there will be good agendas coming out of that office that will be opposed presumably by Iain.
I guess that 2 is 'yes' when Chris Huhne, say, is referring to a Tory junior minister ... or his 'other' boss, the PM ...
Interesting as always ,but returning to a previous post... What is the new role for your blog going to be then Iain ? Hopi Sen managed to be interesting as a supporter of the ruling Party
I do hope you are not going to join the whingers . I want this to succeed I see many positive advantages and whilst it might suit the Press to sniff out trouble it does not suit the country
I hope you will be an enthusiastic supporter helping to keep the coalition together
Anyway how do you see your position ? Are you not going to publicly criticise the Lib Dems anymore ..or at least in the milder tones you would use of a fellow Party member?
(You are pretty nasty to Cornerstone ...so that leaves considerable scope for bitching )
Go on tell us
My guess:
Yes, but the contest will be a bit limp.
Not 'My Hon Friend' but, said in whiny manager speak, what about 'My Hon Colleague'
Yes. But onyl once or maybe twice.
Iain, in line with the new spirit of the coalition, can you allocate 1/7th of your postings to the LibDems from now on?
I know you will wish to call on me, so I have a number of articles on Europe ready. Please do get in touch, otherwise I may be forced to talk to NextLeft after all.
"2. Will LibDem and Tory MPs call each other "My hon. Friend" in the House of Commons?"
Maybe "My hon. Confrere"?.. "My hon. Backer"?.. "My hon. Crony"?
Cl€gg Strategy, in no particular order: marginalise, ridicule, fall guy.
Expect to see him on sofas defending unpopular cuts.
Supporters please adopt: Cl€gg
Iain, do you know what's going to happen in the Thirsk and Malton election on May 27th? Will both Liberal and Tory be standing?
You've only answered the first part of your first question and left the trickier part unanswered...
It's going to be a bit weird in Thirsk and Malton for the next fortnight!
Lesson from Scotland is that they will run candidates in by elections. If the scots are anything to go by the LDs will always try to run like they are in opposition.
I would expect the PCP and PLDP to address each other as hon friend.
I would not expect the leaders to address each other's conferences as that would indicate a merger of the two parties. Each party is a distinct entity, as we will find out soon enough working with LD foot soldiers would be a step too far for most of us.
What happens if David Cameron, heaven forbid, becomes ill or worse ? Would Nick become PM or would it be the deputy leader of the Conservatives ? Is that Hague ?
On another point, I heard John Prescott on Channel 4, he was pathetic and said 'the Libdems have always been Tories'.
What nonsense.
Also, where will the LibDems sit in the Commons?
Finkelstein called the coalition 'the Tories Clause 4 moment'.
Dunno about all that, but Huhne the hairy in control of energy? Shome mishtake surely... We need nuclear, and in needs to be started now - as in, actual actions, bricks being laid, lorries unloading, welders welding etc - it's way too late for yet more talking. No nuclear = no power = no computers, no petrol pumps, no...well, you name it. It ALL grinds to a halt.
So enough of the fond talk of candlelit evenings during the three-day week and a bit more thought about getting a power generation capacity vaguely suitable for a modern society. Windmills? Nein danke.
"My honourable associate" maybe?
BBC now says both Lib Dem and Con are running in Thirsk and Malton. Lib Dems can perhaps run on a platform of opposing tuition fees and nuclear power - 2 areas where apparently the coalition partners have agreed to differ
Apparently the Lib Dems Assembly members will still be attacking the Mayor at city Hall.
But they are probably more need of protection than Boris is.....
http://cyberboris.wordpress.com/2010/05/11/streetwise-hercules-is-on-top-of-the-situation/
Here's another question:
Will Labour folk attack "this Tory Government" or will they find some other pejorative term to embrace the Lib Dems in the envelope of their bile?
Nothing excites the Labour activist more than spitting out the word "Tory", but, get real, this is the new politics innit. Quite a dilemma for them.
Will there be only one Government whips' office? Or will the Libs and Tories have their own whips?
1. Stand on the platform "I agree with Nick and Dave, fully support the coalition, but..."
2. Hon.member
3. No
If they have any sense, the LDs will keep their distance on harmless issues, otherwise they go the way of the old "national liberals".
Just as well that Thirsk &M is safe Tory. The LD vote will be interesting.
Perjorative terms by lefties?
"Con Dem" is getting popular
How about "Yellow Tories?"
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