530 to 13, plus two
tellers each, still leaves 103 abstentions. Whose were they?
In this case, it really does seem to matter. If, as seems most likely, they were mostly or all Conservatives, then well over one third of Cameron's own party has failed to back him. Again. Even before the English county council elections, hitherto that party's strongest, on 2nd May.
In this case, it really does seem to matter. If, as seems most likely, they were mostly or all Conservatives, then well over one third of Cameron's own party has failed to back him. Again. Even before the English county council elections, hitherto that party's strongest, on 2nd May.
But forget about the strange theory that there might ever be either a coalition or, as The Guardian has been promoting for more than 20 years, a merger between Labour and the Lib Dems.
At the last Conservative Leadership Election, the economically right-wing, socially liberal, fiercely pro-EU candidate beat the economically right-wing, socially conservative, mildly anti-EU candidate by more than two to one. Much or most of that minority will have died by now, with more doing so every week, possibly every day.
At the last Lib Dem Leadership Election, both candidates were economically right-wing, socially liberal, and fiercely pro-EU, with no suggestion that that was unrepresentative of the party at large.
At the last Conservative Leadership Election, the economically right-wing, socially liberal, fiercely pro-EU candidate beat the economically right-wing, socially conservative, mildly anti-EU candidate by more than two to one. Much or most of that minority will have died by now, with more doing so every week, possibly every day.
At the last Lib Dem Leadership Election, both candidates were economically right-wing, socially liberal, and fiercely pro-EU, with no suggestion that that was unrepresentative of the party at large.
The present Coalition makes perfect sense. The wonder is that it took so long to happen. There is no political or even cultural reason why there ought not be, why there ought not already to have been, a merger between the parties to it. They are exactly the same. And they always have been.
This is merely anecdotal, but the one member of the Tory party I know at the time told me that most people he knew in that party preferred David Davis as leader, but voted for Cameron because they thought he was more appealing to the wider electorate. After Hague & IDS they wanted a leader with the best chance of winning.
ReplyDeleteHow did that work out for them?
ReplyDeleteI've not seen the chap in some years. I suppose it worked for Labour didn't it? Get some chap who appears unthreatening & appeals to floating voters. When you've been out of office for long enough you do what you need to do to get back in Number 10.
ReplyDelete