Nick Clegg and the death of the Liberal Democratic Party.

[sadoldgit]

I would have said Jo Swinson but in reality I think Clegg did for the LibDems when he allowed the Tories to run the country. That was it for me and, I suspect, many others.

 

There was an interesting a article in The Guardian the other day by Simon Jenkins who was basically saying that the LibDems have had it and should call it a day. Hard to argue with that given their present position in the current electoral system.

 

He suggests that they should join forces with Labour to provide a modern centrist party. To me this basic plan has a lot of merit, but a lot depends on the direction of Labour under a new leader. If they reign in some of their far left leanings but resist the urge to become New Labour 2 they might be able to keep the support of the younger more radical followers whilst winning back the disaffected older voters.

 

Whether they can find enough common ground with the LibDems remains to be seen, but the LibDems have made their position pretty much redundant.

 

Thoughts?

[Batman]

And people want more coalitions

[shurlock]

And people want more coalitions

 

Missing the point pal. Wanting coalitions in principle is one thing; having an electoral system that punishes smaller parties and makes coalitions difficult in practice is quite another. Nothing in the OP is an argument against coalitions per se. It is just a recognition of the reality that as long as we have FPTP, more formal alliances may be unavoidable. Try and keep up.

[saint1977]

I think this election - not helped by the kamikaze A50 revoke policy which alienated even ardent Remainers - proves the LD brand is knackered. It’s nuts that the public blames them for austerity in debates yet Cameron is wonderful - but there you go. It’s like ‘we expect the Tories to crap on us and we lap it up but we didn’t expect it from you even though you stopped the Tories from crapping even harder. When you do it it’s heartless’.

 

New Labour has some skeletons in the closet as well - PFI - and Momentum has killed Labour so why not. Always a chance a new centre party might build up strength through drafting back in ex Tory and Labour moderate big names through by elections. The new government has huge challenges and the SNP has to endure the Alex Salmond saga in 2020 so lots to regroup for with a new party.

[Batman]

Missing the point pal. Wanting coalitions in principle is one thing; having an electoral system that punishes smaller parties and makes coalitions difficult in practice is quite another. Nothing in the OP is an argument against coalitions per se. It is just a recognition of the reality that as long as we have FPTP, more formal alliances may be unavoidable. Try and keep up.

 

Yes, any other coalition in this country will be a piece of cake.

[OldNick]

the SNP has to endure the Alex Salmond saga in 2020 so lots to regroup for with a new party.

If the SNP managed ever to get independence it makes it even harder for Labour to ever get a coalition.50 odd votes there gone

[eurosaint]

I would have said Jo Swinson but in reality I think Clegg did for the LibDems when he allowed the Tories to run the country. That was it for me and, I suspect, many others.

 

There was an interesting a article in The Guardian the other day by Simon Jenkins who was basically saying that the LibDems have had it and should call it a day. Hard to argue with that given their present position in the current electoral system.

 

He suggests that they should join forces with Labour to provide a modern centrist party. To me this basic plan has a lot of merit, but a lot depends on the direction of Labour under a new leader. If they reign in some of their far left leanings but resist the urge to become New Labour 2 they might be able to keep the support of the younger more radical followers whilst winning back the disaffected older voters.

 

Whether they can find enough common ground with the LibDems remains to be seen, but the LibDems have made their position pretty much redundant.

 

 

Thoughts?

 

A coalition of losers, interesting prospect, how could it possibly go wrong ??

[stockportsaint]

Last poll I saw (post-election) had Swinson with a lower positive approval rating than Corbyn. How did she manage to be even more unpopular than JC, given that he had 4 years of attacks from most of the press, she was only leader for about 6 months, and was a minor target compared to Jezza.

 

 

I suspect the answer is a combination of the Revoke policy rather than Labour's PV/2nd Ref and her somewhat abrasive style.

[Weston Super Saint]

Last poll I saw (post-election) had Swinson with a lower positive approval rating than Corbyn. How did she manage to be even more unpopular than JC, given that he had 4 years of attacks from most of the press, she was only leader for about 6 months, and was a minor target compared to Jezza.

 

 

I suspect the answer is a combination of the Revoke policy rather than Labour's PV/2nd Ref and her somewhat abrasive style.

 

Too much front?

[Lord Duckhunter]

The Liberal Democrat’s last leader wasn’t democratic & the one previous wasn’t Liberal. Compared to those 2, Clegg was a colossus.

 

Ashdown, Thorpe, Campbell & Kennedy, I’d say he was pretty decent compared to them as well. At least he wasn’t going senile, stayed faithful , sober and didn’t try to murder his gay lover.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[sadoldgit]

You wouldn’t have a good word to say about Clegg if he had sided with Labour. And for someone whose party has been led by political pygmies Cameron, May and Johnson and several others before, your criticism is a bit hollow.

[Lord Duckhunter]

You wouldn’t have a good word to say about Clegg if he had sided with Labour. And for someone whose party has been led by political pygmies Cameron, May and Johnson and several others before, your criticism is a bit hollow.

 

Is that really a good word, he’s better than the other toss pots.

 

May’s on their level, but Cameron different class. As for Boris, he’s just played a blinder.........

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[sadoldgit]

Is that really a good word, he’s better than the other toss pots.

 

May’s on their level, but Cameron different class. As for Boris, he’s just played a blinder.........

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

“Played” is the perfect word Duckie. We have all been “played.”

[Wes Tender]

Looking on the bright side, the Lib Dumb MPs will be able to save money on travelling to their conference and other events, as they can hire just the one mini-bus

[sadoldgit]

Quiet day Wes?

[Fan The Flames]

Looking on the bright side, the Lib Dumb MPs will be able to save money on travelling to their conference and other events, as they can hire just the one mini-bus

 

No one in the hostory of the whole world has ever said that before, no one, that's why you are a comic genius.

[shurlock]

Looking on the bright side, the Lib Dumb MPs will be able to save money on travelling to their conference and other events, as they can hire just the one mini-bus

 

[Whitey Grandad]

No one in the hostory of the whole world has ever said that before, no one, that's why you are a comic genius.

 

No, no, this one is original.

 

Previously it was a taxi,

[Wes Tender]

Let's all laugh at the Lib Dumbs. Not content with alienating half the electorate with their policy to revoke Brexit, their latest ruse is attempting to place an amendment onto the WA Bill calling on there to be an enquiry into the referendum campaign three and a half years ago. Have they really learned nothing about what the electorate wanted regarding Brexit? Well done to Ed Davey though. He is trying hard to obliterate what remains of the party after their recent massive error of judgement in the election. Is he really the best that they have left? What makes the entire plan all the more laughable, is that they don't stand a snowflake's chance in hell of getting the amendment passed, so what was the point in even bothering?

[Jonnyboy]

Let's all laugh at the Lib Dumbs. Not content with alienating half the electorate with their policy to revoke Brexit, their latest ruse is attempting to place an amendment onto the WA Bill calling on there to be an enquiry into the referendum campaign three and a half years ago. Have they really learned nothing about what the electorate wanted regarding Brexit? Well done to Ed Davey though. He is trying hard to obliterate what remains of the party after their recent massive error of judgement in the election. Is he really the best that they have left? What makes the entire plan all the more laughable, is that they don't stand a snowflake's chance in hell of getting the amendment passed, so what was the point in even bothering?

 

Lib Dumbs? Are you 8 years old?

[Wes Tender]

You're a bit touchy as the resident far left socialist about a rival party being called the Lib Dumbs, aren't you? They certainly cannot accurately be called Liberal Democrats, as they have shown time after time that the name is an oxymoron, they being neither liberal nor democratic. By all means if you have suffered a sense of humour bypass that precludes your acceptance of a bit of banter on a football forum, feel free to argue why you believe them to be undeserving of accusations that the way they have behaved during the past few years was politically dumb.