My need to express myself over the recent UK election have led me to bringing this blog out of hiatus … 140 character chunks just won’t cut it. Naturally it won’t make much difference to anyone but the few people who I could probably express all this to over a beer … but that could be said about twitter as well, and that’s never stopped me.
This election has been extraordinary. It’s been frustrating (the press), thrilling (cleggmania, debates) and exhausting (the election night itself). And just when we thought it was all coming to an end, it turned out we didn’t have a result. No actual result that could form a government at least.
To say I was disappointed in the number of seats that the Lib Dems gained would be understating it. Even though the polls had shown the support slipping away, I had been sure that they must be wrong, and that LibDem representation was about to soar. I was particularly disappointed for Dr. Evan Harris, particularly when you consider that Oxford as a whole voted more for LibDem than any party, but wound up with a Labour and a Tory MP.
But as it is, I think that actually this has proven to be a very fortuitous set of results. By having the Lib Dems and Labour combined seat count below that necessary to form a majority, there was only one coalition option available. And thank goodness for that. A rainbow coalition would have been a disaster. Not only would they have been rubbish at running the country (so many narrow interests to maintain, creaking, entitled labour MPs welded to their desks), it would have fallen apart rapidly with such a slim majority. A coalition falling apart is the last thing an ardent PR supporter like myself wants to see. Nevermind the impact on the country to have another election (which neither Lib Dems or Labour can afford) when we’re supposed to be getting our house in order.
(as an aside, I also don’t think Labour “deserved” the opportunity to be the political reforming party when they’ve spent 13 years doing fuck all about it)
I also felt that people arguing for the coalition because x% voted against Tory etc was utterly ridiculous. You can’t interpret the will of the people like that at all. My LibDem vote wasn’t anti-tory or anti-labour. It was pro-LibDem. As were many of the lib dem voters that I know. If you add up Lib Dem and Tory votes, then y% are anti-labour. You have to do the maths based on the electoral system in front of you.
(aside number two: I don’t support PR because it would give Lib Dems a stronger power base. I support PR because I believe we live in a society that has a plurality of views that cannot be adequately represented by a winner takes all system. PR is more representative, democratic and reasonable. It’s proportional FFS)
(aside to aside number two: anyone who complains that PR gives representation to extremist views … you’re right, it does. But do you know how they grow their support? By claiming they are ignored. The bright light of exposure should be shone on extremism to show everyone how rubbish it is. If you brush shit under the carpet, your house still smells of shit)
My biggest fear was that the Lib Dems would turn their back on forming a majority government with the Conservatives. In one clear moment, they would have demonstrated all that was bad about coalitions, and so PR. But more important than that. They would have shown that so many critics were absolutely right. A vote for Lib Dem was a wasted vote. That they weren’t ready to govern.
Instead, they’ve stepped up to the plate, negotiated sensibly, and we now have a coalition government with a majority.
(aside number three: there was absolutely nothing wrong with them speaking to Labour. If for no other reason than it seems to have triggered just a slightly bigger movement on electoral reform from the Tories, and also because it will have been a useful manouevre in keeping the left of the party on board. Any Tories bitching about such politicking should consider the right wing fringes of their party, and maybe have a little more empathy)
That’s a majority government, implementing Liberal Democrat policy. And taking the rough edges off some of the Conservative policies. We are looking at electoral reform (details wobbly, but it’s better than nothing), civil liberties restoration, a fairer tax system (bye-bye inheritance tax changes, hello to tax free low incomes!), the pupil premium and banking reform.
Of course, I am concerned about Tory cuts and their immigration policy. Im not that happy about keeping Trident. And I’m concerned that it might not last because of splits in either party. But the Lib Dems have proven their naysayers wrong. They are ready to govern. They are ready to step up and behave sensibly when the need arises. And they’re in a position to prove that coalition politics can work, and that PR is not such a terrible idea.
Labour had a good run and did some great things (dramatically improving hospitals and schools, minimum wage, civil partnerships, sure start) but they also oversaw the war, increasing gap between rich and poor, and failed to diversify Britain’s economy or regulate the financial services adequately, as well as fucking up our civil liberties, and being complicit in torture(!!).
It’s been a very unusual few days in British politics but I do think all involved have conducted themselves admirably. A change of government is reason to be cheerful. People behaving responsibly and maturely is reason to be cheerful. Lib Dems in government is definitely reason to be cheerful.
So go on, I dare you, be cheerful!