Labour in disarray...Can Lib Dems become the party of the Left?

[hibsbollah]

Its obviously an article taking into account a Westminster, not Holyrood viewpoint, interesting anyway...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/sep/17/liberal-democrats-election-cable-clegg

[GC]

They will make some gains but not enough to even come close to becoming a party of opposition.

Tories will take the next election with labour in opposition.

Lib Dems will remain the third party in out system and I can't ever see that changing.

To be honest, although this is slightly off the main point of the topic but could anyone see the Lib Dems making anything else but a hash of being in government if they ever got in?

[hibsbollah]

They will make some gains but not enough to even come close to becoming a party of opposition.

Tories will take the next election with labour in opposition.

Lib Dems will remain the third party in out system and I can't ever see that changing.

To be honest, although this is slightly off the main point of the topic but could anyone see the Lib Dems making anything else but a hash of being in government if they ever got in?

I tend to agree with you but this was quite a though-provoking comment I thought;

The Lib Dems could certainly be 'king-makers' if they chose to be. With Labour suffering in the polls, they could certainly try to reach a power-sharing deal with them in some sort of Lib-Lab pact - and it may, miracle of miracles, help them both to win a share of power at the next election.
The trouble is with the Lib Dems, they always seem to want to be all things to all people. I'm not so sure about Clegg. He seems to be happy being partiuclarly chummy with Cameron - anyone remember the Ghurkas' controversy.

If the Greens were also brough on board too, then surely then Labour, Lib Dem and Green voters could hopefully ensure the Tories are kept out of power, which would be absolutely fantastic as far as I'm concerned.
I don't believe the all new shiny Tories are anything like as moderate as they wish to pretend. They see an populist bandwagon passing, and jump on it and get very good media support and attention.

Labour, however increasingly shoot themselves collectively in the foot, and they need major policy rethinks if they're ever to reverse their decline.

I hope they could perhaps absorb some of those other parties now, and give them cabinet positions maybe, that would continue in the event of a general election. Set out a new stall, and a new manifesto. They've got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

[GC]

I tend to agree with you but this was quite a though-provoking comment I thought;

The Lib Dems could certainly be 'king-makers' if they chose to be. With Labour suffering in the polls, they could certainly try to reach a power-sharing deal with them in some sort of Lib-Lab pact - and it may, miracle of miracles, help them both to win a share of power at the next election.
The trouble is with the Lib Dems, they always seem to want to be all things to all people. I'm not so sure about Clegg. He seems to be happy being partiuclarly chummy with Cameron - anyone remember the Ghurkas' controversy.

If the Greens were also brough on board too, then surely then Labour, Lib Dem and Green voters could hopefully ensure the Tories are kept out of power, which would be absolutely fantastic as far as I'm concerned.
I don't believe the all new shiny Tories are anything like as moderate as they wish to pretend. They see an populist bandwagon passing, and jump on it and get very good media support and attention.

Labour, however increasingly shoot themselves collectively in the foot, and they need major policy rethinks if they're ever to reverse their decline.

I hope they could perhaps absorb some of those other parties now, and give them cabinet positions maybe, that would continue in the event of a general election. Set out a new stall, and a new manifesto. They've got nothing to lose and everything to gain.


If your hanging on for dear life like Labour are then it makes sense to come to some sort of deal with the Lib Dems, as a party they are never going to lose much of their core vote and are always likely to pick up on the swing votes that would under normal circumstances go to either Labour or the Tories.

I think any deal done now though or any hint of them teaming up would be seen straight through by the voters as a desperate attempt by Labour to hang onto power.

If it did happen you would still see the same top brass in the same posts from Labour with the Lib Dems getting lesser posts, possibly a senior one to keep them sweet.

This election will prove interesting for a number of reasons though not least the fact that there are vast numbers wanting Labour out, same goes for those not wanting the Tories anywhere near Number 10.

King Makers maybe, Pawns more likely.

[hibsdaft]

what the left needs, is a party of the left to be the party of the left.

[LiverpoolHibs]

what the left needs, is a party of the left to be the party of the left.

:greengrin Exactly.

Also, and completely unconnected to the thread, her idea that the death of the old Liberal Party was caused internally and was preventable is a slightly odd thing to say.

[Dashing Bob S]

They will make some gains but not enough to even come close to becoming a party of opposition.

Tories will take the next election with labour in opposition.

Lib Dems will remain the third party in out system and I can't ever see that changing.

To be honest, although this is slightly off the main point of the topic but could anyone see the Lib Dems making anything else but a hash of being in government if they ever got in?

Ehm...as opposed to the brilliant job the Tories/New Labour would undoubtedly do?

I think they probably would, but since when has incompetence and poor performance in government ever stopped other parties being considered legitimate candidates for office?

[GC]

I never mentioned either of them doing a brilliant job Bob.

For me it's more a case of better the devil you know, I don't feel the Lib Dems have anywhere near the experience needed to form a government and more long term mistakes would be made if by some chance they became the next party to lead the country.

[GlesgaeHibby]

I never mentioned either of them doing a brilliant job Bob.

For me it's more a case of better the devil you know, I don't feel the Lib Dems have anywhere near the experience needed to form a government and more long term mistakes would be made if by some chance they became the next party to lead the country.

I don't think anybody could seriously do a worse job than Labour are right now. It has been one blunder after another since Brown took office.

The problem just now is that the 3 main parties are all far too similar.

We need a real party of the left that will fix the appaling rich/poor divide that has only widened under a Labour government.

[LiverpoolHibs]

what the left needs, is a party of the left to be the party of the left.

Speaking of which...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/sep/17/tuc-new-party

T.U.C. rejects call from the C.W.U. for a new workers' party.

[AndyP]

They will make some gains but not enough to even come close to becoming a party of opposition.

Tories will take the next election with labour in opposition.

Lib Dems will remain the third party in out system and I can't ever see that changing.

To be honest, although this is slightly off the main point of the topic but could anyone see the Lib Dems making anything else but a hash of being in government if they ever got in?

Only way the Limp Wrists....sorry Lib Dems will get anywhere near challenging would be for PR to come into Westminster Elections, I'd expect Labour to go cap in hand to them with a promise of electoral reform should there be a hung/minority chamber in Westminster.

[steakbake]

Thought this sums up the LibDems (from the Daily Mash):

CLEGG TO UNVEIL SERIES OF THINGS THAT WILL NEVER, EVER HAPPEN

LIBERAL Democrat leader Nick Clegg will rally his party this week by outlining a series of things that are never, ever going to happen.

In his keynote speech to the party's annual conference Clegg will claim the Lib Dems will hold the balance of power after the next election and change the course of British politics for a generation, despite a stunningly comprehensive lack of evidence.

Julian Cook, professor of politics at Reading University said: "We've reached that point in the year where you may see headlines such as 'Lib Dems to tax homes worth more than £1m' as if that's a thing that could happen, instead of what it actually is which is just some noises coming out of a hole at the front of Vince Cable's head.

"You may also see stories about Mr Clegg rejecting an alliance with David Cameron, because obviously when the Tories win the next election with a majority of at least 60 seats the very first thing Cameron is going to do is offer Nick Clegg the Foreign Office."

He added: "Over the weekend you may even have noticed Mr Clegg abandoning his pledge to abolish student tuition fees and thought, 'oh dear, poor old students' before quickly correcting yourself and thinking 'oh, hang on, that doesn't make the slightest difference to anyone or anything. At all'.

"In fact he may as well have said that he is abandoning his pledge to make your balls the size of pomegranates or cover China in a gigantic, Paisley-patterned table cloth."

Professor Cook added: "The Liberal Democrats are actually very sweet. It's a bit like watching a child put on a pair of daddy's shoes, pick up his briefcase and clomp up and down the hallway pretending to be a 'businessyman'.

"Then, of course, everyone has to sit down and discuss 'plolicies' while eating invisible cake and drinking a small, plastic pot of imaginary tea."

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Thought this sums up the LibDems (from the Daily Mash):

CLEGG TO UNVEIL SERIES OF THINGS THAT WILL NEVER, EVER HAPPEN

<SNIPPETY-SNIP>

So he's some kind of modern-day anti-Nostradamus prophet then.

Good to see he's omitted a Scottish Cup win for the Hibees:thumbsup: