There are certain norms and customs associated with all things political, we know that. Voting is always on a Thursday, party conferences are always in the autumn, and the prime minister always lives at No 10 – that’s what happens in politics.
But when Nick Clegg claimed that being rude about his coalition counterparts was acceptable at the Lib Dem party conference because ‘that’s what happens in politics’, the sentiment was taken too far.
How can a coalition successfully lead, make decisions and represent the country, when snide remarks, catty rebuttals and off-the-cuff comments obscure the real issues?
Surely, for effective government to happen in an already unusual circumstance of a coalition, unity should be at the forefront of each party’s agenda, regardless of whether is it as a party conference, in Parliament or out on the streets campaigning?
How can trust be instilled in parties, policies and politics in general, when fierce and childish rivalry between almost polarised parties can be forgiven because that is just ‘what happens’?
Trust is always a big issue on voters’ minds, and lack of it is probably a reason ranked highly in the decision for some voters to abstain. Although Clegg’s remark was flippant and perhaps not intended to be taken literally, it speaks volumes about political culture and its consequences for politicians.
Perhaps the concept of coalitions and the lack of trust voters' have should be apologised for and excused, not the fact that parties can seemingly do as they please at the claim of it being the norm.
Moreover, where does the adherence to political customs stop? The backtracking of planned policy from the campaign trail to the Commons has been a truly emotive issue for voters, and surely the fact that it is simply ‘one of those things’ comes as no relief to voters, and fuels disinterest and apathy.
The issue leads onto the concept of dual responsibilities for the coalition. The national interest is always said to come first within the Coalition, but at this time of party conferences, the returning of leaders and MPs to their respective parties shows an entirely different side to them, and again raises the all important issue of trust and cooperation within parties.
When trust is at the forefront of voters’ minds, in the uncertain economic times we currently experience, unity within the Coalition should be of the utmost importance for both the Lib Dems and the Tories.
Just because something is just ‘what happens’ in no way does it make it the right thing to do, and the people that should be strong enough to overcome childish disharmony should be those strong enough to run the country.
Comments
Chris / September 22 2011 9:01am
Ummmmm... if fierce tribalism is undermining the coalition, it's most certainly not coming from the Lib Dem benches, it's coming from the Conservative benches. Did you witness the spectacle of the AV vote? Did you see Peter Bone hilariously rebelrousing at the Lib Dem conference, saying quite openly he would dump the Lib Dems tomorrow? Say what you like about the gags made by Sarah Tether and others about line dances etc, absolutely EVERY relevant liberal democrat from Shirley Williams to Charles Kenney straight on up to Nick Clegg back the coalition to the hilt, even if they might have wanted to do a deal with Labour instead. Not one of them openly ridicule the coalition the way the conservatives do.
The title and premise of your article have merit, but the argument doesn't fit. You chose the wrong party to spotlight.
Alex Macfie / September 30 2011 1:57pm
It's a coalition, not a merger. The fact that the Conservatives and Lib Dems are in government together does not change the fact that they are separate parties, both of which have distinct identiies and different ideas about how they want to run the country. Which means that they have to campaign separately (and in case it had escaped your notice, the Tories and Lib Dems stand separate candidates in parliamentary by-elections) and set out at conference what they would do if they were in government on their own. Of course the Lib Dems have to differentiate themselves from the Tories if they want to have any influence at all in the Coalition. And as @Chris says, the Tories are not showing unity within the Coalition either.
And it is only in the national government and Parliament seated at Westminster that the two parties are in coalition. There is no Coalition in the London Assembly, or in the Welsh Assembly, or the Scottish Parliament; no Coalition in local Councils, no Coalition in the European Parliament (where the two parties are members of separate transnational party groups). Too much unity between the two governing parties would undermine their independence on these other legislative bodies in which they are still very much rivals.
Welding Electrodes / December 18 2011 3:31pm
Hah, seriously? That's rediculous. No way