I find the political doings in the united kingdom of establishing a new government fascinating. Liberal-Democrats are being courted by Labor, who were losers in last week’s election, but desperate to hold onto power, and by the Tories, who are eager to return to power after thirteen years in the wilderness. Nick Clegg, the Liberal-Democrat leader, is poised to become a kingmaker.In spite of the fact the Tories won the most seats last week, they failed to get the 325 seats needed to form a government outright. It does strike one as odd they would form a coalition government with the Liberal-Democrats considering they are even further to the left than Labor, but Tory leader David Cameron has made a final offer of changing the voting system in order to accommodate them.
Labor, too, has given into to Liberal-Democrats’ demand of Gordon Brown’s resignation. He promises to resign effective his party’s convention in September if he can remain prime minister in the interim I a coalition with the Liberal-Democrats.
As I have said before, I know very little about British politics, but at least on the surface, the Labor deal sounds seems more likely. They are more in tune with the Liberal-Democrats than the Tories and, quite frankly, there is going to be another election in relatively short order. The united Kingdom needs to remount and reload before forming a new government.
A few questions; Would the Tories fare as well in another election? I understand there as a popular irritation with Labor, but has it subsided now that Labor took a hit at the polls and got the message? Will Clegg’s foot indecisive dragging damage the Liberal-Democrats in another election so they will lose bargaining power? Finally, will the national parties get any real influence since they would be needed in labor’s case for a coalition with the Liberal-Democrats?
Just as a I can Admit when I Am Wrong Moment, if Cameron can lead his party to a majority win, but cannot pull it together to form a government instead of letting two losing parties get the best of him, then Barack Obama may be right about him being a political lightweight. It has to sting for someone as politically naïve as Obama to be right about something like that. I am certain it was an accident.
