I’ve made the point often enough with regard to local politics that it is awfully easy to snipe from the sidelines without all the facts at your disposal, and to pontificate as to how you will act in this situation or that, when you have little or no chance of having to enforce your view, or little likelihood of having to make good on your manifesto promises.
Manifesto promises have often been the subject of scrutiny, as incoming governments and incoming local authorities often have to change their minds after coming in to power and realising that the dream they had in opposition, doesn’t stack up when the cold harsh light of reality kicks in, such is the position of the Lib Dems at the moment.
In a opportunistic attempt to garner the student vote at the last general election, our yellow friends decided en-masse that they would all sign their names to a pledge that no matter what, they would fight tooth and nail to prevent any increase in student fees. All of their leftie friends in colleges and universities around the country thought this was a wonderful idea, and many thousands voted in their support as a result. This policy now sees the Lib Dems in total disarray with at least four different outcomes sought depending upon which faction of the party you listen to.
My own personal view, developed over the last 13 years of campaigning against Lib Dems, is that getting into coalition with them, is rather like getting into bed with a four headed snake and then trying to avoid being bitten or crushed! They have always been the dirtiest political opponents who will unashamedly lie, cheat, deceive or prevaricate if they think there is any sort of political advantage in it for them.
A couple of years ago our slippery coalition partners produced a campaign document, Effective Opposition, produced by the Association of Liberal Democrat Councilors’, this fascinating document says on page 21 "Be wicked, act shamelessly, stir endlessly, on page 23, it says: "Don't be afraid to exaggerate. For example, responses to surveys and petitions are always 'massive'. If a council is doing something badly public expressions are always of 'outrage'."
Does any of this ring any bells when you read the local Lib Dem propaganda I ask.
On page 4, of the same tome it states, "Positive campaigning will NOT be enough to win control of the council,” on page 6, it says that "you can secure support from voters who normally vote Tory by being effectively anti-Labour and similarly in a Tory area secure Labour votes by being anti-Tory."
So no problem with principles then!!
It goes on to say: "Oppose all service cuts ... No cut is going to be popular and why court the unpopularity that goes with the responsibility of power?" and finally "You are NOT running the council. It's NOT your problem."
So you see what I mean about dirty tactics and if you translate those instructions into action it is easy to see how our favourite Lib Dem councillor got the inspiration for his hateful website.
Returning to the current issue with the Lib Dems, this week they have to decide whether they are to be taken seriously as a political force, or whether they will result to type and be against everything, and in favour of nothing. The debate on the proposed changes to university funding has been very enlightening. Vince Cable for example was the primary architect of the coalition’s new policy that will allow fees to increase to a maximum of £9000 per year. He was obviously in favour of the policy when he designed it, he was then against it when the rent-a-mob started to protest against it, he then decided to sit on the fence and abstain until he realised that as a minister of the crown he has a duty to vote in favour of government policy or otherwise resign. So as I write this, Vince is now going to vote in favour again.
Our own MP, the Munter from Mark, has pontificated long and loud on the subject, but so far remains firmly on the fence to the degree that she is likely to get splinters in her posterior. Her illustrious colleagues are going to vote in favour, or against or will abstain, or today I see a whole new bunch want to defer the vote until next year. So there you have it dear readers, the four headed snake trying to decide which head it’s going to bite you with.
We can only hope that this episode will teach the Lib Dems a lesson or two about making promises in opposition that they may have to translate into policy one day. I would hope therefore that our local Lib Dems may even become more responsible in opposition at county and district level, but with instructions from the top to the contrary, I’m not holding my breath.
So, since your blog, John, the Lib Dem MPs have voted on the university tuition fees question - and how! We are used to them facing both ways but this time they have surpassed themelves and voted three ways: for, against and abstention.
ReplyDeleteOur own dear Tessa joined the third group, the weakest lot who just did not want to commit themselves. Couldn't she make up her mind ? Or was she just trying to avoid antagonising people? Well, she failed miserably because she has made everybody(especially young voters, who believed she would be against these £9000 p.a. fees) aware that all she can do is sit on the fence. A very painful position, as John points out in his blog. She has let everybody down.
No wonder her party now has only eight percent in the latest polls. Do they deserve even that?