howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#1
courtesy of the independent, judging by this piece the coalition is planned to be a permanent one.
Nick Clegg is facing a Liberal Democrat rebellion after endorsing another two years of public spending cuts following the next general election.
Some Liberal Democrat ministers and MPs fear that the party's attempt to have a distinctive appeal at the next election will be wrecked by George Osborne's announcement in his Autumn Statement on Tuesday that planned spending will fall by £8.3bn in 2015-16 and £15.1bn in 2016-17.
Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay, a close ally of the Liberal Democrat Business Secretary, Vince Cable, said: "We Lib Dems signed a five-year Coalition Agreement, not a seven-year one.
"If we are seen to be chained to the Tory mast past 2015, it will kill our chances of fighting the next election as a genuinely independent force, able to form a coalition with whoever the people decide."
The peer said "alarm bells are starting to ring" and recalled that the National Liberals who joined the Conservatives in a coalition in the 1930s were "hugged to death".
He added: "At the last election, 38 of our 57 seats were won against the Tories. In many cases, there had been quite a high Labour vote we had to squeeze. If Labour voters are not prepared to vote tactically for us next time, we are going to lose many of these seats to the Tories."
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#2
oh blimey tactical voting rears its head again!!!!!
funny isn't it this lib dem geezer happy to jump into bed with the tories to gain a little power, is now seeing the headlights and running scared and realised thre lib dem party will be almost wiped out
and is now looking to the labour voters to tactically vote to keep the tories out
maybe those lib dems who sold there soul should have thought of this before taking such action.
funny old world isn't it
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#3
I'm familiar with the voice of Lord Oakshott on TV..I think its the same guy anyway. He regularly pops up on Newsnight slots and is not a totally happy bunny within the coalition...even though he is a Libdem. The real downside for them though and for public perception, is that one of the architects of the ongoing cuts and the failed recovery is another Libdem Danny Alexander, and as we mentioned the other day, is more Tory than the Tories. We spoke the other day about rebranding..and you can see why, with one of the main Libdems (Alexander) so deep in the Conservative trenches that you cannot tell them apart.
But as Keef would tell you...they will pay for it at the next election. I guess thats what they are really worried about re the 7 year package.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#4
To be sure, the LibDems should have been tough on short spoons and the causes of short spoons.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#5
door knockers and envelope fillers for the yellows have already gone across in large numbers to the reds as have many blues equivalent have gone to ukip.
i think dave and nick are playing a dangerous game on this one by appearing to run the country quite happily as one unit.
should the reds suddenly ditch their leader and bring in someone untainted by the past and full of charisma then the cobbled together people will have to start worrying.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#6
Wasnt quite sure what thread to put this one on as there are several running on the 'cobbled together government'.
But young Nick Clegg, he of the fading star, was on the Andrew Marr show this morning and he is still in harmony with Dave on many topics...so not much sign of a split anywhere on the horizon as of yet.
One thing that caught my eye amongst all the other topics talked about was this ongoing shock and outrage at Bosses salaries.
Nick Clegg said..
"We need to call time on near 50% pay rises for bosses when everyone else is struggling. They are awarding themselves bucketloads of cash often for poor performances running those companies!"
He went on to say much as what David Cameron said before that we must bring an end to this executive director situation where people sit on each others boards and award each other out of proportion salaries.
He was asked if he can really do anything about this stuff...and he seems to think he can.. there are proposals coming. Stand by your beds!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#7
the last line says it all, there can be no legislation to stop private companies paying salaries and bonuses as they wish.
cleggy might come up with a proposal of sorts, making it legally binding is something completely different.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#8
I think the proposals will include shareholders on the board, ordinary guys who have shares and will be reluctant to pass and endorse big salaries as it takes the cash away from their dividends. These shareholder guys actually own the company but often have very little say or no say. There is also a suggestion that workers could be drafted onto boards. These suggestions might be the solution if they can go ahead. You could suddenly see sudden brakes applied to rampant salaries.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#9
I think it will be legally difficult to enforce but there is a very strong moral case for doing so.
Capitalism yes
Greed no.
Roger
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#10
Yes indeed Roger.
Anyone who saw Robert Peston's programme last night on BBC2 will have seen how differently the Chinese go about things. Peston spoke about the collapse of capitalism in the West as we know it. The Chinese work for a lot less money from boardroom to shopfloor....realistic salaries, nothing borrowed. We expanded our western capitalist empires on the procurement of cheap and easy borrowing...now the borrowing has run out. Borrowed money paid for everything including those super super salaries, and society clearly cannot afford such indulgence anymore.
Ps just to add...watching that programme showed just how global we are these days, quite a shocker in some ways. Someone does something small in a far flung location and guys lose their jobs here in Halifax and Macclesfield.
