2010 coalition Flashcards
1
Q
Macdonald Gladstone coalition
A
- MacDonald - saw Labour could prosper in partnership with the Liberals because its candidates could expect to be elected only by winning over the votes of Liberal workingmen. - logic of the 1903 electoral between MacDonald and Liberal Chief Whip, Herbert Gladstone. - Labour fielded 50 candidates of whom 31 were not opposed by the Liberals.
- In retrospect its easy to see the 1903 pact as a historic error for Liberalism.
- Labour successes during 1906-7 coincided with the deflation of Liberal hopes in Parliament.
The electoral pact restricted Labour’s growth, but it was not the only explanation for the party’s patchy development.
2
Q
WW1 Coalition
A
- World War I (1915-1918): The first significant coalition government in UK history was formed during World War I. The Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Herbert Asquith, formed a coalition with the Conservative Party and a faction of the Liberal Party known as the “Liberal Unionists.” David Lloyd George replaced Asquith as Prime Minister in 1916, leading the coalition government throughout the remainder of the war.
3
Q
WW2 Coalition
A
- World War II (1940-1945): Another notable coalition government was formed during World War II in response to the threat of Nazi Germany. The Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Winston Churchill, formed a coalition with the Labour Party and the Liberal Party. This “national government” continued to govern throughout the war and into the early post-war period, with Churchill serving as Prime Minister until 1945.
4
Q
Cameron redirecting the party
A
Hepell- Only following Cameron’s election as leader in 2005 did the Conservatives make a sustained effort to renew their ideological direction.
5
Q
Cameron’s rebranding
A
o Important aspect of Cameron’s rebranding of the Conservative Party was the effort to demonstrate that the party had moved beyond Thatcherism. - debated how far this was driven by a perceived electoral necessity, versus a sense in which the party felt a genuine need to alter or refresh direction in the wake of societal change.
6
Q
Cameron- need for Tory rebranding
A
o Following a third successive election defeat, the case for more far-reaching reappraisal of the party’s stance became overwhelming. Cameron - effort to distance himself from Thatcherism - 1st to explicitly distance himself from the perceived excessive individualism of Thatcherism. He also drew upon the ‘one nation’ theme within Conservatism that Thatcher had arguably eschewed.
7
Q
Cameron on big government
A
- Centralization of power which occurred during the 1980s. - strong government from the centre. Cameron believed that state centralism had produced regrettable consequences.
- Didn’t like big government - 2006 under Blair’s proposal for ID cards- Cameron criticised on grounds of big government: plans to introduce identity cards risk ending up as a “monument to the failure of big government”, Conservative leader David Cameron has warned.
o Cameron drew on more libertarian strands of conservatism which fear the way government may be tempted to abuse the information it collects centrally regarding its citizens
8
Q
Nick Clegg as new era of Lds
A
- Nick Clegg’s election as leader of the Liberal Democrats in 2007 in part represented a new ascendancy for the so-called ‘Orange Book’ tendencies - party moved in a more economically liberal direction - break with the more social democratic tone of the previous leadership.
9
Q
2010 election results
A
- The election result was a hung parliament, with no party winning an outright majority of seats in the House of Commons. The Conservatives emerged as the largest party, winning 306 seats, followed by Labour with 258 seats, and the Liberal Democrats with 57 seats.
10
Q
One nation conservatism
A
One Nation: emphasizes social cohesion, inclusivity, and a commitment to reducing inequalities within society. Paternalism in society. Also support from the establishment. Society developing in organic way- classes intact (hierarchy) but those higher with obligation to those lower. Social obligation not individualism
One-Nation Conservatives advocate for the role of the state to provide a stable and strong government but to resist any actions which would seek to extinguish the individual rights of citizens.
An example of a paternalist One-Nation Conservatism includes building safety nets for unemployed citizens to protect them from extreme poverty.
11
Q
David Cameron as a one nation Conservative
A
o broaden the appeal of the Conservative Party and appeal to a wider range of voters, including those who may have been skeptical of traditional Conservative policies or values. He sought to present the Conservative Party as a modern, forward-thinking, and inclusive political force that was capable of governing in the national interest and addressing the complex and interconnected challenges of the 21st century.
o David Cameron frequently used the language and rhetoric of One Nation Conservatism to emphasize his commitment to social justice, community cohesion, and reducing inequalities within society. He spoke about the importance of “building a bigger, stronger society” and “spreading prosperity to all.”
12
Q
Cameron on welfare blaming
A
- Heppell: Whereas Thatcherites had sometimes singles out particular groups as living undesirable, possible immoral lives on welfare benefit, Cameron largely avoided blaming specific groups or lifestyles. Cameron recognized diversity n living arrangements and different types of family makeup
13
Q
Cameron and Neo-liberal ideology
A
- Heppell- Cameron neo-liberal ideology is by itself insufficient, his broad philosophy is one which not only endorses much of the neo-liberal critique of the state, but seeks to push the project of state retrenchment further. He wanted to show how conservative and liberal modes of political thought complement one another.
14
Q
Cameron on 2 major issues post war
A
- Cameron argues that post-war British politics has been bedevilled by 2 problems. The first is excessive statism and the tendency of governments to believe they can solve problems through legislation or technocratic management.
Second is excessive individualism, and a tendency to assume that if people obtain sufficient income this will necessarily lead to positive social outcomes.
15
Q
2 aspects of Thatcherism that Cameron says are mistaken
A
o the issue of poverty - argued that the Conservatives had been wrong to reject the concept of ‘relative poverty’. - this involved the recognition that market reforms and general economic growth do not of themselves resolve embedded social problems and can, in aspects, exacerbate them. - emerged the coalition’s later pledge to keep New Labour’s foals concerning the long-term elimination of child poverty.
o centralisation of power which occurred during the 1980s. - strong government from the centre. Cameron believed that state centralism had produced regrettable consequences
16
Q
Conservative manifesto on constitutional change
A
- Conservative manifesto also contained proposals for constitutional change - promised they would ‘equalize the size of constituency electorate’ to ensure that ‘every vote will have equal value.’ - also replace current HoL.
17
Q
EU reform in Tory manifesto
A
o Referendum on the Lisbon Treaty
o Opposition to Further EU Integration: The manifesto expressed opposition to further transfers of power to the EU, stating that any future treaties that proposed significant changes to the UK’s relationship with the EU would be subject to a referendum.
o Repatriation of Powers: The manifesto called for the repatriation of certain powers from the EU to the UK, particularly in areas such as social and employment legislation, criminal justice, and immigration. The Conservative Party argued that the EU should focus on areas where cooperation was necessary, such as trade and security, while allowing member states greater flexibility and control over domestic policies.
o Promotion of Free Trade: The manifesto emphasized the importance of promoting free trade and economic cooperation within Europe, also advocating for stronger trade relationships with emerging markets outside the EU. The Conservative Party stated its commitment to the single market but expressed skepticism towards further political integration within the EU.
18
Q
Lisbon treaty
A
the Lisbon Treaty had transferred significant powers to the EU and that the British people should have the opportunity to have their say on the treaty through a referendum.
The treaty expanded the powers of the European Parliament, giving it a greater say in EU legislation and budgetary matters.
19
Q
Lib Dem manifesto key pledges
A
- The critical issues for the Liberal Democrats were agreements on electoral reform, higher education funding and nuclear energy.
20
Q
Lib Dem manifesto and voting system
A
- Lib Dem manifesto - proposed introduction of a proportional voting system - preference for STV, a reduction in the number of MPs, lowering of the voting age, establishment of fixed-term parliaments,
21
Q
Lib Dem manifesto on constitutional changes
A
replacement of the HoL with a fully elected second chamber. Draft a written constitution for Britain.
22
Q
Lib Dem manifesto on EU
A
o The Liberal Democrats expressed strong support for continued membership in the EU. The party highlighted the importance of EU cooperation in areas such as trade, security, and environmental protection.
o emphasized the importance of the EU single market.
o reform of the EU to make it more democratic, transparent, and accountable. The party advocated for measures to increase the role of national parliaments in EU decision-making and to streamline EU institutions to make them more efficient and responsive to citizens’ needs.
o Continued opposition to the euro
o Importance of EU cooperation in addressing climate change
23
Q
agreement between LD and Tories - welfare
A
- There was a high degree of consensus between the 2 main political parties about the need to reform welfare to do more to help claimants out of dependency and into work.
- Cameron and Clegg have spoken of the necessity of ‘muscular liberalism’ a liberalism which holds true to the liberal insistence on liberties, but which is not relativist or agnostic on moral issues - involved finding ways to allow people to take on responsibility within local communities.
- Heppell- Clegg and Cameron seem in strong agreement regarding the need for limited state intervention.
24
Q
compatibility of Clegg and Cameron
A
- Seldon - Note that Cameron may have been happier in coalition with Nick Clegg than with the right wing of his own party. -> equally that Clegg might have been more comfortable in coalition with Cameron than with the left of his party.
25
LD and Tory agreement over constitutional change
* Overlap on agendas for constitutional change - devolution, HoL reform, use of referendums to decide on UK's position in EU and some form of electoral reform.
26
5 issues on which LD and Tories could 'agree to differ'
as listed by programme for government
o in addition to the AV proposal, these were university tuition fees, renewal of Trident, nuclear power, and provision for a tax allowance for married couples.
AV whipped government bill for the referendum but freedom to campaign for or against AV
* Coalition government pledged to effect 'a fundamental shift of power from Westminster to people' by giving new powers to local councils and local communities, and to continue the process of devolving powers to Wales and Scotland.
27
Cameron and party image/. outsourcing policy
Seldon- Cameron's attempt to 'change' the Conservative Party was initially divorced from a serious engagement with policy. On becoming leader, he immediately focused on style over substance, placing policy development in the hands of 'policy groups', scheduled to report in 18 months. In the short term, the emphasis was on the need for 'drastic changes to the party's image'.
28
how was coalition formalised
The Liberal Democrats were unwilling to enter into coalition without a formal agreement being struck over certain measures of constitutional reform. For the first time in modern political history a government of the United Kingdom was founded on a binding commitment to introduce a programme of constitutional reform.
29
Constitutional reform under coalition
* 2011 Fixed Term Parliament Act: It removes the prime minister's discretion to dissolve parliament and allows early elections only in two circumstances:
o If a motion for an early general election is agreed by at least two thirds of the whole House;
o If a motion of no confidence in the government is passed and the House does not express confidence in a government within fourteen days.
o To call an early election the government would have to instruct its MPs to pass a motion of no confidence in their own cabinet. A defeat, however, is not sufficient to bring about an election. The Act provides for a fourteen-day period to form an alternative government in the event that a government suffers defeat in a no-confidence vote.
30
HoL reform under coalition
* Hol reform: 2012 – LD proposed replacing the appointed members of the House of Lords with elected representatives, thereby creating a more democratic upper chamber. However, their efforts to push through legislation for an elected House of Lords- was abandoned on account of Tory opposition
* Hol reform 2014- allows Lords to resign or retire + excludes members who commit serious crimes which lead to going to jail for at least one year. Before hereditary peers could only revoke their privilege
31
Coalition on state spending
* Coalition - projected a different role for the state - involves rolling back of government initiatives and reducing state spending on social policies.
o Coalition's commitment to a smaller state is reflected in their decision to try to cut the public deficit considerably more quickly than the Labour government has intended to do.
o Massive cuts in local government spending
the average annual real increases in spending remained small – between 0.6 per cent and 0.9 per cent.
In 2010 the government announced a five-year austerity plan aimed at reducing the country’s massive deficit, which had been fueled by bank bailouts and stimulus spending in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis some of the British government’s deepest spending cuts since WW2 including reductions to welfare entitlements and the dismissal of up to 500,000 public-sector employees, as well as phasing in a pension eligibility age increase from 65 to 66 four years earlier than had been planned
32
Local gov spending cuts under coalition
The coalition government reduced central government grants to local authorities, leading to a decrease in overall funding for local government services.
33
Coalition council tax measures
As part of its austerity measures, the coalition government introduced a council tax freeze, limiting the ability of local authorities to increase council tax rates to generate additional revenue. While this policy was intended to provide relief to households facing financial hardship, it also placed additional financial pressure on local councils
34
Tax reform under coalition
o Increase on the tax free threshold – seen as lib Dem victory
The personal income tax allowance was gradually increased over the course of the coalition government's tenure, reaching £10,000 by the 2014-2015 tax year. This policy change meant that individuals could earn up to £10,000 per year without paying any income tax.
effectively increased the tax burden on higher earners. For example, the coalition government froze the higher rate income tax threshold and reduced the higher rate tax relief on pension contributions for high earners.
o The coalition government increased the rate of Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) from 5% to 6% in January 2011 and subsequently to 9.5% in November 2015. IPT is a tax on general insurance premiums, such as car, home, and pet insurance, and the increase was intended to raise additional revenue from insurance providers and policyholders.
35
Capital gains tax changes under coalition
o The coalition government increased the rate of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) for higher and additional rate taxpayers. From June 2010, the rate of CGT was increased from 18% to 28% for higher and additional rate taxpayers, while the rate for basic rate taxpayers remained at 18%.
36
Coalition VAT
o One of the most notable tax increases introduced by the coalition government was an increase in the standard rate of VAT from 17.5% to 20% in January 2011.
37
Bank levy under coalition
o The coalition government introduced a bank levy, which was a tax on the balance sheets of banks and building societies. The bank levy was designed to raise revenue from the financial sector and ensure that banks made a fair contribution to reducing the budget deficit following the financial crisis.
38
marriage (same sex couples) act
2013
o allow same sex couples to marry in civil and religious ceremonies.
o But protect those religious organisations and their representatives who don’t wish to conduct marriages of same sex couples from successful legal challenge.
o Divergence from the British family policies which had marked British politics.
39
Universal credit
2013
The coalition government introduced Universal Credit, a new benefit designed to replace a range of existing means-tested benefits and tax credits, including Housing Benefit, Income Support, and Working Tax Credit. Universal Credit aimed to simplify the welfare system, streamline administration, and ensure that work always pays by tapering benefits as claimants' earnings increase. Began with local rollout.
40
Coalition benefit cap
* 2013- The coalition government introduced a cap on the total amount of benefits that a household can receive to encourage work and reduce dependency on welfare. The benefit cap initially set at £26,000 per year per household.
41
disability benefits under coalition
* Stricter and more frequent WCAs for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Incapacity Benefit claimants were introduced from around 2010 onwards, with the introduction of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The WCA aimed to assess claimants' ability to work and determine their eligibility for benefits based on their health condition or disability.
42
work incentives under coalition
* The coalition government increased the use of sanctions, penalties, and conditionality within the welfare system to encourage compliance with work-related requirements and discourage fraudulent or inappropriate claims. Sanctions could result in reductions or suspensions of benefit payments for claimants who failed to meet their obligations or engage with support and employment services.
43
triple lock on pensions
* 2010 ‘triple lock’ on basic state pension – seen as lib Dem victory
o The triple lock guarantees that the basic state pension will increase annually by the highest of three measures: inflation (as measured by the Consumer Prices Index), average earnings growth, or 2.5%.
44
Heppell and Seawright- 3 major strands of coalition:
1. the critique offered of post-war British politics, particularly the ideological positions pursued by the Thatcher governments - emphasis is that neo-liberal economics have been necessary, but that on their own they are insufficient to create a strong society and effective politics:
2. Second is the anti-statist emphasis of the coalition, which seeks to downplay the extent to which central government can or should direct services.
3. the 'rolling out' of society which argues communities and individuals must be empowered through decentralized and localized forms of governance.
45
Coalition stance on cuts
The coalition stance on cuts reflects a neo-liberal belief that as the state is 'rolled back' the private sector will produce the demand and jobs required to produce economic growth.
46
neo-liberalism
free-market capitalism, limited government intervention in the economy, deregulation, privatization, and reductions in government spending and taxation
47
higher education under coalition
* Ultimately, a compromise was reached in which the coalition government agreed to raise the cap on tuition fees in England, despite significant opposition from within the Liberal Democrat ranks. The coalition government introduced legislation to increase the cap from £3,000 per year to £9,000 per year for undergraduate tuition fees, effective from the 2012-2013 academic year.- massive sacrifice for lib Dems
48
Pupil premium
2011
– Lib Dem victory:
o additional funding provided to publicly funded schools to support the education of disadvantaged pupils and close the attainment gap between them and their peers.
o The Pupil Premium is allocated based on the number of pupils eligible for free school meals (or those who have been eligible in the past six years), as well as pupils who are in care or have parents in the armed forces.
49
Health and social care act
2012
o This was a major restructuring of the NHS, aimed at increasing competition, empowering healthcare providers, and decentralizing decision-making.
o Key elements included the creation of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), which allowed groups of GPs to commission services for their patients, and the introduction of competition from private and voluntary sectors to provide NHS services.
o The Act also established Health and Wellbeing Boards to bring together local authorities, CCGs, and other partners to develop strategies for improving health and social care in their areas.
50
NHS spending under coalition
* The Spending Review used 2010/11 as the baseline year for a planned cash rise in NHS spending of £10.6 billion over four years to 2014/15. Using the forecasts for inflation at the time, this cash rise was equivalent to a cumulative real rise of 0.34 per cent – or just under 0.1 per cent per year for four years. The plan therefore was to increase NHS spending by around £100 million in real terms each year from 2011/12 to 2014/15 inclusive.
51
NHS staffing under coalition
the NHS will employ fewer staff at the end of this Parliament; although rebalanced towards clinical staffing and front-line support… administration costs decreased from a baseline of £4.5 billion to £3.04 billion in 2013/14 in cash terms – a reduction of 33 per cent in cash terms and around 36 per cent in real terms.
* between May 2010 and October 2014, total NHS staff increased by around 10,800 – a rise of just over 1 per cent. as well as the large drop in management staff (reduced by 18 per cent – taking staffing back to 2006 levels)
o total staff per 1,000 population has reduced by around 2 per cent as have the numbers of GPs (‒3 per cent) and qualified nursing staff (‒2 per cent).
52
Nicholson Challenge
announced in 2009, implemented throughout Cameron's tenure
o aimed to achieve £20 billion in efficiency savings by 2015.
o It involved various cost-saving measures such as reducing administrative costs, improving procurement practices, and increasing productivity within the NHS workforce.
o The savings generated were intended to be reinvested into frontline services to improve patient care.
o Involved setting targets and benchmarks for key performance indicators such as waiting times, patient outcomes, and service quality. This involved initiatives to enhance clinical efficiency, optimize patient flow through healthcare pathways, and maximize the use of resources to deliver the best possible outcomes for patients.
53
London Riots
2011- On the night of August 6 a different sort of firestorm broke out when a protest against the killing of a young man by police earlier in the week erupted in widespread rioting in the North London area of Tottenham. In the succeeding days, riots, looting, and arson, mostly by young people, escalated wildly and became the worst rioting that the capital had seen in decades. The riots spread not only to other areas of Greater London but also to other British cities including Liverpool, Bristol and Birmingham… large police presence and mass arrests
54
European Union act
* the European Union Act 2011, which included a provision known as the "referendum lock." This legislation required a referendum to be held in the event of any proposed transfer of powers from the UK to the EU or any future treaty that would transfer significant powers to the EU- seen as a compromise.
55
European Arrest Warrant
* agreed to opt back into the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) in 2014. The EAW allows for the extradition of individuals between EU member states for the purpose of facing criminal prosecution or serving a sentence.
56
EU budget
* In 2013, Prime Minister David Cameron successfully negotiated a reduction in the EU's long-term budget for the first time in its history. The agreement resulted in a cut to the EU's budget for the 2014-2020 period- reduced UK contributions in theory (complex formula based on UK’s gross national income
57
Lisbon treaty changes
* 2011- Effectively vetoed changes to Lisbon treaty- would have increased economic agreemnt among EU countries and imposed sanctions on members that surpassed an agreed upon deficit limit. French president said there were now two Europe’s, one that wants more solidarity and another that is only attached to the single market
58
Net migration target
One of the coalition government's most notable immigration policies was the commitment to reduce net migration to the UK to "tens of thousands" per year.
59
student visas
The coalition government introduced stricter controls and requirements for student visas in an attempt to reduce abuse and misuse of the system. This included tightening English language requirements, restricting work opportunities for international students, and implementing stricter rules for institutions sponsoring international students.
60
harsher immigration requirements
* The new minimum income requirement was set at £18,600 per year for a British citizen or settled resident wishing to sponsor a non-EU spouse or partner. This threshold was higher if the couple had children who were also applying to join them in the UK, with an additional £3,800 required for the first child and £2,400 for each additional child.
61
International policy - Libya
* British enforced a no fly zone in Libya during Arab Spring when Libyan leader was brutally repressing citizens. Beginning March 19 2011, a coalition of U.S. and European forces with warplanes and cruise missiles attacked targets in Libya in an effort to disable Libya’s airforce and air defense systems so that the UN-authorized no-fly zone could be imposed On March 27 NATO officially took command of military operations in Libya previously directed by the USA, France and the United Kingdom.
62
International policy - Syria
* August 2013- Cameron asked the House of Commons to endorse in principle British military intervention in Syria- MPs rejected the proposed involvement by a vote of 285 to 272
63
International policy - Iraq
* On September 26, 2014, MPs voted 524–43 to approve British participation in the U.S.-led air strikes against the ISIL, also called ISIS insurgents in Iraq. Cameron made clear that the action would be limited to Iraq and that Britain would not attack ISIL in Syria.
64
Coalition as a departure or continuity
Lee and Beech: the Conservative–Liberal Coalition is a reformist rather than transformative government. It has not marked a paradigm shift in British politics but is one largely defined by continuities with some notable discontinuities.
65
Continuities in NHS policy
* Last 3 decades of British politics have witnessed the widespread transfer of service provision from the government to the private sector. Thus, Cameron coalition's effort to promote more diversity in service provision represents continuity with recent trends in British public policy:
o Government white paper on NHS reform which sought to transfer control of budgets from health authorities to GP practices. - one intention of this change was that it would enable GPs to contract out administration of such budgets to private providers, a step which many considered a form of back-door privatisation.
o Cameron said himself “ GP-led commissioning, patient choice, payment-by-results and Foundation Trusts have all existed in one form or another over the past fifteen years.”
o 2009 Nicholson challenge- implemented under Cameron
66
Continuities in coalition's international policy
* The Coalition’s foreign policy has not been transformative. It has continued with New Labour’s liberal intervention… Libya, and parliament’s veto of Cameron’s intention to intervene in Syria, evidence this. Nonetheless, for Conservatives, this idealist approach to international relations is a discontinuity, as is the 0.7 per cent of GDP commitment to international development funding. The cuts to the Ministry of Defence have been notable and have affected Britain’s military capability – another discontinuity
While previous governments had expressed support for the 0.7% target, the coalition government under Prime Minister David Cameron was the first to enshrine it in law
67
Divergences on intervention
* New Labour ideal- High levels of spending on areas such as education and health would be complimented by measures aimed at improving the social conditions that affect employability and community cohesion
68
* A Coalition Agreement for Stability and Reform on the leadership
* constrained the PM in any ministerial reshuffles:
*
* Composition of cabinet reflected strength of coalition partner in Parliament.
* Nick Clegg – Deputy PM- could call meetings, go to any meeting, but as deputy you don’t actually have a remit
* Lib Dems headed The Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills, The Department of Energy and Climate + sat in The position of Chief Secretary to the Treasury
69
A Coalition Agreement for Stability and Reform- on cabinet
* Collective Responsibility: Cabinet members were bound by the principle of collective responsibility, whereby they were expected to publicly support government policies and decisions, even if they disagreed with them privately.
70
A Coalition Agreement for Stability and Reform- on disagreements
* Committee and working groups – oversaw the implementation of coalition policies and initiatives to resolve disputes and disagreements.
The same whip will be applied by both parties to their members.
71
idea of a coalition was a new form of government
* Anthony King - different modes of executive-legislative relations - in the UK the most visible is the opposition mode - in which the party in government is pitted against the party, or parties, in opposition - this mode is marked by conflict. Each side is usually united as it faces the other side.
* However, cohesion may not be total - one other mode - the intra-party mode - encompassing opposition within a party - is significant as the party in government rests on support on those who occupy its benches rather than those who sit opposite. If its ranks show signs of dissent, it may be in trouble.
* Formation of a coalition government in 2010 produced a novel situation in that another mode applied: the inter-party mode of executive-legislative relations. - encompassed the relations of parties within a coalition.
72
coalition makes sense in UK politics
* in 2005, a full 32 per cent of the votes cast were for parties or candidates other than the ‘big two’… the number of MPs not taking the Conservative or Labour Whip in the Commons has increased 10-fold over 50 years, making it that bit harder for leading parties to win a majority
73
coalition makes sense in International context
* But: in thirteen West European parliamentary democracies from 1945 to 1998 shows, only 16.1 per cent of Europe's governments during the postwar period were single-party majority governments, and 38 per cent of these were accounted for by the UK. – more in line with Europe
74
cabinet power
* notably the Coalition Committee, fell into disuse due to the success of the 'Quad' - four-man body made up of Cameron, Osborne, Clegg and Alexander which would, in effect, run the coalition government as a whole.
75
Coalition power sharing and devolution
* Conservatives chose the politically astute option of devolving responsibility for Scotland to the Lib Dems - who held 11 of Scotland's 59 seats. Eg Lib Dems set as secretary of state for Scotland and Minister for Scotland
76
dissent nature
* In practice, the conflict in the first year of the coalition tended to be most significant within the intra-party mode rather than the inter-party mode. - coalition witnessed unprecedented levels of dissent in the division lobbies in the HoC.
77
dissent from Tories
* The most persistent dissenters, though, were Conservatives: of the 20 MPs to vote most often against the government, only 3 were Lib Dems, the 9 most rebellious were Conservatives.
78
dissent from LDs
* Lib Dem MPs were more likely to vote against the government on issues such as the increase in VAT from 15% to 17.5%, introduction of free schools and expansion of academies.
79
Levels of dissent
o the 2010 Parliament has been the most rebellious since 1945.
o Conservative MPs rebelled 190 times during the 2010-2015 Parliament, making it one of the highest levels of rebellion by Conservative MPs in post-war history.
o Liberal Democrat MPs rebelled 75 times during the 2010-2015 Parliament.
80
dissent on what issues
o The coalition government introduced a policy to reduce housing benefit for social housing tenants deemed to have spare bedrooms, often referred to as the "bedroom tax" or under-occupancy penalty. The policy faced significant opposition, particularly in the House of Lords, where peers raised concerns about its impact on vulnerable and low-income households, including disabled people and families with children. The House of Lords voted to amend or delay the implementation of the policy on several occasions, leading to debates and disagreements with the government.]
o Abandoned HoL reform- including the introduction of a predominantly or wholly elected second chamber- on grounds of opposition
81
Dissent from HoL
o The House of Lords, in particular, was critical of the government's fiscal consolidation program, leading to debates and disagreements over the scale, timing, and fairness of the cuts.
o Also HoL defeats, delays and debates over tax increases, student visas, family migration, benefit changes
o Health and social care act was significantly altered by HoL
82
Did the fact there was lots of dissent matter?
* Dissent by government MPs under the coalition has been unprecedented. But does it matter? at no point during its first year did the government lose a vote in the HoC. Though dissent was persistent, it was not notable for generating a large dissenting lobby.
* HoL - most of the defeats were the product of cross-bench peers replacing the Lib Dems as the key swing voters in the House.
83
Tensions - after the AV referendum.
* In the coalition agreement, the Liberal Democrats secured a commitment from the Conservative Party to hold a referendum on changing the voting system to the Alternative Vote (AV) system
* several Conservative ministers, including Chancellor George Osborne and Education Secretary Michael Gove, actively campaigned against AV, urging voters to reject the proposed change. This created tensions within the cabinet and raised questions about the unity and coherence of the government's position on electoral reform.
* The government officially supported referendum but divisions exposed tension
84
Overall effect of both parties on shaping policy
* Ruth Fox - 'Overall the Conservatives got the better deal in the economic arena, and the Liberal Democrats the political and constitutional reform agenda'.
85
A Coalition Agreement for Stability and Reform - priorities for legislative reform
* Economic: The coalition agreement prioritized measures to reduce the budget deficit and restore economic stability. This included implementing significant spending cuts and fiscal consolidation measures to reduce government borrowing.
* Tax: plans to raise income tax threshold, reducing tax for low and middle income earners + increase capital gains tax rates
* AV referendum
* More devolution
* Greater school autonomy
* Protect NHS spending and reforms to improve patient care, increase efficiency and decentralize decision making.
* Address climate change – reduce carbon emissions, promote energy efficiency.
86
proportion of each manifesto on power sharing agreement
* Price to pay from a Conservative perspective - 75% of Lib Dem manifesto found its way into the agreement, against 60% of the Conservative manifesto
87
Labour vote share 2010 +2015
* Lodge- The story of Labour under the Coalition is one of anaemic recovery from its catastrophic electoral position in 2010, when it secured just 29% of the vote. Labour's improvement on its 2010 result was based almost entirely on the transfer to Labour of disaffected former Lib Dem voters who felt betrayed by the party's decision to enter coalition with the Tories.
* Only rose to 30.45 in 2015. 258 seats down to 232 seats
88
Tory vote share 2010 +2015
36.1% to 36.9% of vote. 306 seats versus 330 seats
89
UKIP growth
* Beech and Lee - Rising immigration combined with the politics of austerity, which has impacted job prospects, schooling, social housing and GP and hospital waiting times, and the liberalism of the Conservative–Liberal Coalition, has opened up political space for UKIP to come of age.
* 2013 local elections- UKIP had a huge jump in membership- 139 seats won.
* May 2014- UKIP came first in elections for EU parliament. They were anti-EU and won 27% of vote- rise in Euroscepticism.
90
Lib Dems vote share - 2010 +2015
– 23% of vote compared to 7.9% in 2015. 57 seats versus 8 seats
91
economic decline under coalition
* The U.K.’s economy grew by about 3 percent in 2014. By the end of the year, it had reversed the decline that it suffered during the recession that started in 2008. Unemployment, which had peaked at 8.5 percent in 2011, fell to 6 percent in the second half of 2014. However, wages continued to rise more slowly than inflation. The combination of low pay raises and the expansion of low-wage jobs meant that tax revenues during the year were lower than expected.
92
coalition failure of economic goals
* The Coalition has failed in its primary goal to clear the deficit by the end of the parliament and to significantly reduce the cost of the state. For the 2014-15 fiscal year, the actual UK government deficit was £89.2 billion. … coalition government has borrowed more than planned over this parliament: over the five years from 2010–11 to 2014–15, borrowing is now estimated to have been around £100 billion higher than forecast in the November 2010 Autumn Statement.
93
NHS waiting times
* the proportion of patients waiting for more than four hours in A&E hovered around 2 per cent for a number of years – an outcome of the 98 per cent target set in 2004. That proportion then increased after the coalition government decided to relax the target to 95 per cent in 2010… In the most recent quarter (quarter 3 2014/15) 7.4 per cent of patients (more than 414,000) spent longer than four hours in A&E – this is a 47 per cent increase on the previous quarter and the poorest performance since the same quarter in 2003/ 2004
94
NHS approval
* In 2014, the A&E survey found that 80 per cent of patients reported that their overall experience of attending A&E was positive (scoring 7 out of 10 or more), up from 76 per cent in 2012.
95
mental health services
* at the end of 2014 more than 400 people (5 per cent of all inpatients) were located in mental health centres more than 50km from their home
96
Assessment of Health and social care act
the King's fund said in 2015 it was damaging and distracting
* The Act introduced significant reforms aimed at increasing competition and market forces within the National Health Service (NHS). Critics argued that these changes would undermine the principle of a publicly funded and publicly provided healthcare system, leading to privatization and fragmentation of NHS services. + two tiered healthcare system, with NHS providers struggling to compete against private providers and potentially leading to the closure or downgrading of NHS services.
* Lack of democratic accountability in clinical commissioning groups
97
coalition as ideologically comfortable?
* Barber- all governments are coalitions of sorts, drawn from competing opinion (usually within a single party). The 2010 coalition has shown itself to be, in many ways, more ideologically comfortable than the divisions between the ‘wets’ and the ‘drys’ (and other categorisations) in the Thatcher and Major governments and more functional in their relationships than the tribal splits between the ‘Blairites’ and the ‘Brownites’ of the Blair administration.
98
Parties themselves as coalitions
Adonis- It is also misleading to conceive of coalitions as depending upon negotiated agreements between leading politicians of rival political persuasions in a way that single-party governments do not. All large parties are themselves coalitions, containing distinct if not rival factions. The Blair-Brown governments were in this respect as much coalitions as the Cameron-Clegg government which succeeded them.
99
Butler - why do coalitions survive
Coalitions last only as long as the parties composing them believe that the survival of the coalition is more important than the uninhibited pursuit of their party interests.
100
Searle - norm of single party rule
FPTP 2 main parties, there is ‘no attempt to concede to the defeated combatant in the electoral struggle any shred of political power’. Norm of single-party government
101
Searle on why 2010 is unique
no modern coalition ministry has ever come into existence as the result of an indecisive general election (so this is how the 2010 election differs because it genuinely was an indecisive GE – Labour could have potentially formed its own coalition)
102
Searle on why coalitions form and fall
Non-party administrations have usually arisen, not from parliamentary deadlock, but out of a sense of national crisis so acute that the normal play of party rivalries has seemed inappropriate.
However their continuance is not just short term - peacetime ‘national’ administrations, some of which looked like becoming semi-permanencies: eg. Lloyd George Coalition which carried on after the signing of the Armistice in 1918, and the ‘National Government’ established in the middle of the 1931 financial crisis which survived until Churchill came to power in May 1940. --- not merely a short-term response to a transient emergency
103
Searle - what inspires a coalition
Searle - Coalition governments are seen as a manifestation of a persistent quest to break free from the ‘sterility’ of party strife – the quest for a ‘national government’ (whether successful or not) has been a continuous feature of modern British politics.
The distaste for party politics and the persistent fondness for the middle ground in British electoral life is the crux of Searle’s thesis.
During the 60 years 1885-1945, only 10 were occupied by party administrations commanding a Commons majority – the rest of the time the country was ruled either by coalitions or minority government.
* The fluidity of party politics and the often fragile nature of parliamentary majorities are an obvious explanation for the prevalence of coalitions in this period.
Searle – coalitions more often than not stemmed from a desire to end the sterility and artificiality of political conflict and focus energies on the national good.
104
Searle - chamberlain's desire for coalition
* Searle- The problem, at least after 1886, was that Chamberlain was trying to combine policies drawn from different points of the political compass, with the result that he fitted into neither of the two main party blocs.
* It was this situation which forced Chamberlain to come out as an advocate of ‘national’ politics’ – expression was Tariff Reform.
105
coalition in 1910
* Lord’s rejection of Lloyd George’s People’s Budget (To fund extensive welfare reforms he proposed taxes on land ownership and high incomes) and the indecisive GE of Jan 1910 created a party and constitutional deadlock – fostered a mood of ‘national crisis’..
* In the years 1911-1914, with Ireland hovering on the brink of civil war and violence threatening to spill over on to the British mainland, party hatreds reached a new level of intensity.
* Searle- Even during these pre-war years the prospect of establishing a National Government never totally disappeared- , should the ‘national crisis’ deepen in some unspecified way, the establishment of a Coalition Government might become a patriotic imperative
106
when did WW1 coalition form
* Took 9 months after war declared to form
107
why was settlement formed in WW1
* May 1915 reconstruction came about because of the convergence of two different crises: the shell shortage scandal and the quarrel between Churchill and the First Sea Lord, Admiral Fisher, leading to the latter’s extraordinary resignation.
* Asquith told his angry parliamentary party that he had acted out of dire national necessity. – not entirely true – both party leaders were anxious to avoid a Khaki Election and had united to impose a settlement on their resentful followers.
* As military disappointment followed disappointment, the feeling grew that the Asquith Coalition would have to be replaced by a real National Government
108
start of Lloyd George's coalition
* Lloyd George – gave the impression, as Asquith never did, that he wanted to win the war and would shrink from nothing to achieve his ends. – in his unconcern for party, Lloyd George seemed to have secured for himself a non-party position
* When Lloyd George took office on 7 Dec 1916, he headed a coalition that, at first glance, appeared curiously fragmented and fragile, and that few expected to last. -- the coalition meant parting company with most leading Liberals.
* Lloyd George had to make concessions to Tories which later limited his freedom of action. Wanted to pursue national strategy but constrained by party pressure form start
109
Lloyd George breaking free from traditional party system
* 2 ways Lloyd George seemed intent on breaking free of traditional party system and pursuing new ‘national politics’.
o Enhanced role assigned to businessmen.- sought support and input from influential businessmen. By incorporating their expertise and resources, he aimed to foster economic growth and innovation eg May was a prominent banker who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in Lloyd George's government
o Emergence of the idea of ‘Reconstruction’- . By framing the post-war agenda around the idea of reconstruction, Lloyd George aimed to unite the country under a common purpose,
110
Otte on why Lloyd George's cabinet worked
It was a much more cohesive combination than Asquith’s dithering and drfting administration, not least also because it had an agreed structural and procedural framework. Its purpose was to win the war.
durability post-war came from complex relationship between Lloyd George and Bonar Law.
111
coupon election
1918
* Nov 1918- Labour voted to withdraw from the Coalition – meant that the post-war ‘National Government’ would have no representatives of the organized working class
* Coupon election – official letters of endorsement sent to candidates who supported the coalition government's policies and included the signatures of both Conservative and Liberal leaders.
* Searle- So long as Lloyd George was able to mesmerise his Cons allies with his reputation and personality, all went reasonably well with the Coalition.
112
collapse of coalition in 1922
One of the most significant factors leading to the collapse of the coalition government in 1922 was the issue of Irish independence. The Anglo-Irish Treaty, which was signed in December 1921, led to the establishment of the Irish Free State and the partition of Ireland. The treaty was deeply divisive within the coalition government, with Prime Minister David Lloyd George and some Unionist members supporting it, while others, including many Conservatives, vehemently opposed it.
Bonar law became disillusioned
113
1924 why did Labour not form a coalition- competency
Butler
* Labour had suddenly been given an opportunity to show that a working-class party could carry on the King's Government as competently as the older parties could. It did not intend to weaken the effect of that demonstration by appearing to accept a second-class status.
* Labour would not have been able to take office in the first place without Liberal acquiescence. Asquith had boasted that no matter who held office “it is really we’- this was justified by the arithmetic of the HoC - made it more necessary for Labour to behave as maj, party.
114
1924 why did Labour not form a coalition- working class
Butler
* British socialists consciously accepted the Marxist doctrine of the class war, most took it for granted that the interests of the 'workers by hand and brain' were irreconcilably opposed to the interests of all other classes in society- Could only encourage the working class to recognise their true interests if it turned its face on both capitalist parties.
* Leading figures of party and 70% of parliamentary party as a whole were working class - there had never been a time before when a major political party had belonged, so completely and so obviously, to a different social world from that of its rivals. there can be little doubt that it had an immense effect on the party's attitudes to the older parties.
115
Mutual ground between Lib and Lab in 1924
* Labour threw weight behind a liberal private members bill shortly after defeat of their bill and Snowden introduced a “budget cast in classically liberal mould” but in both instances there was no evidence that this was a response to liberal pressure or after consulting with liberal party
* May 1924 the Liberals saved the government's skin by voting against a Conservative motion to reduce the Minister of Labour's salary. But they did so because they were afraid of a general election, not because they had made an agreement with the government.
116
end of MacDonald's minority government
charges against a British communist newspaper editor, J. R. Campbell, for alleged "incitement to mutiny" caused by his publication of a provocative open letter to members of the military.
On 6 August, it was announced in the British House of Commons that the Attorney General for England and Wales, Sir Patrick Hastings, had advised the prosecution of Campbell under the Incitement to Mutiny Act 1797 but pressure from a number of Labour backbenchers had forced the government to withdraw the charges on 13 August.
An alternative motion, proposed by Sir John Simon MP, "That a Select Committee be appointed to investigate and report upon the circumstances leading up to the withdrawal of the proceedings recently instituted by the Director of Public Prosecutions against Mr. Campbell", was passed by 364 to 198- government had said it would regard the motion as a vote of confidence – obtained a dissolution the following day
117
Divide between Lib and Lab in 1929
* The fact Liberals had caused the decline of Labour in 1924 was proof that Liberals were Tories in disguise
* The 'red letter' election that followed seemed to show yet again that the capitalist parties would stop at nothing to do down the working class.
* Oct. 1924 election was red letter election- The election campaign was influenced by the publication of the "Zinoviev Letter," a forged document purporting to be from Grigory Zinoviev, the head of the Communist International in the Soviet Union, calling for intensified Communist activity in Britain. The letter, published by the Daily Mail a few days before the election, aimed to discredit the Labour Party, which was perceived as sympathetic to socialist and communist ideologies
* 1924-29 Lib was threat to Labour as second party after Llyod George led to upsurge in party support.
118
decline of Labour 1930
* Butler- By the early months of 1930, the government was beginning to run out of electoral steam, as the effects of the great depression began to make themselves felt. In a by-election in February 1930, the Labour majority at Sheffield, Brightside and in May lost West Fulham and central Nottingham
119
liberal Labour 'quasi coalition'
* MacDonald issued an invitation to Baldwin and Lloyd George to confer with the Government on the economic crisis. Baldwin refused, but Lloyd George accepted; and during the summer of 1930 a series of two-party conferences took place.
* In Sept 1930- Sir Herbert Samuel telling MacDonald that they would be prepared, on suitable terms, to keep the government in office for two years, and Lloyd George warning that, unless the government brought in either proportional representation or the alternative vote, they would be obliged to turn it out.
* Despite assurances on both sides that there was no pact, At the beginning of February 1931 the second reading of the Electoral Reform Bill – duly incorporating the alternative vote - was carried by a majority of 65.
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liberal involvement in 1931 economy
* Only a few days after the Electoral Reform Bill received its second reading, the Cabinet was forced by the threat of a defeat in the division lobby to accept a Liberal motion calling for an independent committee to advise the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the best way to make economies in government expenditure - The committee's emphasis on austerity measures and fiscal restraint shaped the policies implemented by the National Government to address the economic crisis.
* From the end of March 1931 regular meetings took place between the leading figures on both sides
121
Lib-Lab 1931 as quasi coalition not coalition
* The Liberals had no ministers in the government and were not bound by the ties of collective responsibility. On the other hand, they were keeping the government in office and were known to be keeping the government in office.
* Now agreed on electoral change: As MacDonald had seen all along, electoral reform would perpetuate the three-party system: that was why he had been against it. Now that it had been conceded, however, a return to 'two great parties' - his old objective of the early 1920s - was no longer feasible, and there was no longer any need to make the destruction of the Liberal Party Labour's central priority
122
why was coalition formed in 1931
* Butler- The quasi-coalition of early 1931 was the product of months of manoeuvre and negotiation. The real coalition for which 1931 is famous was the product of a last minute change of mind on the part of its head:
* MacDonald AUG. 1931- fought with stubborn passion for cuts in spending on unemployment benefit large enough to balance the budget in the way that the Treasury and Bank of England thought essential to save the parity.
* TUC said no to cuts, so too did government.
* Same evening both parties said they would serve under McDonald.
* After days of failure to reach compromise Originally was going to leave office and fight for cuts from opposition benches but decided instead to form coalition government
123
Butler - 1931 coalition was not electorally beneficial
* Butler – made no sense for Liberals (got electoral reform promise from Lab would gain less if Tories involved) or Tories (dominance electorally almost assured so why serve under MacDonald) to form coalition- Like MacDonald himself, in short, the Conservatives and Liberals acted as they did because they believed that it was their duty to do so. putting party second and country first
124
1931 coalition diversity
* Though it was clear from the beginning that it would depend overwhelmingly on Conservative votes, the Conservatives had only four places in a Cabinet of ten, as against two for the Liberals and four (including MacDonald's own) for the Labour Party
* 243 were Conservatives. With them were 53 Liberals, 12 Labour men and three Independents.
125
1931 - opposition to election as national government
* Baldwin was receptive to fighting the election as the national government
* Liberal Party for which Samuel spoke, were only one degree less opposed. They were as committed to free trade as the Conservatives were to protection, and they could see as easily as the Conservatives could that an early election would probably produce a protectionist majority.
* Llyod George thought he would be pushed to fringes of coalition government after another election
* McDonald also opposed to election with national government – didn’t like supporting the Tories and Liberals in an election
126
why was election called in 1931
* 1931- 15 September, and on 18 September the Cabinet decided to leave the gold standard after all. This destroyed the strongest argument against an election, for there was no need to avoid a financial crisis which had already happened. It also strength- ended the Conservatives' bargaining position.
* 5th October cabinet dissolved and election called – ended life of national government
127
diversity of second national government
* its majority over all parties was 500. But 471 of its supporters were Conservatives; and although MacDonald was obsessively anxious not to allow himself to appear as a 'Tory tool', he was outnumbered greatly.
* More than 80 per cent of the Government back- benchers were Conservatives, but in the Cabinet they had only 11 places out of 20. MacDonald's tiny National Labour group, with only 13 M.P.s to its credit, had four places in the Cabinet.
* On policy questions, too, the non-Conservative members of the Cabinet had more influence than has sometimes been realised. Foreign policy, which became increasingly important after the opening of the Disarmament Conference in February 1932, was effectively controlled by MacDonald.
128
Protectionism as issue in 1931 coalition
* Abnormal Importations Act passed- gave the Board of Trade power to impose duties of up to I00 per cent on a wide range of goods. – Conservatives wanted more, free traders saw them as temporary
* the Cabinet did find a com- promise of sorts. It was agreed that the generalised tariff should be introduced, but it was also agreed that the free-trade ministers should be allowed to speak and vote against it
* The Samuelites, accompanied by the bleak and solitary figure of Philip Snowden, finally left the government in September 1932 in protest against the Ottawa agreements- Now it was a Conservative government led by a non-Tory
129
why was settlement formed in WW2
* When Germany invaded, Chamberlain waited hoping for German withdrawal or something of the kind. Greenwood deputising for Attlee demanded a declaration of war. The party whip too stated a declaration of war was necessary. Butler says it “was Labour’s war”
o Sep. 1st – invited Labour to join gov and offered libs ministerial positions – they declined.
* On 8 September the three chief whips, following the precedent of the First World War, agreed to an electoral truce for the duration: when a vacancy occurred, the party which had previously held the seat would nominate a candidate unopposed by the other two parties.
130
why did Chamberlain fall in 1940
* April 1940, a disastrous military campaign in Norway + other military setbacks – calls for change in leadership.
* All party conference est at this time - Recognizing the need for unity and consensus during such a critical time, discussions began among members of different political parties about the future leadership of the country. May have swung 10-12 votes against Chamberlain, but others were spontaneous revolts. His majority fell to 81
* Chamberlain again invited libs and Labs into gov they said no (May 9th) + Halifax said the party would not support him at a meeting with Churchill present
* Chamberlain resigned on May 10th. Agreed with King that Churchill not Halifax should be leader.
131
nature of 1940 coalition gov.
* “only genuine National government in British history”- national unity and country before party
* The new War Cabinet was simply an assembly of the party leaders with Churchill in solitary state as the National leader: Chamberlain, leader of the Conservative party; Halifax, Conservative leader in the Lords; Attlee, leader of the Labour Party; and Greenwood, its deputy leader.
* In the other posts the Conservatives came off best: they held fifteen offices of Cabinet rank, Labour only four and the Liberals one - Labour's share improved during the war as more Labour men had the opportunity to show their talents.
132
initial support for 1940 coalition
* Labour initially in full support, took more time for Tories- first speech – only Labour cheered for Churchill while tories initially cheered for Chamberlain as leader of the party – warmed up after couple of weeks.
* Butler likened Attlee and Churchill relationship to Bonar Law and Llyod George – said it was closer than Churchill was to the Tory party. (although originally, Attlee had not ruled out Churchill coalition but had not adamantly stated support for it)
133
dissent in wartime coalition
* On I and 2 July 1942, after the fall of Tobruk, there was a vote of no confidence in the House of Commons- a demonstration of hostility never attempted in the First World War. Churchill defeated the motion by 476 votes to 25 with some 30 deliberate abstentions.
* In March 1944 the House of Commons carried by 117 votes to 116 an amendment to the Education Bill demanding equal pay for women teachers- the only occasion in the war when the National Government was defeated on a major question. Churchill summoned the leading rebels and insisted that they must recant. The next day he went down to the House and demanded a reversal of the vote. He got his way by a large majority.
* There was also a rift between the parties over foreign affairs. Though all, or almost all, agreed on carrying the war to a victorious conclusion, the Conservatives wanted to restore old Europe, not to make a new one; some Labour members looked forward to a socialist Europe- vote of censure after they attacked communist Greek troops (motion defeated)
134
end of WW2 coalition
* On 18 May Churchill drafted a letter with Attlee's assistance, proposing either that the coalition should be continued until the end of the Japanese war or that there should be an immediate election.
* The Liberal leader, wished to continue the coalition. So did Attlee, Bevin and Dalton.
* Labour conference rejected it - the Labour Party Conference which had formally created the National Government by its vote in 1940 ended it with equal formality by its vote in 1945.
* Attlee offered to support Churchill until October but Tory party rejected in favour of immediate election
135
post war consensus
* Otte- The emergence of Labour in 1945 put an end to the instability which had marked the previous 75 years… the inability of the Liberals to break out of the disadvantages of FPTP cemented the duopoly in place.
* Even in the years 1945-1970, when the two-party system took over with a vengeance, party politics was only sustained by ideological closeness, when ‘an equilibrium between controversy and consensus was maintained’- post war consensus -The cleavage between the two major parties was never as sharp as it had been before the war,
136
1974 election
* Feb 1974 election – only 75.4% of voters elected to support the 2 main parties. Cons – 297 seats, Lab (received fewer votes) got 301 seats. Under Jeremy Thorpe’s leadership the Liberals gained 4 million more votes – vote share up by 12% but only 14 seats.
* Days after the election were ones of feverish speculation. – problem in the way of a coalition would mean the Liberals supporting a Conservative government. Thorpe’s party saw itself as ‘progressive’ – inclined to the left – would need also some promise of electoral reform – something Heath was not prepared to offer.
* + also crucial was arithmetic Together the Cons and Libs would command 311 seats, 7 short of what would be necessary to command a parliamentary majority – not worth it for the Liberals.
* Minority gov under Wilson
137
Otte- conditions for coalition in 2010
1. Arithmetic. - with 307 seats Cameron and 57 for Lib Dem. Lib- Lab pact would need Democratic Unionists of Ulster and Scottish nationalism
2. Second condition was that the Cons leader should take swift and decisive action – Cameron announced he was making a ‘big, open and comprehensive offer’ to the Lib Dems to help build a ‘strong and stable government’. He said he would be open to looking at electoral reform and set up an all-party committee. – he said there were areas where the parties could agree – education and cutting taxes.
3. Clegg was willing to talk to Cameron’s team but also kept options open by speaking to Brown over the phone – the former talks went well while the latter did not. - Clegg wanted a full, written arrangement, with Cabinet places for him and other prominent Liberals – Cameron was prepared to concede.
a. Clegg and his team continued to play one side off each other, gaining concessions from Cons while concealing the fact that talks with Lab were going nowhere.
138
coalition and law and order
It is worth noting that Cameron called for “exemplary punishment” for those who committed offences during the 2011 riots.
139
expansion of FTs
The Health and Social Care Bill 2011, overseen by Lansley, proposed that all NHS trusts become foundation trusts or part of an existing foundation trust by April 2014.
