Liberal Democrat voters thread

[Madsometimes]

Who do you think that Clegg should go in with?

It is obvious that Labour and Tory voters each have their own ideas, but if you voted Lib Dem on May 6th, what do you think?

BBC reporting that Labour's civil liberties stance not compatible with Lib Dems and Labour won't compromise on it.

And after a year of home ed fights with Labour MPs, I am not at all suprised to hear that.

Jvc - I personally think its easier to compromise with another party along the economic scale (which could be done by slight financial adjustments) than along the liberal/authoritarian scale which is more to do with approach and ideals.

I am glad about that if its true. There is no way we can give on civil liberties.

I voted Lib Dems and would prefer a Lib-Con parliament. NC always said he wouldnt work with GB, but even with him resigning I wouldnt feel happy with a Lib/Lab coalition.

Lib/Lab for me - the idea that I may have joined the fucking Tories in the last week when I'm as liberal/left wing as they come makes me want to hurl myself off a tall building.

I would rejoin Labour if the Liberals did this.

Anastasia - I think the civil liberties issue is why I think I'd prefer a lib-con coalition. But then, as I said, there are good and bad to both.

I think it's a bit daft to say Clegg's being childish in his demands - you don't know that he's said that. The snippets of info we're getting are only going to be the tip of the ice-berg of all the discussion that is going on. How do you know it wasn't GB saying 'hang on, do you think it'll make the deal go more smoothly if I step down? I wonder if so and so would be a better leader to work with the LibDems'. There are so many assumptions flying around the internet - it's very depressing and must be very frustrating for hte people who actually know for certain what is being said in the discussions.

Agree MrsWobble

From the press it appears that the Lib Dems and Cons had already worked out a 'deal' but only as far a Confidence and Supply arrangement.

Seeing if they can better the deal isn't being childish - it's sensible. Whatever is decided it has to be something that will last and survive under pressure, not fall the first time they have to discuss legislation.

Sorry - didn't mean to make it look like I thought you said they were being childish, Anastasia!

Anastasia - isn't that what I said? "if you ignore Authoritarian/Libertarian axis on the matrix, and squish the parties up along the centreline etc..."

Anywho, I agree with LaurieFTC, well said. Right, tea break over, back to building wind farms.

no, I meant harder to be further apart on the auth/lib axis, easier to be further on the economic scale. Easier to compromise on figures and investment than on ideals and principles that can't be measured.

FFS, it's only been four days!

I mean, if you think about how long it takes to write a bill and get it through parliament, or how long it takes to negotiate for sale/merger of a company, four days is nothing!

Do all you folks moaning about NC really think he should just turn round to the almost 1 in 4 people who voted for his party and say,'oh, well, we wanted to get this sorted quickly so we thought we'd go ahead and ditch all our manifesto committments'?

Hear Hear Heathen.

Just found this - talking about why Cameron is offering more than expected to the Lib Dems, interesting read.

Just heard some interesting R4 analysis that suggests that NC had to talk to Labour in order for them to walk away (as they have done) and prove to the left winger LibDem mp's that LibLab is not an option. Clever!

By feralgirl Tue 11-May-10 14:52:16
"Hate the idea of a Lib/Con pact as I loathe the tories. I have always quite liked the idea of Lib/Lab.

HOWEVER I think that a lib/lab govt would be undemocratic because Labour lost. So I am in a moral quandry "

I echo feralgirl.

I have always voted Lib Dem and I am appalled that they are going to form a govt with the conservatives - everything I voted against when I gave the LD my vote.

I don't buy the whole media spin that the majority voted for Conservatism - the majority of people plainly didn't - they actually voted various shades of centrist to left wing. So how come we are going to end up with a pro hunting, anti european, pro trident right wing govt?

Moreover if everyone is so worried about the economy then why not keep Darling who is widely respected in the city and very knowledgeable instead of replacing him with a man who has never even studied economics.

TBH I think there should be some sort of govt of experts in these difficult times and call another election in a year.

I'm thinking that if Nick Clegg gives in to the Tories, that May 6th was the last time I vote for the Liberal Democrats. And I've never voted for anyone else.

My natural inclination is towards Labour, but I am so sick of the level of intrusion that has become normal in our lives in the last 13 years that I would almost prefer that they went in with the Conservatives. I feel that they might be able to temper the conservatives a little, maybe a lot with David C at the helm, who is not as rabidly right-wing as some. I just hope that the LD have the guts to stick to their guns about some basic policy items and don't just become the poodle of whoever manages to win them over.

I am delighted that the Lib Dems are the ones in this position because I really feel that they are pretty much the only party that prefer policy over power. I think that this whole process, far from being disastrous, is actually forcing consensus politics into being. I just hope as well that whoever he elects to go with the Lib Dems get some ministries.

Lib/Con - I'm a LD voter and member.

• it's the only really stable option
• better likely deficit-cutting policy. Labour (or a significant part of Labour) appears to be keener to go into opposition on this count, anyway. It also didn't sound as if Labour were willing to give ground on civil liberties.
• neither party is offering anything credible on proper voting reform (AV doesn't qualify as PR). Labour did mention an STV referendum at one point but they wouldn't even be able to get the votes together to approve a referendum on AV. The battle for proper PR (i.e. STV) has to go on outside parliament at this stage, I reckon.

Was originally in favour of a "strong confidence and supply agreement," but am now moving towards the idea of a coalition.

hear hear heathen - that's what I was trying (very unsucessfully!) to say!

(btw, vesela - is your username in the same language as mine?)

luluF - the choices for the lib dems are coalition or some kind of agreement with the tories or cameron goes it alone.

If cameron goes it alone he will not be able to get anything done so there will be a general election. The tories are the only ones with money left and the media are behind them so how do you think this will help the lib dems? They would be punished for not co-operating to form a stable govt.

Would you rather have no lib dem mps left or a tory/lib dem coalition?

A lib/lab deal is not an option as there aren't enough mps and several labour mps don't support it.

At least the tories have offered some concessions to the lib dems. As a lib dem voter do you really trust the likes of Mandleson who was probably behind the lib dem /labour talks.

I think that an alliance between either Labour or the Torys and and the Lib dems would be unlikely to last more than six-twelve months. Just can't see it working at all, too many dissenters against either pact in all parties.
Whichever way it goes I think we will be back at the polling stations withing the year.

I agree with Duchesse. And vesela. And snowlady. See how wonderfully co-operative us Lib Dems are?

The numbers of people (on MN) saying 'If the LDs go in with X, I'll never vote for them again' seem to be evenly split Lab/Con. So the rock/hard place situation not really helped by the voice of the people. Sigh.

Lib/Lab... I'm not a Lib Dem, I'm a green but voted lib dem to keep the tories out and cos we had no green candidate.

I hols out hope that:

The election managed to draw out as many Tories out of the woodwork as possible. I would imagine that if you are ever going to vote Tory, you would have done it this month.

When it all falls apart we will have another election.

This will cause Labour voters who did not turn out to get off their arses and vote.

Some LD voters will switch sides and Labour will win at the next election.

If this is not likely to happen, please do not tell me otherwise, it is the only thing keeping me going at the moment!

I am a hovering labour/lib dem voter. Vote lib dem because of our constituency MP.

However I did not vote lib dem to get a tory govt.

As others have said more people voted for other than conservative.

All I am hoping for now is that the coalition won't work enough for conservatives to show themselves in their true light. Labour will rebrand themselves and there will be another election quite soon which will be won by Labour.