Lefties 9: This will succeed through its success

[taffetacat]

Is everyone on Twitter now?

Yes, definitely, Allegra, if they later support Labour they'll just be seen as blowing with the wind, and if they stick with the Tories they'll eventually be absorbed into them. Clegg must have thought it was worth the risk for the chance of political reform leading to increased representation for them, but the method he's taken to get political reform pretty much means the LibDems won't increase their numbers anyway because they've alienated so many people.

What does everyone think about Labour's direction now? While I welcome the idea that they might move to the Left, there's always the fear that that would mean electoral suicide. Or perhaps we're redefining the Left now, to embrace environment, climate change etc, making it more palatable to voters?

Clegg thought it was worth the risk because the country is in deep financial shit.

helloooo

just caught up.

apart from coolfonz bulldozing all non state schools, a general feeling of ok, but lets wait and see re the real substance of ed mill, and more feeling that the LDs have been sold/sold us down the river anything I've missed?

Guardian David Steel piece (next to shite charles kennedy one) was excellent I thought...really important to note that a lab/lib coalition was kyboshed by labourites (reid, prescott et al) and not just about numbers.

errrr...laura K (bbc) thinks budget will be brutal...we need to be very on message that it really really would have been regardless of election result, we're in shithole, need to clamber out somehow.

animula, dont see many political hackettes lining up?

i always thought I'd be a good lobbyist, but i'm prob not subtle enough (understatement).

more Simon Hughes:

Simon H: we can be more radical than Labour. We must be there for people who never had a good deal from Lab or Tories.

Simon Hughes: Dont just keep calm and carry on, it won't be calm but for gods sake carry on

and Graham Watson

Graham Watson MEP - No deal with Labour 'not just down to the arithmetic, but what it would add up to'. Labour not progressive

i know it's the torygraph (barf) but if there is even a shred of truth in this story then fuck...and fucking fuckers on defence contracts of all things!!!

here

Prolesworth - I think we think we have a better chance of influencing the Tories than Labour, to be honest. And there's a huge desire to get Labour's hands off the reins.

hmmmm Simon Hughes in fighting mood? must get on twitter, I'm not on it yet.

lol @ Ed Mil ( I expect someone has done something funny with his name - its nearly an anagram of LibDem ) looking 12. A few of my friends have commented he looks like my DS. Who is 6.

What is Simon Hughes' Twitter name?

Clegg described the vote in favour as "a bit North Korean."

Pretty much everything I have read made it sound like the LibDems were never very serious about a deal with Labour. Fair enough really. I don't think we can really blame Labour for the LibDem's current situation however- they clearly chose to work with the Tories. I hope they will have a tempering influence and at least they bring some qualifications and diversity into the deal.

Vesela et al- whatever they say about labour not being progressive etc., fact is this deal is good for the top LD's but longer term will leave the membership in a bit of crisis and labour will benefit.

Apparently they've had 400 new members in the last week and 100 resignations, so still a net gain. Not quite Labour's 12,000 (?) but I think there were 5,000 new members during the election campaign.

Seen Cameron interview highlights.He didn't answer anything really did he.

I have a definite sick-in-stomach feeling on hearing Cam's Etonian tones now- same as I used to get from Thatcher's back in the 80s...

Hello gang. Didn't realise you had all slunk off over here.

Just recovering from a house full of 3 year old (and parents I hardly know) for DS's birthday party. Need a beer and will sit down and catch up.

Yay for Ed.

I am wondering what form the newly resurgent (we hope to God) Labour party will take...I have fond dreams of a new Bennite era. But that might end up with us in opposition for too long. We need to find that balance between public appeal (I know, bleurgh, but Milibands D and E do seem to have it) and yer actual socialism.

I am wondering what form the newly resurgent (we hope to God) Labour party will take...I have fond dreams of a new Bennite era. But that might end up with us in opposition for too long. We need to find that balance between public appeal (I know, bleurgh, but Milibands D and E do seem to have it) and yer actual socialism.