tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post7548809230266083915..comments2024-03-08T15:43:20.236+00:00Comments on Keynesian Liberal: A Less than Hearty Welcome to the Fib-DemsPeter Wrigleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16481117156930677255noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-78346420924063367982010-12-26T07:53:38.740+00:002010-12-26T07:53:38.740+00:00Thanks for signing up, Bernard. I sincerely hope t...Thanks for signing up, Bernard. I sincerely hope that the breaking of the pledge does not set us back for another 30 years.<br /><br />As we now realise we had saddled ourselves with two incompatible commitments: the "pledge" and the coalition agreement which permitted us simply to abstain. So one of these commitments had to be broken. It is a matter of judgment which would have done the most damage. I think we chose the wrong option and that the breaking of so publicly proclaimed a pledge damages not just us but, more importantly, the reputation of democratic politics itself.Peter Wrigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16481117156930677255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-70914108910321671992010-12-20T17:54:10.932+00:002010-12-20T17:54:10.932+00:00Sorry I completely disagree with Peter. We saddled...Sorry I completely disagree with Peter. We saddled ourselves with an unworkable policy. We signed a crazy pledge. We put ourselves in the position of either wrecking the coalition (and setting the LDs back for another 30 years) or breaking the pledge. Fortunately some brave backbenchers did vote with the govenment. Allowing the rebels the luxury of voting against without suffering the consequences. By way, does anybody think a deal with Labour would bring about the abolition of tuition fees?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03579464289485035114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-57369064692242243242010-12-11T21:35:21.708+00:002010-12-11T21:35:21.708+00:00When I asked the Labour Cabinet member his views o...When I asked the Labour Cabinet member his views on Tuition Fees at last Wednesday's Kirklees Full Council meeting it provoked comments from prominent Lib Dem Councillors defending the Coalition on the policy. Interesting that they are generally out of step with the views of local Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidates and with the 21 Lib Dem MPs who rebelled. So does this make them hardnosed Cleggite Economic Liberals? I don't think so just defensive and probably wound up because I asked questions on things they'd rather not talk about.Andrew Cooperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16254689033137968918noreply@blogger.com