Time for Cameron to grow some cojones
Monday, May 10, 2010 I don't know about you, but I'm getting a bit cheesed off with the length of time the negotiations between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats are dragging on, especially as we are led to believe that Nick Clegg is also speaking to Labour (without, it seems, telling DC).
Lib Dems seek more Tory details (BBC News)
Surely there has to come a time, sooner rather than later, when Cameron says to Clegg and his leftie mates, "Take it or leave it". If the Lib Dems want to join forces with a discredited Labour regime (with or without Gordon Brown), so be it. The public will decide what they think of that decision at the next election, the countdown to which will start the moment Clegg shakes the outgoing (?) PM's hand.
Then again (to be fair to Cameron), I'm currently involved in negotiations on behalf of Forest and I've been tempted to tell the other party to "stuff it" more than once but I have been persuaded by a third party to stick with it because the advantages - if we can reach even a compromise agreement - outweigh the disadvantages. Apparently.
Perhaps I'm just impatient. Or a terrible negotiator. As with all negotiations, however, there has to be a point at which you walk away - and the other side has to know that there's a point at which you'll walk away - otherwise they'll start taking the mickey.
PS. We were due to make an announcement today about an exciting new initiative (nothing to do with the negotiations mentioned above) but the indecision surrounding the make-up of our new government has caused a postponement. You'll understand why when we finally make the announcement, probably next week.
Simon Clark
17:15 I had literally just published this post when I saw this: Gordon Brown 'stepping down as Labour leader' (BBC). Don't get too excited, though. He wants a new Labour leader to be in place by the (wait for it) September party conference!!!
What this means is, a Lib/Lab alliance is still a possibility. Clearly, Clegg has said he won't work with Brown and but he has left open the prospect of working with Brown's successor. In the meantime we would be stuck with a lame duck PM for a further five (!) months.
PS. The thought of Brown milking a "statesmanlike" departure from office at the Labour party conference is too much to bear. Wake me up from this nightmare ... please!!!
Reader Comments (3)
With Brown now resigned, we (the Conservatives) should be doing a deal with Clegg enabling us to go it alone as a minority Government. It can and should be done!
It is still the first alternative and Labour cannot do a thing about it until this option has been fully explored first.
@Peter - I think Brown's resignation is a condition, no matter what they're saying, of a Lib/Lab deal and the deal with the Tories might be vanishing like a mirage in a desert.
I can imagine Clegg justifying such an audacious decision on the grounds that it reflects the will of the majority who didn't vote Tory. I certainly feel, though, that such justification is disingenuous and I think there'll be trouble if he agrees.
Get the pitchforks sharpened...
Yep - get the pitchforks sharpened - this is a real crisis and I reckon that part of the 'Clegg/Lab' pact is that Brown resigns (which has just happened) - what a horrible mess! The consequences of all this could be dire.