General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy can't the liberal/left parties in the UK coalesce
to beat the Tories? The Tories will never lose elections the way it is now.
Please correct me if I am mistaken.
Celerity
(43,358 posts)They even ran on a having a Remain or Leave referendum years ago.
The Lib Dems are deeply stained by austerity. Dont trust them.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/23/lib-dems-stained-austerity-trust-tories
The Liberal Democrats are back, or so were told, with Jo Swinsons leadership victory being pitched as the rebirth of the party. The unique conditions of Brexit have given the Lib Dems not only a reason to exist but the opportunity to detoxify their brand after their fatal coalition with the Conservatives, and to cast themselves as a reforming, progressive party in troubled times.
And yet remarkably little has changed since the days when Nick Clegg stood laughing in the Downing Street rose garden next to David Cameron as he signed Britain up to years of sweeping public spending cuts. When asked throughout this summers leadership campaign, Swinson (and her opponent, Ed Davey) consistently defended her partys role in austerity measures.
In an interview with Channel 4 News, Swinson said she had no regrets about the coalition, stating it was the right move to get our country back on track. This is despite the fact it has been shown that austerity shrunk the British economy by £100bn, and has even been linked to 130,000 preventable deaths. Swinson acknowledged there were policies we let through [in coalition] that we shouldnt have done, naming the bedroom tax, but remained unrepentant on a whole host of others.
snip
Just_Vote_Dem
(2,808 posts)Just A Box Of Rain
(5,104 posts)for her role in supporting austerity measures under the Lib Dem-Conservative coalition.
The Lib Dems were also the only one of these 3 parties who wholeheartedly opposed Brexit and who remained true to liberal democratic values while Labour went off the rails by supporting an anti-Semitic political extremist as its leader.
The Liberal Democrats see the coalition as a big mistake, and one that cost them dearly.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/04/jo-swinson-lib-dem-apologises-for-backing-coalition-austerity-policies
Just_Vote_Dem
(2,808 posts)Ridiculous choice for a leader who has beliefs like that
Just A Box Of Rain
(5,104 posts)A toxic politician who guaranteed the the Conservatives would have power.
Doodley
(9,090 posts)They could form a coalition in the event the next election is not won by any one party. The Tories are in so much trouble and so far behind in the polls, they will probably lose the next election anyway. Britain benefits from having a center party (Lib Dems). It stops either party main going extreme because they know they will lose votes to the center.
brooklynite
(94,559 posts)They've become a vestigial Party (no more than 15 seats). Nobody worries that they'll lose seats to the LDs; they'll lose seats to either Labour or Conservatives. In the last election, Corbyn was widely seen as radical left, which resulted in the large Tory majority there is now.
Doodley
(9,090 posts)brooklynite
(94,559 posts)Tories went from a coalition with Lib Dems to an absolute majority.
Doodley
(9,090 posts)vote, but the Conservatives had a thumping majority. It isn't about how many seats the Lib Dems win. It's about who can come in second place. That is where the margins are won or lost in the UK system.
Just_Vote_Dem
(2,808 posts)brooklynite
(94,559 posts)Just A Box Of Rain
(5,104 posts)That was nearly a death-sentence for Labour.
By repudiating Corbyn, and due to the spectacular incompetence of the Tories, Labour has an opportunity to redeem themselves.
However, there is no mandated election until January of 2025. So we will see what happens.
Demsrule86
(68,576 posts)to win for just about 20 years. And look at the UK...a disaster with no end in sight.
irisblue
(32,974 posts)sigh
Doodley
(9,090 posts)The UK will and can never have a Putin-loving, P**sy-grabbing leader like Donald Trump. Trump could still be re-elected even after trying to destroy our democracy. How is that better?
Celerity
(43,358 posts)I would NEVER trade our Swedish PR system for the US first past the post single member district system. Not a chance.
If we were staightjacketed by the US model, the vast majority of our welfare state would likely be gone or have never existed.
Just_Vote_Dem
(2,808 posts)Just A Box Of Rain
(5,104 posts)The last election in Sweden resulted in an unstable right-wing coalition government that is reliant on the extremist ultra-right-wing populist-nationalist Swedish "Democratic" Party, which is fascist/near-fascist.
Just_Vote_Dem
(2,808 posts)I'm not going anywhere lol.
I hear Italy also is being besieged by the fascists as well.
David__77
(23,396 posts)Liberalism is the ideology of free markets and individualism. Sometimes theres a safety net thrown in. Very different from organized labor perspective.
Just_Vote_Dem
(2,808 posts)I believe in unions, welfare for the poor, even more expanded programs for seniors, the disabled, civil rights expansions, etc.
Celerity
(43,358 posts)deregulation, free not fair trade, often hostile to unions, etc etc.
that is social democracy (like my party here in Sweden, the Social Democrats)
Just_Vote_Dem
(2,808 posts)It's hard to get those kind of things here because of the stranglehold the Right has on this country-2 steps forward, 1 step back usually. I wish we could get a huge Democratic win so we could address some of our huge problems. Chomsky certainly had it right when he talked about the propaganda model.
Just A Box Of Rain
(5,104 posts)The Lib Dems support Britain's social safety nets and embrace progressive social policies.
They are not a Marxist party. That's true.