Soapbox: Steven Agnew argues that it’s time to look at voluntary coalition. He says “no party should have the power to tear the devolved institutions down and leave the electorate in Northern Ireland powerless”, adding “that’s why a voluntary coalition can usher in an era of fresh politics and politicians that put people first”.
Just in… from the Guardian We wait for the detail, but it’s a reasonable guess that this is a supply and confidence deal. As I noted this morning, the Conservatives and DUP share 328 seats, which is an effective majority of 3. Sinn Fein abstentionism increases it to 6. Andy BoalAndy has a very wide range of interests including Christianity, Lego, transport, music, the Alliance Party, chess and computers. Anything can appear in a post. Andy tweets at @andyboal www.andyboal.co.uk
As I write, the position is as follows:- Party Actual seats Expected final seats 2015-17 parliament Change Vote share Vote share change Conservatives 314 318 330 -12 42.4% +5.6% Labour 261 262 232 +30 40.2% +9.5% SNP 35 35 56 -21 3.0% -1.7% Liberal Democrats 12 12 8 +4 7.1% -0.6% DUP 10 10 8 +2 0.9% +0.3% Sinn Fein 7 7 4 +3 0.8% +0.2% Plaid Cymru 4 4 3 +1 0.5% +0.1% Green 1 1 1 – 1.6% …
NOW this is interesting. James Kirkup at the Telegraph broke the news last night that as well as having its manifesto writen by five old Etonians (and one former pupil of St Pauls, and I don’t mean the one in Beechmount!), the Tories will be going into the next election determined not go into coalition. Bold move by the Cameroons. Though as Mike from Political Betting notes, it is one that could swing both ways. It would certainly clear the …
There are two types of Government consultation. There is the kind of consultation that provides people with a background on a specific issue, enables people to respond to Option A, B, C, etc, so that the general public respond accordingly with A, B, or C or with perhaps some written submission, and then the Government responds accordingly. The other sort of consultation is the one in which a general briefing is provided by Department X within a narrow perspective, which …
US President Barack Obama’s unilateral decision to authorize US forces to use missile strikes “kinetic military action” against Libya without the approval of Congress prompted a number of House Representatives within the Democratic Party to express their concerns. It also prompted something of a debate about the constitutionality of his decision – with some arguing that “the Obama administration [was] breaking new ground in its construction of an imperial presidency”. There is, however, a reasonable case in support of the President’s position, …
Fine piece of observation on the melee currently gripping the Republic on the publication of the final report of the Moriarty Tribunal from James Downey: The tribunals supply no answer, if only because their findings are out of date before they are published. Other means must be found. Many people point to the brisk and efficient proceedings of the Dail Public Accounts Committee under the chairmanship of the late Jim Mitchell when it inquired into the scandal of bogus offshore …
With all seats filled, and, a recount in Galway West apart, the composition of the 31st Dáil is clear. Sort of. Basically, Fine Gael’s 76 and Labour’s 37 TDs make up a comfortable 113 governing coalition. Except that in the last 24 hours I’ve heard both sides moan about the difficulty of spreading the limited number of ministrys among their own TDs (geographically) nevermind between the two governing partners. With fifteen or so ministers plus up to ten junior ministers, whips and …
The diary comments of an anonymous “senior civil servant” may be the bleat of on old school fuddy duddy who can’t stand change and has decided to behave badly. And yet they ring true – especially after the warning that came from no less than Tony Blair last week, that new ministers without any previous experience have to learn the job better and spend a lot more time on policy. There is a fundamental dilemma between adopting the “100 days” …
In passing, last week’s editorial from the Economist (who had backed the Tories) on the nature of the UK’s new coalition government is worth noting: The parties will share responsibility for unpopular fiscal decisions, which should make them easier to take. The fact that, together, they have 59% of the vote will help persuade the electorate to accept painful cuts. Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg have struggled to marginalise their parties’ loonier fringes, and their alliance may assist them in …
