[daveinbrum]

Just witnessed a performance of incredible toolery from Peter Bone on News 24. He thinks the government should put forward "conservative" policies and challenge the Lib Dems to force a GE if they don't like it - failing like many right-wingers to grasp that a majority of people didn't actually vote for those policies. Of course, he's completely bonkers, but it shows the predicament the Lib Dems have got themselves into - what exactly can they do?

[Malcolm Armsteen]

"What do you expect me to do?"
"Why Mr Clegg, I expect you to die..."

[Tubby Isaacs]

So how does that work? You cheer on Osborne's economic policies, and when they go badly, it's not your fault, but the fault of the gays. Are firms sat there thinking they won't invest because of this marriage shit?

[mattomac]

I'm loving the fact they are destroying themselves though has said before Governments lose elections, oppositions don't win.

[Timbo]

Just witnessed a performance of incredible toolery from Peter Bone on News 24. He thinks the government should put forward "conservative" policies and challenge the Lib Dems to force a GE if they don't like it - failing like many right-wingers to grasp that a majority of people didn't actually vote for those policies. Of course, he's completely bonkers, but it shows the predicament the Lib Dems have got themselves into - what exactly can they do?

The only way the LD's could redeem themselves now would be to allow the Tories to rule as a minority govt, and only support them on stuff they agree with. The LD's could then use the Labour voting bloc to push through the more liberal stuff on their agenda. Play both sides and pursue the policies that those of us who voted for you were promised.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Butt they actually believe in this programme, and in some ways the 'Economic' orange book liberals are to the right of the Tories. They wanted tuition fees, reduced benefits, less workers' rights. Clegg, Brake, Laws et al don't have any problem with this stuff at all. Cable might, but he's got the backbone of a slug. And as for Simon Hughes...

You also have to consider that if they did support on a bill-by-bill basis there'd be no ministerial jobs, no offices, no cars...

[davidjay]

I don't think life should be a miserable struggle for the sake of the poor, protecting the ozone layer, fighting terrorism, international wars or supporting gigantic global corporations.

Yeah, bollocks to the poor and the planet. That's a votewinner.

[Giant f*cking Sudoku]

"What do you expect me to do?"
"Why Mr Clegg, I expect you to lie..."

Job done then Hughes; I reckon he's been 'got to', as you hardly ever hear from him now. Same deal with Farron pretty much. The coalition public voices don't seem equal at all (clearly they're not). As for Cable, very quiet since The Telegraph honeytrapped him. Bog standard, text-book shit. What else was on those tapes...

[Tubby Isaacs]

As I say, Labour to select Peter Tatchell in Bermondsey and kick out Hughes would be wonderful.

[DTR]

As I say, Labour to select Peter Tatchell in Bermondsey and kick out Hughes would be wonderful.

I'm not sure Tatchell would ever stand again and hasn't he (at least before the last election) stopped supporting Labour because of Iraq (last GE he publicly supported Hughes).

My hope is that the boundary changes & Hughes' voting record in office (Bermondsey has a large and growing numbe of students) mean that Val Shawcross can get in this time.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

I think Peter Tatchell is still medically unfit.
He suffered brain damage when beaten up by Mugabe's goons, when he attempted to arrest him.
In 2007 he was named a candidate for the Greens, but he has since stood down due to his health.

A crying shame, and a personal tragedy.

[daveinbrum]

Just witnessed a performance of incredible toolery from Peter Bone on News 24. He thinks the government should put forward "conservative" policies and challenge the Lib Dems to force a GE if they don't like it - failing like many right-wingers to grasp that a majority of people didn't actually vote for those policies. Of course, he's completely bonkers, but it shows the predicament the Lib Dems have got themselves into - what exactly can they do?

The only way the LD's could redeem themselves now would be to allow the Tories to rule as a minority govt, and only support them on stuff they agree with. The LD's could then use the Labour voting bloc to push through the more liberal stuff on their agenda. Play both sides and pursue the policies that those of us who voted for you were promised.

Yeah, but the Tories would probably then call a GE, out of spite if nothing else. Despite Labour's poll lead, they will believe they had a chance of turning it round during the campaign whereas the Lib Dems know they will be annihilated. They've got themselves into an entirely predictable no-win situation.

[crabcakes_windermere]

I really genuinely believe the old parties spend a lot of time doing the opposite of what people want. I don't think life should be a miserable struggle for the sake of the poor, protecting the ozone layer, fighting terrorism, international wars or supporting gigantic global corporations.

A bit late to this because of being on hols, but hang on - you're against supporting the poor AND supporting the rich, protecting the environment and ensuring public safety?

Who exactly are you aiming to appeal to - the gun-owning self-sufficiency but on a planet awash with pollution nutcase demographic?

[Timbo]

I'm still trying to figure out how libertarianism is the cure to corporatocracy, rather than (as everybody else has already deduced) the cause of it...

[new puritan]

Don't know if this has been mentioned elsewhere but I found it pretty disheartening.

Labour and Conservative members on Stirling Council have agreed to run the local authority together.

Both parties said their priority would be balancing the local authority's books over the next two years.

The deal comes despite the SNP returning nine councillors at last week's local election compared with Labour's eight and the Tories' four.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-t ... l-18008844" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If I was a Stirling resident and had voted Labour, I'd be fuming to see them throwing their lot in with the Tories of all parties just to fuck over their main Scottish rival. Why vote Labour again after this? There are times when at local level, Labour seems to be more worried about warding off threats on its left (albeit not that left in the SNP's case) than it is about actually doing battle with the real enemy on the right.