Duke Malcolm
06-04-2006, 20:54
Apparently (again, from my Sunday newspaper) the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party is planning talks on forming a co-alition with the Labour party after next year's Holyrood elections. Currently, Labour have a co-alition with the Liberal Democrats, but the latter are never very reliable and might swan off with the Nationalists.
The Tories are considering a grand Unionist co-alition, by uniting the pro-Union New Labour and Scottish Conservative and Unionist Parties against the anti-Union Scottish Nationalist, Socialist, and Green Parties. (Liberal Democrats are easy and have no principles).
Article (http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=824072006)
Scots Tories reveal plan to form pact with Labour
EDDIE BARNES
POLITICAL EDITOR
THE Scots Tories are laying out radical plans to form an unprecedented pact with their Labour enemies in the Scottish Parliament.
Following next year's Holyrood elections, Conservative party chiefs say that they will adopt a position of "principled opposition", supporting the leading party on an issue-by-issue basis, so a government can rule without needing to go into a formal coalition.
The offer is open to all parties, but with Labour expected to once again emerge on top, the Tory plan enables the remarkable prospect of the two polar opposites of British politics working together.
Since the start of the Parliament in 1999, Labour has sought the support of the Liberal Democrats so that the government has a majority at the Parliament.
A go-it-alone minority government would be forced to walk a daily tightrope, aware that they could face a vote of no confidence which could bring them crashing down at any time. But the Tories say they would not automatically vote against such a government, offering them the prospect of a safety net.
The Tories say they would support Labour on areas such as the reform of public services and on council tax, where there is agreement.
Several Labour sources offered a warm response to the idea last night. One senior insider said the plan could evolve into a "unionist coalition" in opposition to the SNP and Greens, who themselves are in talks to work together after next May's vote. Many Labour MSPs have already publicly supported the idea of a minority administration next year, in a bid to get rid of the Liberal Democrats.
The move under new leader Annabel Goldie represents a remarkable departure for a party which only nine years ago voted against the Scottish Parliament.
The Tories are considering a grand Unionist co-alition, by uniting the pro-Union New Labour and Scottish Conservative and Unionist Parties against the anti-Union Scottish Nationalist, Socialist, and Green Parties. (Liberal Democrats are easy and have no principles).
Article (http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=824072006)
Scots Tories reveal plan to form pact with Labour
EDDIE BARNES
POLITICAL EDITOR
THE Scots Tories are laying out radical plans to form an unprecedented pact with their Labour enemies in the Scottish Parliament.
Following next year's Holyrood elections, Conservative party chiefs say that they will adopt a position of "principled opposition", supporting the leading party on an issue-by-issue basis, so a government can rule without needing to go into a formal coalition.
The offer is open to all parties, but with Labour expected to once again emerge on top, the Tory plan enables the remarkable prospect of the two polar opposites of British politics working together.
Since the start of the Parliament in 1999, Labour has sought the support of the Liberal Democrats so that the government has a majority at the Parliament.
A go-it-alone minority government would be forced to walk a daily tightrope, aware that they could face a vote of no confidence which could bring them crashing down at any time. But the Tories say they would not automatically vote against such a government, offering them the prospect of a safety net.
The Tories say they would support Labour on areas such as the reform of public services and on council tax, where there is agreement.
Several Labour sources offered a warm response to the idea last night. One senior insider said the plan could evolve into a "unionist coalition" in opposition to the SNP and Greens, who themselves are in talks to work together after next May's vote. Many Labour MSPs have already publicly supported the idea of a minority administration next year, in a bid to get rid of the Liberal Democrats.
The move under new leader Annabel Goldie represents a remarkable departure for a party which only nine years ago voted against the Scottish Parliament.