Thoughts on a Coalition

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 19th May 2010

They say a week is a long time in Politics. The momentous events at Westminster have certainly given me and many others food for thought. I am not exaggerating when I say I have been inundated with calls, emails and texts following the historic decision to form a coalition between the Conservatives and my own Liberal Democrat Party. Many have been highly sceptical over the move and some openly critical. Like most things in life I find people love to criticise, yet when asked to come up with a viable alternative they are usually unable to provide one.

The Labour Party, who would appear to be far closer to the Liberal Democrats in so many areas, was unwilling to even begin to discuss a possible working relationship in a meaningful way. This left us with two alternatives, either to sit back and allow the Conservatives to run a minority Government with no real mandate to run the country at a time of real financial and to a degree social crisis; or to enter into a real partnership. The coalition agreement means that many of the Liberal Democrat policies, voted for by seven million people, have become incorporated into Government policy. The more extreme policy areas of both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats will be dropped, and we will both have to compromise and work together for the good of the country.

As the dust begins to settle I can see this MAYBE not being the worst of the options on offer. The Liberal Democrats have had millions of people voting for our party and our policies for sixty five years. Now finally some of the best ideas are going to see the light of day, and some of our most capable politicians are going to be helping, I hope, to see our country through what I think is the worst financial crisis in my lifetime. In time, this may be seen as a good outcome.

Our party believes in proportional representation, in consensus politics and for the future well being of the Liberal Democrats we HAVE to make this work.

Alistair Stevens

Liberal Democrat Candidate, High Peak.