New Start?

I’m unconvinced that Gordon Brown’s resignation, and the resulting “election” of David Cameron as our new Prime Minister spells a new start, because the Tories are the Tories, and always will be, but they are radically different enough to Labour that we can expect some more big changes over the coming days, weeks and months – some good, like the abolition of the ID card scheme, but some very bad as well – marriage tax breaks, anyone?

I voted Liberal Democrat, not that it made any difference in my constituency. In fact, one of the reasons I voted Liberal Democrat was precisely that: my vote didn’t count, and electoral reform is right up near the top of my list of important political things.

I don’t think the Liberal Democrats are doing this because they think it’s a good idea; they are doing it because they promised that they would support the party with the biggest mandate, and because something had to be done – a minority Government led by the Tories would be far too unstable. This may well prove to be the same, with Cameron eventually demanding another election when he finds Clegg obstructing him whenever he wants to do something terrible to the country – but we’ll have to wait and see for that.

Perhaps we, and the Lib Dems themselves, would rather they sit back and let whatever happens happen, or see a coalition with Labour, but that would not have been sensible: not only did 61% of the votes go to parties other than Labour, making it incredibly undemocratic and against the Lib Dems pre-election promise, but (I hear) Labour refused to back down on the database state/ID card scheme, a deal breaker for Clegg and one of the many reasons I support the Lib Dems. (Don’t make me choose between a Tory Government and the database state, though, please…)

We can ask all we like for elections to be held over and over again until the “right answer” comes up but that’s like repeatedly rolling a dice in a board game; eventually, someone will out you as a cheat.

This is not the result I wanted, far from it – but I think I can live with it. I think, and I hope.