This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/may/10/leader-labour-coalition-talking-time

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Labour and coalition: Talking time Labour and coalition: Talking time
(5 months later)
Gordon Brown "barely knew" Nick Clegg before the 2010 general election, says Andrew Adonis in his important new book about of the fruitless Labour-Liberal Democrat talks in which he participated on Labour's behalf three years ago. Twice in those abortive coalition discussions, Lord Adonis records, Mr Clegg told Mr Brown that he regretted that the two men had had so little previous contact. "If only we'd had these conversations two years ago," the Lib Dem leader said at one meeting. Mr Brown's views of the relationship are not recorded.Gordon Brown "barely knew" Nick Clegg before the 2010 general election, says Andrew Adonis in his important new book about of the fruitless Labour-Liberal Democrat talks in which he participated on Labour's behalf three years ago. Twice in those abortive coalition discussions, Lord Adonis records, Mr Clegg told Mr Brown that he regretted that the two men had had so little previous contact. "If only we'd had these conversations two years ago," the Lib Dem leader said at one meeting. Mr Brown's views of the relationship are not recorded.
There are several reasons why Mr Clegg and his party formed a coalition with the Conservatives rather than Labour in 2010. Mr Brown's foolish failure to establish a working relationship with the Lib Dem leader before an election which obviously might produce a hung parliament was one of them, although probably not, in the end, the most important. Times, political dynamics and alignments have changed a lot since 2010. And the options after the next general election will not be known until we all see them on 8 May 2015, two years from now. But it is not too early to hope that some better preparatory work than last time is already in train, not least on the personal level. If there is a hung parliament in 2015, no one should want the party leaders wishing that they had had conversations back in 2013 that they won't have time to pursue in the election's immediate and inescapably highly charged aftermath.There are several reasons why Mr Clegg and his party formed a coalition with the Conservatives rather than Labour in 2010. Mr Brown's foolish failure to establish a working relationship with the Lib Dem leader before an election which obviously might produce a hung parliament was one of them, although probably not, in the end, the most important. Times, political dynamics and alignments have changed a lot since 2010. And the options after the next general election will not be known until we all see them on 8 May 2015, two years from now. But it is not too early to hope that some better preparatory work than last time is already in train, not least on the personal level. If there is a hung parliament in 2015, no one should want the party leaders wishing that they had had conversations back in 2013 that they won't have time to pursue in the election's immediate and inescapably highly charged aftermath.
Lord Adonis finesses this issue in his book. He says he used to think coalition government was preferable to single-party government. But he insists that he now favours single-party Labour majority government, not coalition, as the best vehicle for progressive social democratic rule. That's fair enough. But that depends, as he argues, on Labour uniting around a broad-based approach and a programme with nationwide reach and then winning that majority. But what if Labour falls short? Polling this week suggests this is very possible. So Lord Adonis is right in his Guardian interview today to say that Labour needs to start thinking about this. Some will prefer minority government. But the coalition or pact option cannot simply be dismissed, least of all because Labour hopes, as in 2010, that it won't happen.Lord Adonis finesses this issue in his book. He says he used to think coalition government was preferable to single-party government. But he insists that he now favours single-party Labour majority government, not coalition, as the best vehicle for progressive social democratic rule. That's fair enough. But that depends, as he argues, on Labour uniting around a broad-based approach and a programme with nationwide reach and then winning that majority. But what if Labour falls short? Polling this week suggests this is very possible. So Lord Adonis is right in his Guardian interview today to say that Labour needs to start thinking about this. Some will prefer minority government. But the coalition or pact option cannot simply be dismissed, least of all because Labour hopes, as in 2010, that it won't happen.
This is not to say that a hung parliament is a desirable outcome to the 2015 election, or that a coalition between Labour and the Liberal Democrats is the most desirable government after 2015 either. However, a hung parliament is one possible outcome in two years' time. Parties which wish to govern in those circumstances will be much better off if they have given serious preparatory thought to how to proceed under all the various options.This is not to say that a hung parliament is a desirable outcome to the 2015 election, or that a coalition between Labour and the Liberal Democrats is the most desirable government after 2015 either. However, a hung parliament is one possible outcome in two years' time. Parties which wish to govern in those circumstances will be much better off if they have given serious preparatory thought to how to proceed under all the various options.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.