Why the Con-Lib Dem Coalition will be good for the United Kingdom.

The answer to this is simple - stability.

We live in fragile times economically and whilst the depression seems to be over the recovery is not secured. For this reason, a stable government is need. A government that can secure a working majority in the House of Commons and be able to put forward a legislative programme which it can get passed.

Usually, we have one party with an overall majority in the Commons. This means a one party government and, barring internal splits, this is the most stable of governments.

Where there is not an overall majority, as is the situation after the recent election, then a coalition that can command an overall majority is the next best option. The question, in relation to stability, is one of maths with the more stable coalition being the one with the least number of parties.

On the back of the 2010 General Election, a Con-LD coalition gives an overall majority where as a Lab-LD coalition would not and therefore would need additional parties to get the majority needed. The more parties the less stable any coalition.


A lot of play as been made about the issue of which parties are "natural allies". This is a bit of a nonsense issue since no political party, when we are talking on partisan terms, are "natural allies".

The very nature of the Liberal Democratic party, the principles upon which it is founded, is one which can find itself close to both the positions of Labour and the Conservative parties - but in different aspects. There is an argument that economically the Liberal Democrats, on a broad brush basis, are closer to the Conservatives and that socially they are closer to Labour. This is a very fast and loose view since there will always be specific policies where there are harsh demarcation.

So, can the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats form a working coalition. The answer, in my opinion, is that yes they can.

For a coalition to work, there must be a sense of collective responsibility - with both parties working together in Cabinet to achieve a shared legislative programme. Where collective responsibility exists coalitions can function properly.

To reach the shared legislative programme there must be compromise where agreement does not exist already. The talks that have been going on since Friday as been working towards this - to agree the basis for the legislative programme, the principles for taking government forward, If what were have been hearing from the talks over the last few days then it would seem that this as now been achieved.

As always, the devil will be in the detail and if the final deal is approved tonight by both parties then we should hopefully have them soon.