Aftermath

I went to bed in the early hours of 7th May disappointed but not surprised. I was resigned to a hung parliament - the exit polls had been right. The only question was what the seat split would be.

The events of the following days have been Blogged, reported and televised to death.

We are now ConDemmed to a coalition, so we are told, for the next five years.

I have been a Labour Party voter all my adult life and a member since 1994. We have done so much good over the last 13 years – national minimum wage, low inflation and interest rates, New Deal … and many many more. Here's a link to the Labour Party website listing 50 major achievements Labour achievements

I do think we have been struggling over the last few years and it seemd like we had run out of steam and lost touch with the voters. So now we have an opportunity to renew ourselves - a new leader and a new direction. This will be a challenge as I thnk that the Tory / Lib Dem coalition (The Coalition) now occupies more of the centre ground.

The Lib Dems were so desperate to get a taste of power that I think it was inevitable that Clegg would get into bed with Cameron. Clegg has been prepared to give up some of the Lib Dem key policies to get the promise of a referendum on the voting system - during which the Tories will campaign against the changes. So they are now in a “civil partnerhip” until 2015 - but I tell you I will show my bare arse in Burton's window if they last that long without one or the other seeking a separation.

It was an interesting Question Time on the BBC last Thursday with some people asking whether the people who voted Lib Dem to keep out the Tories should feel betrayed. I think that many will.

I have experience of living in a city run by a Tory / Lib Dem coalition. They are supported in power by a rag bag Independent group made up of disgraced or failed former Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem party members. Perhaps more about them in the future.

As I write the Milliband brothers, Ed and David, have both declared that they are running for the leadership of the Labour Party. I suspect that my own MP, Ed Balls will announce he is a candidate in the next few days. If I was a betting man I would put my money on someone called Ed - but let's wait and see what happens.

So I'm going to try and keep track of events in the political world and post a regular blog full of comments, opinion, links and of course the usual drivel seen in my other blog (Utter Drivel).

I hope that you find Political Drivel interesting and sometimes funny. Please leave your comments and feedback.

Quote - The Tory Party is the cream of society, thick, rich and full of clots. (Anon).

Mike