In an interview with his local paper The Orcadian, Alistair Carmichael ruled himself out of standing for the leadership, saying:
“It is difficult enough juggling the demands of having a family in Orkney and living between there, London and Shetland, without making it more complication.
“I think there are other things that I can do that add value to the party’s efforts, rather than be leader.
He revealed what that would involve, too. He’s going to go back to the role he had during the early Coalition years – as Chief Whip.
That role will be very different now. Then, he had to try and keep all the Liberal Democrat ducks in a row in tense and febrile times. He was there trying to get something coherent to evolve between our Government Ministers who would want to go in one direction and our backbenchers who often wanted to have nothing to do with that, thank you very much.
He was praised by both sides for his ability to work across that divide with good humour and biscuits. I remember one story which appeared in the party magazine Ad Lib where he ended up having to look after and change Jenny Willott’s baby’s nappy while she was off voting.
One of Alistair’s greatest strengths is his ability to get people to work together, which is why he will be so good in the current parliamentary set-up. He has strong relationships with people in most parties and will be pivotal in getting the sensible people to work together and push the hardcore illiberal fringe to the sides where it belongs. It is essential that progressives behave in a mature way and take advantage of any opportunities to advance our common cause.
There may be times when, by working together, that we could achieve significant progress. It may involve voting with the Government on occasion. I suspect that any Government chief whip wanting us to support the usual nasty Tory stuff will be told to get stuffed, but we might be able to win the day on things like EU nationals’ right to stay and staying in the single market and customs union.
I’m encouraged by Alistair’s appointment. There’s a lot of potential for us to get stuff done in a rapidly moving political environment.
Generally, I’m slightly sceptical about Westminster being able to adapt to minority Government. It may not be grown up enough for the task, but it does need to get its act together. Minority government worked well in Scotland between 2007-11 but there was one fundamental difference. People generally get the Parliament they ask for up there because of the PR system. At Westminster the parties are way out of proportion. We will have to see how it all works out.
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social
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11 Comments
Interesting article. Yes, I know it’s the Daily Mail, but it deserves an answer. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4609352/Will-new-Lib-Dem-leader-deal-PM.html
My answer – NO NO NO!
David, it is absolutely, categorically not true. There was a brief meeting between the Lib Dems and the Conservatives to sort out Parliamentary office space and to do other mundane technicalities which the whips offices always discuss amongst themselves after the election. It was not a secret meeting and it certainly was not about forming a new coalition. And even if it were, a coalition is not within the Parliamentary Party’s gift. It is something that Conference would have to vote for and I think there is very little appetite in the membership at the moment for another coalition.
It would be the height of stupidity to enter into another coalition with the Tories at this point.
My recollection is that after the February 1974 GE, Edward Heath invited Jeremy Thorpe to a meeting to see if there was a workable arrangement. I guess this may have been no more than a similar ‘sounding out’. I cannot imagine another agreement with the Tories after the way this was mishandled the last time around.
NO MORE DEAL WITH TORIES, EVEN IF THERE IS A NATIONAL CRISIS.
A deal with Labour should not be ruled out.
Deal with the Tories!! NO NO NO, how many times do we have to say that.
Naturally we will vote with them when we agree with them, as we would vote with Labour under similar circumstances, BUT NO DEAL
Thomas
Lib Dems are not Labour Lite but equi distant from Labour and Conservative.
Lib Dem policy has always been to consider supporting the largest party, which ever it is, in the event of a hung parliament.
I hope Michael’s comment refuting the Mail’s report is correct.
But, if it is correct, it gives a whole new meaning to the rats joining the sinking ship.
This man should not hold a position like Chief Whip which requires someone of the highest integrity.
https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/search-judgments/judgment?id=9452fba6-8980-69d2-b500-ff0000d74aa7
I agree with Hywel, and feel very strongly about it, but on Friday I did not come up with a form of words that could be posted on LDV.
@ David Evershed
“Lib Dem policy has always been to consider supporting the largest party, which ever it is, in the event of a hung parliament.”
This was the policy in 2010 and 2015 but it has not always been our policy and was not in 2017 or 1997. In 1997 I think no one expected us to support a Major government. I think it would have been viewed like February 1974.