Miliband urges Lib Dem Ministers to jump ship

[Mathew]

Miliband Urges Lib Dem Ministers To Jump Ship

Labour leader Ed Miliband is urging Liberal Democrat ministers to quit the coalition and join him in fighting against Conservative policies.


Mr Miliband's offer came as senior Lib Dems called for a change in the party's relations with the Tories following their disastrous showing in last week's elections.

Business Secretary Vince Cable described his Tory colleagues as "ruthless, calculating and thoroughly tribal", though he insisted their Government partnership would continue.


Speaking to The Observer, Mr Miliband said it was "late, but not too late" for Lib Dem ministers to jump ship.


He said they should ask themselves: "Do they want Tory policies or progressive ones?"
He added: "If they are in favour of new politics they should start by keeping their promises and reflecting the will of those who put them into Parliament.
"If they are not in favour of these Tory policies they should stand up for what they believe or leave the Cabinet. They can come and work with us. My door is always open."


Lib Dem Ministers are expected to take a firmer line over Tory policies which go beyond the coalition agreement, and by claiming credit for any concessions they secure.

Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg have insisted the coalition - which reaches its first anniversary on May 11 - will "move on" and continue to function despite the bruising referendum campaign.
But Mr Cablesaid:"Some of us never had many illlusions about the Conservatives, but they have emerged as ruthless, calculating and thoroughly tribal.
"I think they have always been that way, but you have to be businesslike and professional and you have to work with people who aren't your natural bedfellows and that is being grown-up in politics."

...and pray do tell, what are the so-called "progressive policies" that Mr. Miliband is speaking so highly of? None which are likely to cut down on national debt, that's for sure. None which are likely to get us out of the EU, and none which are going to stop our money being shoved into the back pockets of other countries in order to bail them out. Why don't we sort our own debt before helping others.. :rolleyes:

Of course his "door is always open" for people who leave the cabinet; perhaps he's finally realised that he isn't getting anywhere with his current party and has to turn and scrounge from those in power to get anywhere. He is really turning out to be such a weak leader and always appears to be making digs at the other party rather than showing the public what Labour can do better. Flawed.

Indeed, the Conservatives have their flaws.. but they're making more of an effort than the shy, timid and desperate Ed would do if he was voted as PM. He is weak, to say the least.

What are the chances of a GE being called then? Is it just Ed trying to stir things up?

[Hecktix]

I think there will definitely be a GE before the terms over in 2015, however I'm not sure when. I'm not sure how many more blows Clegg will be able to take, as I posted the other day, the odds are now 2/1 for Clegg to quit before the years out and it's likely Chris Huhne would replace him - if Huhne was Lib Dem leader I couldn't see him staying in the coalition.

[Conservative,]

Clegg has failed miserably, I wouldn't be surprised if the coalition broke tomorrow, but I think Lib Dems are desperate to keep power for as long as possible because they know they won't get it again for a LONG time.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Oh who cares, I mean really. What is Ed Miliband going to do thats different to the coalition? absolutely nothing and here's the evidence; Both parties (including the Liberal Democrats) agree on the debt 'reduction' which incidently includes government spending going up year on year, both parties agree on comprehensives, both parties agree on more European Union, both parties agree on global warming climate change, both parties agree on throwing more money at the NHS, both parties agree with cutting the MoD and running it badly, both parties agree with more war in Libya aswell as continuing the Afghanistan conflict, both parties agree with bailing out banks which should have been allowed to fail, both parties agree on more foreign aid, both parties agree with a bigger welfare state which means taxes will continue to climb, both parties agree with higher fuel prices, both parties agree with just about everything that the other does.

Sure they make small fights out of nothing (EMA, tuition fees, SureStart) - but Miliband refuses to make a pledge to bring them back, meaning that in reality he agrees with the coalition but is only trying to score political points. The same goes for David Cameron who made a song and dance about Mr Brown signing the Lisbon Treaty but refuses himself to do anything about it once reaching office.

I'd like to see a Lib/Lab/Con coalition and then we can have a proper opposition formed to them, one that values our independence and withdraws from the European Union, one which rewards hard work by lower taxes, one which does not squander our wealth in terms of foreign aid, one which does not spend billions on the ridiculous myth that is global warming, one which will build new nuclear and coal/gas power plants to keep our lights on, one which will put an end to uncontrolled immigration, one which will sort out the waste in government by cutting back all quangos + many more.

[ifuseekamy]

They're the opposition to Her Majesty's Government, it's their job to make them look as bad as possible with or without offering alternatives (which don't have to be true in any case). Fact is most people are gullible and will lap up what politicians have to say.

[Fez]

Oh who cares, I mean really. What is Ed Miliband going to do thats different to the coalition? absolutely nothing and here's the evidence; Both parties (including the Liberal Democrats) agree on the debt 'reduction' which incidently includes government spending going up year on year, both parties agree on comprehensives, both parties agree on more European Union, both parties agree on global warming climate change, both parties agree on throwing more money at the NHS, both parties agree with cutting the MoD and running it badly, both parties agree with more war in Libya aswell as continuing the Afghanistan conflict, both parties agree with bailing out banks which should have been allowed to fail, both parties agree on more foreign aid, both parties agree with a bigger welfare state which means taxes will continue to climb, both parties agree with higher fuel prices, both parties agree with just about everything that the other does.

Sure they make small fights out of nothing (EMA, tuition fees, SureStart) - but Miliband refuses to make a pledge to bring them back, meaning that in reality he agrees with the coalition but is only trying to score political points. The same goes for David Cameron who made a song and dance about Mr Brown signing the Lisbon Treaty but refuses himself to do anything about it once reaching office.

I'd like to see a Lib/Lab/Con coalition and then we can have a proper opposition formed to them, one that values our independence and withdraws from the European Union, one which rewards hard work by lower taxes, one which does not squander our wealth in terms of foreign aid, one which does not spend billions on the ridiculous myth that is global warming, one which will build new nuclear and coal/gas power plants to keep our lights on, one which will put an end to uncontrolled immigration, one which will sort out the waste in government by cutting back all quangos + many more.

Could not agree more.

The coalition will survive, I feel, but Clegg shall not.