They Blog For You

IS IT JUST me or has anyone else noticed the weird fanatical support being given to the Tory-Liberal Alliance by most of the LibDems’ online presence?

Take this Tweet, for instance, from (I assume) a LibDem member. Now, I need no convincing of the need for a united front in politics; Labour failed so often in the past because we were too busy attacking each other to bother with our opponents. But LibDem activists have followed their leadership on the cuts agenda so completely, so unequivocably and with no shade of doubt, that I’m beginning to suspect that, like their leader, they never believed their own manifesto commitment to oppose cuts in the current financial year.

This isn’t about economics, it’s not an argument for or against immediate cuts – it’s about LibDem activists not just going along reluctantly with the government’s economic agenda, but enthusiastically and wholeheartedly supporting the cuts agenda – an agenda they spent weeks campaigning against.

Clegg we all know about – he was never more than a centre ground Tory. But activists? The rank and file? And I don’t think it’s an act, either; they seem to be sincere in their praise for Chancellor Osborne and Prime Minister Cameron,

I used to think it was a matter of arithmetic: the Tories got the most seats on 6 May so the LibDems felt obliged to do a deal with them rather than us. But it turns out it’s a lot more than that – it’s common ground. It’s an understanding based on shared principle.

Hoodathunkit?

I guess I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. The next time Labour says “Vote LibDem, get Tory”, at least no-one will dispute it. On current form, most LibDem activists and bloggers will positively endorse it as their own slogan.

Strange, nonetheless. I’ve never had any time for LibDems but even I thought more of them.