SocraticGadfly: LibDem-Labour deal closer with Brown stepdown?

May 10, 2010

LibDem-Labour deal closer with Brown stepdown?

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has recognized the obvious — he is stepping down as Labour Party leader.

And, he's doing so as part of a conscious effort to woo Liberal Democrats.

My tentative thoughts on a possible coalition.

Miliband should be the next Labour leader, and would become PM.

As a serious nod to Europhilia, as well as a serious cementing of the Cabinet, Nick Clegg gets the Foreign Secretary nod. (I'm assuming, for a variety of reasons, he wants that rather than Deputy PM.) One of the minor parties gets a semi-important domestic position like Home Secretary. Lib Dems get a couple of other Cabinet slots. The referendum on proportional elections does not move the UK all the way there, but does a German-style mix of proportional representation off a list and single-member seats.

If Clegg, and other top Lib Dems, don't jump at a deal like that, I don't know what their problem is.

No comments: