OK. Some further thoughts on this, and on what to do now.
First, the Conservative Party really really needs to get away from conflating "arguing for what we believe in" with "lurching to the Right" or "repeating our 2001 and 2005 platform". We didn't argue for what we really believed in in 2001 and 2005, and why are you assuming that what we really believe in is some kind of lurch to the Right? Whilst we stay trapped in that mindset, internal policy debate is always going to be hobbled. And the only choices in platform are not the 2001/5 kinds of pitch or the 2010 one. I absolutely do not want us to try to revert to our 2001 or 2005 approaches.
Second, I remain confident that Labour will shortly dissolve into in-fighting. That expectation is relevant to questions such as our decision about how to work with the Lib Dems.
Third, should we have an arrangement of some sort with the Lib Dems? I would distinguish between a deal over a coalition and some understanding over the conduct of a minority administration. I don't believe we should enter into a coalition with the Lib Dems. Liberal Democrats have a significantly different vision of the British constitution from the Conservatives. Fundamentally, they are radicals and believers in institutionally-driven constitutional solutions that are democrat in concept, whilst Conservatives favour organic change based upon human-driven constitutional solutions that are liberal in concept. When one adds to that huge difference the fact that Lib Dems regard moves towards their favoured radical constitutional democrat solutions as a policy priority, it is difficult to see how any over-arching deal could be reached that would be mutually acceptable. In particular, we should absolutely not make any compromise in terms of proportional representation.
But that does not mean that we cannot have understandings over the sorts of matters that David Cameron emphasized - education, ID cards, green issues. As a minority government, then of course we would have to be pragmatic about what sorts of policies we put forward in those areas reflecting the hope to secure Lib Dem votes to deliver what we can. Politics is intrinsically pragmatic, and there is no reason we should not be so.
Fourth, there will have to be another General Election in a few months' time. We should try to provide much more detail over the next couple of months regarding the spending cuts to come, and take a credible plan of cuts to the Electorate at that second Election. I see no merit in anything other than blatant honesty at that second Election, and that means that between now and then we need to debate internally what needs to be done properly and humbly. If we really are going to keep things like the NHS ringfencing pledge, we need to have a proper internal debate about what that will imply in terms of huge cuts in defence spending (and hence a diminished role for the UK in the world), massive cuts in education spending (seriously undermining our flagship policy area), big cuts in benefits, and so on. I don't believe that that is really what the Conservative Party believes in, but if it is then we need to see that in a serious internal debate rather than just be shouted down by those insisting that we have to accept the ringfencing pledge in order to be regarded as human beings and purchase the right to be heard.
We need to work out a whole new pitch for that new General Election. It would be a mistake and should not be acceptable for us simply to repeat the failed pitch of May 2010. And I reject outright the view of those that say "Now is not the time for these debates." Now is the only time for these debates. These debates concern what sort of party we want to be, and on that question turns matters such as what sort of deal we should consider acceptable with the Lib Dems and over what timescale we should seek such an accommodation. Now is the appointed hour.
[PS. Can as many commentators as possible please try to avoid saying things like "We have a serious deficit and political crisis and it is important that we all seek to work together and avoid political wrangling" over the next few days? Of course, a few things are very unimportant and we can avoid having a proper political debate about them but instead all get together and agree. But most issues are far too important not to be subject to political wrangling and debate so that we do our best to produce and challenge ideas and get things right in the end rather than forming some rapid ill-conceived consensus that screws everything up. Our constitution, our deficit and our wider economic situation all definitely fall into the latter category.]
