Could all Labour's enemies form an unlikely coalition to govern Wales?

Last night's Radio 4 Westminster Hour discussed the possibility of a grand anti-Labour coalition forming in the Cardiff Assembly after next May's elections.  Although there have been no opinion polls for the Cardiff Assembly for more than eighteen months Labour look set to lose their wafer-thin majority.

Nick Bourne AM, Leader of the Welsh Tories, says that the other Assembly parties should hesitate before propping up a "decaying, damaging and disastrous" minority Labour administration and appeared very open to working with the Liberal Democrats, Plaid and independents in keeping Labour out of office and fulfilling the constitutional duty to govern.  The Radio 4 package noted a recent manoeuvre whereby the opposition parties had joined together to successfully oppose Labour's budget.

Mr Bourne's openness to a grand coalition - what he calls an "unlikely alliance" - may not be shared by grassroots Welsh Tories. There remains suspicion of the Cardiff Assembly amongst the rank-and-file; suspicion that was recently voiced by Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb on his blog. There will also be big question marks about the desirability of working with Assembly Members - many of whom are to the left of Welsh Labour.

Related link: William Graham AM's birds-eye view of the Welsh Assembly

Comments

[Mark Wadsworth]

I quess the answer is "Yes, if they get enough seats".

[CCHQ Spy]

This looks like oppositionalism for its own sake. It looks like politicians eager to trade ministerial positions for their political compass. Grand deals like this with all and sundry have produced the politics of continental Europe where dealmakers are more likely to rise up the greasy pole than politicians of principle. Bourne may get a big job in the Welsh ministerial pecking order but it will be harder for Welsh Tories to ever make a clear pitch to the principality's voters again.

[Guto Bebb]

It depends on who will be the main opposition party. If the Conservatives pull ahead of Plaid and there are enough seats to form a 'rainbow' coalition under Conservative leadership then I would be supportive of the possibility.

However, in the real world such an administration is difficult to envisage. Whilst the Conservative Party and the more economically coherent wing of Plaid Cymru might be able to work together (as they do in Conwy Council and in the Vale of Glamorgan) I suspect that the hard left of Plaid simply would not be acceptable to any right minded Conservative.

The real message is simple - avoid all the 'what if' scenarios and win as many seats as possible. Only then can we speak for the people of Wales and demand the support of the other opposition parties to OUR agenda.

[Mark Fulford]

Talk of a coalition will discourage tactical voting. Conservatives are the most likely beneficiary of tactical voting and our message should be loud and clear: if you want to get rid of Labour, vote for us.

The only time to consider a coalition is when the results are in the bag and we can see exactly who we’d be working with. With a choice between a Labour-led hung parliament and a Conservative-led acrimonious coalition, I’d go Labour.

[Daniel VA]

This grand coalition has been mooted for some time, although unfortunately I suspect it is a product of senior Labour figures (Peter Vain, Rhodri Morgan etc) trying to scare their supporters into voting ('vote for us or you'll get Nick Bourne as First Minister') and a smidgen of wishful thinking on the part of the Conservatives, who are apparently more keen on coalition than Plaid and the Liberal Democrats (according to Saturday's Western Mail).

There have also been rumours of an alleged backroom deal that has been stitched up by Labour and the Liberal Democrats doing the rounds for a while now, which are too frighteningly plausible to be dismissed out of hand.

Speaking of Nick Bourne, good luck to him and Richard Bacon for the Parliamentarian of the Year award at tonight's ceremony, although considering the near-deification of Roger Helmer by many visitors to this site, they're probably going to be unlucky on this occasion.

[UK Daily Pundit]

"Mr Bourne's openness to a grand coalition - what he calls an "unlikely alliance" - may not be shared by grassroots Welsh Tories."

Just exactly what has it got to do with grassroots Tories? Since when have their opinions ever counted for anything? They will do as their told, otherwise they'll have David Cameron to deal with.

[Deborah]

where dealmakers are more likely to rise up the greasy pole than politicians of principle -CCHQ spy
And how many politicans of principle make it up the greasy pole at Westminster?
Party politics seems to have developed into one big deal where the chosen few set the rules and everyone else is just voting fodder. MPs are so under-control they don't even bother reading what they have been told to vote on!

If this means less party politics and more democracy, I'm all for it.

[Jamie Oliver's Sausage]

Nick Bourne is the man who deselected a Welsh Christian who made some mild criticisms of "gay marriage"

Sounds like another clone of the Notting Hill Set, but I'm sure he'd get on very well with New Labour

[Hilary B]

And now we read that Labour here is thinking of getting Howard Dean over for the "mid-terms" in Scotland and Wales.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1945409,00.html

I can hear it now:

"We're going to Shotts and Oban and Aberdeen and West Kilbride and New Lanark. We're going to Cardiff and Port Talbot and Yns Mon and Bangor! And then we're going to Charlotte Square and we're going to take back Bute House! YEAGH"

Classic. Can't wait.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3422809.stm

[Stephen B]

It's difficult to run a Howard Dean campaign when you are the party of the establishment, as Labour are in Scotland and Wales.

[Chris Gillibrand]

"Nick Bourne is the man who deselected a Welsh Christian who made some mild criticisms of "gay marriage""

The stern, unbending face of modern libcons.

[Daniel VA]

Thanks Hilary B, I've just spat beer all over my laptop laughing at your Howard Dean comment. YEEEAH!!!

[PAS]

The posibility of a coalition between all the opposition parties for the next year's Welsh assembly elections is a interesting prospect but it would be difficult to maintain.

The reason being that it could be too one sided by one of the parties in the coalition.

[matt wright]

Securing as many AMs as possible, through a winning mindset, is what we are focusing on night and day. Don't be fooled by Labour spin,

Matt

[English Tory Patriot]

What's an AM?

Using unfathomable jargon isn't smart. It's dumb.

Isn't it about time we Tories debated the termination of these pointless Welch/North British talking shops?