The Lib Dems know they will be judged harshly and Labour will be faced with a tough choice

By Elliott Adair

Recently it has emerged that the deputy leader of the Lib Dems Simon Hughes has faced reality – without some much needed action his party will take a hammering at the next general election. His call for a veto on coalition government policy is just a symptom of the overall long-term problem that is only now beginning to dawn on them.

The main problem for the Liberal Democrats is that Nick Clegg favours the Conservative Party, while Simon Hughes and others possibly favour a “deal” with the Labour Party. This silent but deadly division in the party edifice is already appearing only months into the parliamentary session.

It must be common sense that at the next election, the Liberals will be underdogs. As any criticism of government policy would be a self-criticism of their own involvement in the coalition, and a lack of criticism on their part would be bad for their core-vote. A fact, I think, that some Lib Dems are starting to wake up to and may very well take action against to stop the party’s continuing degradation.

It has also become apparent that Nick Clegg is intent on preserving the coalition for his own sake. With so much build up during the election and a good series of performances during the television debates, the election result was a big let down for him personally. Just what would have been his fate if he had not become Deputy Prime Minister?

Labour may very well be in opposition, but they have proved themselves to be principled. Labour is in a stronger moral and electoral position than critics care to admit. The Prime Minister knows full well that Labour is still a dog with teeth that can bite back when pushed. However, while it may look as if the Lib Dems are the natural targets for Labour’s so-called “guns” – the party leadership must be careful. A deal with the Liberals may be unavoidable if true progressive change is to prevail.

The choice for Labour now, is that while it may elect a new leader and look ahead to a new reenergised, regenerated Labour Party, a deal with the Liberals has to be an option on the table for consideration. Ed Milliband’s response to the call for a Lib Dem veto is a rather good one in that, given Nick Clegg’s track record thus far, any deal in forming a coalition (if needed) has to be a coalition deal without Nick Clegg. If the Lib Dems are smart, then they would ditch Nick Clegg if it becomes favourable to negotiate with the Labour Party.