Abolish yourself, I dare you…

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

Westminster was awash last night with pale, tired looking researchers stepping into the cold evening sunlight. They had spent much of the day either celebrating or trying to plot an escape route for their political masters. MPs has fared little better. Some promising careers look like they might be hanging by a thread. Some old stagers might be cast out into retirement a little sooner than expected.

But if you think we’ve had it bad – you should see the Lib Dems.

Whilst we pick over the reports and see areas where there could be uncomfortable selection battles between sitting MPs, the yellow team sees anhialation in seats that they had considered safe. Cable, Farron – even Clegg could be under threat. These yellow islands in seas of red and blue and about to be swallowed up by the rising tide, and it’s going to be messy.

According to the Guardian, 1/4 existing Lib Dem MPs will lose their seats if the boundary changes proceed as proposed. In reality – considering their “diminished” popularity over the past year, the losses would be far greater.

It’s hard to feel sorry for them. After all they signed up to this pact in return for the “miserable little compromise” of an AV referendum that nobody wanted and they promptly lost. To see them doubly punished by losing swathes of seats (including many of their leading lights) will seem to many like an adequate punishment for their wrongs.

But could their be an escape route for the Lib Dems – and consequently the Labour MPs who looked so bedraggled and distraught last night? Could they could rebel and vote against the bill? In many ways that’s the ultimate nuclear option (sorry Vince), and would certainly bring down the coalition. After failing to rebel on tuition fees, savage cuts or the dismantling of the NHS, Lib Dems would look venal and self regarding to change tack now to save their own skins. But what is the alternative? Will Tim Farron walk through the yes lobby and abolish his political career? Will Vince Cable? Will Danny Alexander? Is this to be the fate of the Lib Dems? Years of chasing power, five minutes of fame and then abolishing themselves.

Anyone who has ever campaigned against the Lib Dems knows that they crave power. So why would they vote to make relinquishing it a near certainty? And yet, despite everything, it looks like that’s exactly what they’ll do.

But what do I care? If someone had told me year ago that we would face a situation where the Lib Dems would wipe themselves out, I would have said deal. So despite all of the hurt and pain that many Labour people will face, I still say deal. Deal. Deal. Deal.

And I dare the Lib Dems to prove me wrong…