http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/aug/26/peter-hain-labour-lib-dems
I have never had a great amount of time for Hain, as it seems to me that he has always tried to fill the all things to all men role, changing his position as often as he changes his socks. "Blair was a good guy, Brown was a good guy, Milliband (David) was a good guy, (oops, he lost to his brother so) Milliband (Ed) is a good guy" does not demonstrate a consistent view. Now, Hain proposes a classic rightist option of getting into bed with a bunch of hypocrites and their leader who has prostituted himself and his party for a grubby chance of power. Hain now suggests that Labour should do exactly the same thing as Cameron did after the last election, and make a sordid grab for a majority in the commons, just to gain occupation of number 10. He should remember the "Gang of 4", and probably should have followed them to political oblivion. This latest suggestion pre supposes two things. (a) That there will actually be some Liberal Democrat MP's after the next election and (b) that there will be no single party with an overall majority. The question as to whether the Labour party as a whole would tolerate such a hypocritical and politically fraught arrangement with a minority party (who in any case are interested only in retaining their place in cabinet) is a moot point. It has always been my position that following an election the Labour Party should form a government, even if that will be a minority government, based on its own agenda, and leave it to the opposition parties to take their own decision on the legislation proposed. Hain is reverting to the "power at any cost" argument so popular with the labour right over the last 60 years.
Peter Hain says Labour should get ready to do business with Lib Dems
I have never had a great amount of time for Hain, as it seems to me that he has always tried to fill the all things to all men role, changing his position as often as he changes his socks. "Blair was a good guy, Brown was a good guy, Milliband (David) was a good guy, (oops, he lost to his brother so) Milliband (Ed) is a good guy" does not demonstrate a consistent view. Now, Hain proposes a classic rightist option of getting into bed with a bunch of hypocrites and their leader who has prostituted himself and his party for a grubby chance of power. Hain now suggests that Labour should do exactly the same thing as Cameron did after the last election, and make a sordid grab for a majority in the commons, just to gain occupation of number 10. He should remember the "Gang of 4", and probably should have followed them to political oblivion. This latest suggestion pre supposes two things. (a) That there will actually be some Liberal Democrat MP's after the next election and (b) that there will be no single party with an overall majority. The question as to whether the Labour party as a whole would tolerate such a hypocritical and politically fraught arrangement with a minority party (who in any case are interested only in retaining their place in cabinet) is a moot point. It has always been my position that following an election the Labour Party should form a government, even if that will be a minority government, based on its own agenda, and leave it to the opposition parties to take their own decision on the legislation proposed. Hain is reverting to the "power at any cost" argument so popular with the labour right over the last 60 years.
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