A Hundred Days of Coalition and Hundreds More to Come

Please note: This article was originally posted on 18/08/2010

The MP for the West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly constituency of St Ives, Andrew George – who has been one of the most rebellious Liberal Democrat MPs in Parliament since the inception of the Coalition! – predicts that the Government will last the full five years.??

The Coalition Government marks its 100 days in office today and Mr George predicts that it “will have hundreds more…”??

Mr George, who voted against the Academies Bill and who campaigned against the VAT rise, said: “The Coalition is strong. This is the ‘New Politics’. Two distinct Parties who have come together – in spite of their differences – in the national interest. “A Coalition Agreement has been reached. Where we are unable to agree, we have identified a working method of taking the matter forward either – as with Trident and nuclear power etc. – to Parliament or – in the case of electoral reform – to the country in a referendum. “Where issues are not in the Agreement, we will engage in new mature politics – i.e. intelligent debate rather than the old juvenile Punch and Judy politics. “Where we disagree, we will complete the debate, decide democratically and then move on.??

“Each disagreement – and I predict there will be many more – is not tantamount to a major earthquake leading to catastrophe and the end of civilisation; which, bizarrely, is how some in the media would prefer to portray it. It is just facing up to political reality in a new political environment. Debate is good. Tribal warfare is a waste of time and should be left in the dustbin of history. “Coalitions will never agree amongst themselves all of the time. There will be occasions when there will be much more than just tissue papers between us. Disagreements and healthy debate are fundamental to a healthy democracy.??Let’s celebrate it.”