The first experiment in coalition government in the United Kingdom, well for the Westminster Parliament anyway is less than one month old and cracks could be starting to appear.
The leak of financial details relating to the current Chief Secretary to the Treasury is interesting. Just a few weeks he was supporting a manifesto that called for a slow but steady approach to expenditure cuts. But having entered government he announces ‘ cuts that will send "shockwaves" through Whitehall – not my words but the "they're all in it for themselves, they're all the same" might just be sensing their first casualty.
The dreaded capital gains tax, always a touchy subject with the right of the Tory party has begun to grumble away in the tearooms of the House of Parliament. David Davis, John Redwood, Michael Forsyth and many others in Parliament are, with the help of the Daily Telegraph and the Mail, demanding that any rise in capital gains tax should not hit "ordinary people" who've saved for their retirement by buying shares or a second home.
Just what is the ‘big idea’? Could it just be one of those phrases that annoy the public as it sounds good but means nothing? Too much emphasis on this may yet cause the left of Liberal Democrats to rebel – they want liberty but not at the expense of lots of ‘new’ ideas being a way of financing projects close to some of Mr. Cameron’s buddies.
Who will the new school owners (?) are answerable to? At present whatever ones’ opinion of state schools those who control them, i.e. the local authorities are responsible to democratically elected representatives – that is local councillors and we elect them. Who will have the power to question those making the decisions on the education of possibly many thousands of young people?
Nothing has been heard of the Europe Union, a distinct area of difference between the two partners. At present the EU is totally absorbed in rescuing the Euro. But what will happen when new legislation comes across from Brussels that is designed to bring haronmisation to say vehicle emissions or regulation of the financial sector? Will the Lib-Dems simply keep quiet, or will some amongst their ranks make a stand on what they call ‘their principles’.
The announcement by Vince Cable that he can no longer act as Deputy Leader of the Liberals is sad, surely he should have been Chancellor? By stepping down he leaves the way open for someone from the left of the Liberal Democrats, not Mr. Laws wing, to stand for the position – say Simon Hughes – now he might cause a few feathers to rustle in more traditional ‘Liberals’. Oh I forgot PR - not quite the ‘long grass’ but I wonder (a) when it will actually be put to the people and (b) in what form – some say that it’s already being watered down! Now that was sacred cow of Mr. Clegg – or was it?
The summer recess is not that far away and after just weeks after being elected – well as agreeing to govern those in Westminster may want a break.