Coalition puts
divided loyalty
to the test

Contrary to Bob Watson’s letter (Yorkshire Post, August 8), I believe Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems have behaved in a mature and intelligent way since agreeing to work in a coalition government with the Tories. If they hadn’t have done so, we would possibly have been quickly faced with another General Election, at great cost to the taxpayer and with no doubt the same result, a hung Parliament.

During the life of this coalition Nick Clegg and his party have been blamed and used as whipping boys in certain sections of the media for every unpalatable decision the Government has taken, it’s as though the Tories had nothing to do with it! Unfortunately the Lib Dems, in trying to help balance the books for the greater good of the economy and country, have had to go against certain parts of their own manifesto, not least of all their agreeing to tuition fees, at great cost to their standing in the country.

However, in regard to House of Lords reform, I can assure Mr Watson it’s very important to me, because I don’t believe we live in a democracy. I cannot vote for the Head of State or the Upper House and, because of our first past the post system, fewer than 40 per cent of the electorate have voted in successive governments. This is not democracy.

This hung Parliament has now given a third party a chance of some influence.

However, having agreed to certain policies back in May 2010, it’s now obvious that David Cameron and the Tories have decided to pick and choose what suits them while still expecting Nick Clegg to toe the line.

The Tories say Nick Clegg should have a more adult attitude over boundary changes, but I suspect he thinks enough is enough. Contrary to David Cameron saying he wants to reduce MPs from 650 to 600 to save money, the real reason is it will give the Tories a possible extra 20 seats at the next General Election.

As far as saying we should concentrate on the economy rather than House of Lords reform, Chancellor George Osborne is so inept at sorting the economy out it might be better if he left it alone for a while, things might improve.

Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems have sacrificed a lot to work with the Tories on the coalition government. They deserve our support, not derision.

From: Don Buslam, Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.

THE recent splits in the coalition over such things as Europe and the House of Lords have revealed the Tory party in its true colours. Many of its backbenchers are arrogant and undisciplined and they would obviously be far more at home in the kind of one-party state we endured in the days of Mrs Thatcher.

Coalitions are much more common on the continent and it does rather demonstrate the immaturity of many of our politicians that we have such difficulties over here.

People will no doubt draw different conclusions from the present situation. I think it highlights the danger of giving the Conservatives, or Labour for that matter, an absolute majority next time. There is a lot to be said for coalitions when those in government are under constant pressure to reach consensus and compromise. We have seen what happens with an elective dictatorship.

From: Terry Palmer, South Lea Avenue, Hoyland, Barnsley.

If anyone wonders what a political coward looks like they don’t have to look any further than so-called Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and his 57 Lib Dem MPs. Why, you may ask? He made a pact with the ‘nasty party’ led by David Cameron to help ruin this country and it was also agreed that the House of Lords would be reformed.

Not now, says Cameron and his henchmen. So what does Clegg do? Absolutely nothing. Why? Because he and the rest of his cowardly bunch would lose the “sniff of power” they’ve held for the last couple of years or so. Clegg and his rabble may as well join the “nasty” party as fully paid up members, because come the next election there will certainly be fewer than 57 of them in Parliament.

Of course, before then Clegg will have hopped it for some other “sniff of power” job, probably to do with the EU.

Don’t fume
over packets

From: D Birch, Smithy Lane, Cookridge, Leeds.

on early morning radio I listened to a discussion that the tobacco industry are being forced to supply cigarettes in plain packs, using the worst green colour available. Personally I have never smoked cigarettes or a pipe, but at the same time I would never condemn anyone, apart from children, who want to smoke, despite the problems they cause for themselves.

The people who spoke talked mainly about under-age smokers and both agreed that the present packs had indeed brought down the number of under-age smokers.

If these people who want more and more from the tobacco companies have so much money in their organisations and are willing to fight these large companies who make and sell cigarettes all over the world to people who want to smoke, why don’t they change their attack? Why not concentrate on trying to stop the NHS treating these people for the damage they cause to themselves?

Concentrate too on the education industry, as in most cases, schools, colleges and universities have lots of posters on their walls covering lots of subjects. Have a go at art classes to produce designs on the consequences of smoking.