The Coalition Begins

I have to admit it--I'm flat-out impressed at the degree of cohesion present in this true coalition between the Conservatives and junior partner Liberal Democrats.

The press conference today was a double act between Prime Minister Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Clegg and was simultaneously a novelty, an oddity, and even a little inspiring. Cameron outlined "freedom, fairness, and responsibility" as being the areas of common agreement, with "one key purpose: strong, stable, determined leadership for the longterm." Pretty vague, but okay. He went on to say that the coalition is going to be one based in reform on an fiscal level, a "green" level, and a social liberal level.

I'm excited about what the Liberal Democrats can possibly get accomplished in government, their first stint since Churchill's wartime coalition. Cameron stated that Clegg's job as Deputy is "political reform." They're outlining that to mean, thanks to an email I received today from the Lib Dem website, fixed-term, five-year parliaments, a referendum on electoral reform, a proportionally-elected House of Lords, the power of recall of MPs, and further local devolution.

Still, it's an interesting beast we have here. The Coalition is a brave new experiment, making two parties that have their origins in opposing groups since the 17th century Tories and Whigs political bedfellows for the next FIVE YEARS. This is a radical sort of commitment, especially, in my mind, from the Conservatives, who could seriously attain a majority of seats in a snap next election in the following months.

If necessity is in fact the mother of invention, the Tories went ahead with this plan out of either a deep sense of duty, beyond party lines, to the country, or out of a deep sense of fear at being the culprits in the next election for not being able to accomplish any of their set goals due to commanding only a neutered minority administration. Whichever reason held more sway, I think Cameron himself was the deciding factor. Credit must be given where credit is due, and it is certainly due to Cameron, whom I am liking better with each passing day.

Nick Clegg began by saying this concerning his recent political marriage to Cameron: "Until today, we were rivals, and now we're colleagues."

Surreal, indeed.

Just don't be surprised when the two start being referred to collectively and derisively as Davick Cleggeron, leader of the Liberative Democratories. It'll happen.

See the half-hour press conference here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FCOvu2NDio