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88 Slade Coalition and Deluge InC the immediateO aftermathALI of the 2015 generalT electionI AdrianON Slade interviewed ANick CleggN and ten otherD Liberal DemocratT Hex-ministers,E nine of whomD he hadE interviewedLUG for Liberal Democrat News Ein 2011, to assess and compare their original hopes for coalition with their views now. ery few Liberals alive today were adults during VChurchill’s wartime coa- lition and none are old enough to remember Lloyd George’s coalition or the political arrangements of the ’20s and ’30s. We can ignore the ‘Lib–Lab Pact’, which was a quali- fied agreement to support rather than a full coalition. So the political experience of the last five years has been unique for MPs, journalists and the public alike. Partly because it was so new, coalition has cre- ated plenty of controversy and it will inevitably attract a good deal more in the political analysis still to come, even though it may no longer be the political pattern of future government that it looked like being before the surprise return of a majority Tory government on the ex-ministers I have interviewed for all Liberal Democrats? Was the 7 May 2015. this time around for agreeing in sacrifice of party independence for a In 2011, a year after the forma- principle, before the election, to let partnership in government worth- tion of the Conservative–Liberal me talk to them afterwards what- while or was it the issues of the coa- Democrat coalition in 2010, the edi- ever the result. lition itself? These were just some of tor of Liberal Democrat News, Deir- Where applicable, these new the questions to which I was seek- dre Razzall, gave me the chance interviews are prefaced by short ing answers. to interview for the paper Deputy excerpts from my interviews of Because political events moved Prime Minister Nick Clegg and 2010 and/or 2011. Inevitably some so fast after 7 May – and to reflect eleven of the Liberal Democrat of the comments from the inter- the potential impact that the return secretaries or ministers of state viewees will have been coloured by of a Conservative majority govern- appointed in 2010. I had also inter- their own or the party’s results – in ment, the cataclysmic loss of Liberal viewed Nick Clegg in September of other words, by the public’s final Democrat seats and the resulting that year. verdict on the coalition. The elec- leadership election may have had Contrary to many original pre- tion was not an easy experience for on some of their answers – with the dictions, the coalition did conclude any Liberal Democrat, but I have exception of Nick Clegg, the order its full five years in office without aimed for the objective view. What that follows indicates the order in falling apart, so I am grateful to the were relationships between the two which the interviews were con- Journal of Liberal History for support- parties in government really like? ducted. I believe this analysis also ing me in the idea of revisiting most What rewards and achievements, deserves just one view of the coali- of those original interviewees, and if any, were there? What were their tion and its unpredicted electoral also one later secretary of state, Ed greatest frustrations? Comparing outcome from an informed out- Davey, to gauge their reaction to their original hopes for the coalition sider. That is why I invited Chris national coalition in practice. I am with 2015, could they explain why Huhne to fill that role with a final also grateful to Nick Clegg and all the election result was so disastrous ‘postscript’ interview. 6 Journal of Liberal History 88 Autumn 2015 InC the immediateO aftermathALI of the 2015 generalT electionI AdrianON Slade interviewed ANick CleggN and ten otherD Liberal DemocratT Hex-ministers,E nine of whomD he hadE interviewedLUG for Liberal Democrat News Ein 2011, to assess and compare their original hopes for coalition with their views now. Nick Clegg Leader of the Liberal Democrats 2007–15; Deputy Prime Minister 2010–15; MP for distribution for the graduate. We Sheffield Hallam since 2005 would have been in a better posi- tion if we had taken more time to How it looked to him then have five years. We have to hold explain the dilemma.’ (September 2010) our nerve. The prize is not now. We He and the whole cabinet had ‘As Liberal Democrat leader and have to look ahead to 2015 when invested a lot of political capital deputy prime minister, I am in a we can say, “You may not have in economic recovery. Weren’t his very strong position to see that Lib- liked the coalition before and may hopes in very real danger of biting eral Democrat policies and values have disagreed with what we had the dust? are effected in what we do. In a coa- to do to restore the economy but ‘There is no doubt that things lition where we are simply not in now your children have got jobs to have deteriorated in Europe and the a position to implement the whole go to, you have a pupil premium, world, and it’s having an unforgiv- of our manifesto, any more than fairer taxes, a pension guarantee, a ing effect on us here too. That is not the Conservatives are. So there is greener economy, a reformed form Liberal to say we are powerless. There are a degree of compromise and, at of politics, restored civil liberties things we can do and are doing, for times, restraint, which means that ….” I think that would be a record Democrats example, to make it easier for peo- neither I, nor indeed David Cam- that people would say “OK they ple to grow businesses and employ eron, can or should speak out with took a risk for the benefit of the get the flak people. And then there is investment unbridled gusto exclusively on country and it paid off.” ’ for the long term – rail transport, behalf of our parties because we are for the bad renewable energy and the extra bor- trying to keep the balance and it is rowing we are allowing local author- a delicate balance. I am learning all (September 2011) things and ities to boost house building. But it the time, and I suspect David Cam- ‘Autumn to May [2010–11] was a does not do it all by next week.’ eron is too’. gruelling and unforgiving period no credit for ‘We are in very different terri- where we were being vilified and tory now and the media don’t yet blamed for everything unpopular, the good … and how it looks now (2 recognise it.’ not credited with anything popu- June 2015) ‘Liberal Democrats get the flak lar, and aggressively targeted by things partly It was Nick Clegg’s first interview for the bad things and no credit for our opponents, generally and per- since the electoral disasters of 7 the good things partly because, sonally. I always knew we would because, May. The time was 9.15 am, just unfortunately, this tends to hap- be attacked from left and right but three hours after the news broke pen to smaller parties in coali- it was remorseless, and particularly unfortu- that Charles Kennedy had died. tions around the world. No, it’s painful over the tuition fees issue. We both had some difficulty in get- not always endemic but there is a ‘In retrospect we should have nately, this ting down to business. Nick Clegg pattern. The second thing is that taken more time. Remember that tends to had already suffered more than his Labour have become enveloped in politically we were completely fair share of shocks. Now here was a mass fit of bile towards us, and isolated as a party. Both the other happen to another very personal one, for both that is reflected in parts of the press. parties wanted to raise fees. Also of us, and he would soon be in the We know that in the first few years the other alternatives would have smaller par- House of Commons paying his of this government we are going meant taking money away from, tribute to Charles. Luckily there to have to do unpopular things, perhaps, pensioners, the pupil pre- ties in coali- was still time for us to move on. which will overshadow a lot of our mium, or early years education. achievements.’ If you believe in social mobil- tions around Results ‘Selling coalition to the public ity it is important that you invest During those twenty-four hours and the media will not be easy. We in younger children and a fair the world. after the polls closed on 7 May, he Journal of Liberal History 88 Autumn 2015 7 COaliTION AND THE DElugE: INTERVIEWS WITH FORMER MINISTERS had just held his Sheffield seat but Conservative candidates were seri- Trust had otherwise been surrounded ously underwhelming, compared to But hadn’t issues like tuition fees by disaster as all but seven of his the popular Liberal Democrat MPs and the NHS reforms undermined colleagues lost their seats. It must they defeated, but the sheer weight trust in the party among large key have come as a terrible body blow of campaigning emails, telephone What we had groups of former Lib Dem support- after all he had done over the last calls and direct mail, targeted at ers such as teachers, students and five years. How had he coped with undecided voters, was overwhelm- to contend health workers? those two or three days after the ing our local campaigns, whether ‘There is actually not much evi- results were declared? or not the Conservatives had any with from the dence that we are thought to be any ‘Well I think that, like every- viable local infrastructure.
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