To Tory Rightwing: All will be well

The expected criticisms and mutterings of discontent have begun from the Conservative Party's true believers. Coalition govenment with the LibDems was always going to be a problem for them, so this is hardly a surprising development. But there are many of their fellow staunch Conservatives who are relishing the opportunities Coalition politics offers - both for many major shifts in policy away from the Labour government's erratic but almost always wrongheaded course, but also for the longer term Party policial advantage to be gained.

As we watch the desultory Labour leadership contest meander toward its eventual conclusion, it is becoming obvious that whomever becomes the new leader the Party will move to the Left. This is for two principal reasons: 1) the Party never really bought into the Blairites' New Labour except as a vote winner, and 2) the Coalition is squeezing them out of opposing its policies from anywhere except the Left. If the Coalition government continues to operate as it has already shown that it can, this is very likely a dead end politically at the next General Election.

David Cameron some time ago realized that hardline Rightwing social policies and rhetoric just weren't vote winners anymore with the swing voters who now more than ever elect British governments. The socially liberal policies the Coalition is implementing would in the main have been followed even if the Tories had won an outright majority. The inclusion of the LibDems both gives them "cover" for what they would have largely done anyway, and it removes the opposition the LibDems doubtless would have expressed - even to policies they were fundamentally in favor of.

Besides this, of course, a very great number of properly conservative policies are being put into practice; and they are protected from effective LibDem criticism by the Coalition agreements, which are extraordinarily comprehensive and detailed. I believe these also override any Labour attempts to hold the Coalition Parties to what they said in their manifestos. They will try, of course, especially to cause the LibDems as much discomfort as possible. But the LibDems are in power, many of their policies are being atleast in part implemented, and it must be so much more enjoyable speaking from the Dispatch Box than from the anonymity of the LibDem benches across the aisle and over to the side.

With the center, center-right, and center-left pretty much usurped by the Coalition, the appeal of a Leftwing Labour opposition, beyond afew union leaders and activists, should be quite limited. So Conservative critics should look at the larger picture and enjoy the ride.