Is this the ‘death’ of good government – and of social care reform?

By Paul Roberts

www.caringforyourbusiness.co.uk

Welcome to the ‘dawn’ of ‘new politics’. The launch of a ‘stable and principled government’. The beginning of a ‘new political age for Britain’. An ‘historic milestone’. The first coalition since the Second World War. An ‘exciting new era’ for us all.

Why am I so underwhelmed by the coalition of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, led by David Cameron and Nick Clegg? Why does it feel more like a false dawn than the start of a ‘brave new world’ for Britain? Why does it feel more like the ‘death’ of good government?

The ‘Dave and Nick show’ in the gardens of Downing Street yesterday (May 12 2010) convinced me that the coalition will be short-lived – a shotgun wedding that is heading for a spectacular breakdown at our expense.

Already there is seething discontent in constituencies where people who voted for Tory or Liberal Democrat candidates feel they have been ‘cheated’ by an alliance agreed behind closed doors and without public scrutiny.

We keep hearing that the coalition represents 60% of the people who voted in the General Election. But that’s just not true. Many of those who voted Lib Dem did so tactically (or in protest) to keep the Conservatives out!

If you take away those votes what percentage of support would the Liberal Democrats actually have? It’s been suggested that it could be as low as 10-12%. So a minority party prepared to run with the hounds and foxes now have a major say in our future.

What’s the alternative you ask? Well, I believe David Cameron should have demonstrated the courage of his convictions and led a minority government (with his 307 seats) and shown that he is capable of leading us out of the economic crisis.

The Lib Dems and Labour would then have provided an effective and ‘stable’ opposition to ensure that the right decisions were made for the good of Britain as a whole – and to keep a ‘check’ on measures aimed at reducing the national deficit.

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have instead come up with a ‘dog’s breakfast’ of a coalition document that contains a mish-mash of promises that are more about political ambition than getting us out of the mess we are in.

Scotland, Wales and Ireland rightly feel left out of the governing process. The Conservatives have one seat in Scotland, a few in Wales and a diminishing influence in Northern Ireland. The Liberal Democrats have won seats in Scotland thanks to tactical voting.

The new coalition risks alienating Scotland, Wales and Ireland. It will be seen as the government of South and South East England – and one that will impose the biggest cuts in the areas (including the North and North East) where it has the least support.

The much heralded coalition document unveiled by the ‘ConDem’ alliance contains no reference to social care despite repeated promises by David Cameron that care for the elderly would be priority for the new government.

There is no mention of resolving the long-term funding of social care. So it appears that reform – outlined in the White Paper published by Labour earlier this year – will be consigned to the waste bin.

Who will be surprised by this? The new Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has fiercely opposed the changes outlined by his predecessor without spelling out what kind of reform he would like to see in social care.

The Personal Care at Home Bill will no doubt fall by the wayside as Mr Lansley prepares to tell us why he will be pushing ahead with swingeing cutbacks  in social care and health (yes, the NHS) over the next five years.

Of course, we don’t know for sure that this is what he will do. But with the coalition document making no mention of social care, it’s a fair assumption that this coalition government will be spending no time considering its future.

Apparently, there are strong bets (particularly among Conservative supporters) for another General Election on October 14 or 28 2010. I have seen enough in the past few days to believe (and hope) that the coalition will not survive beyond these dates.