Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

From Roses to Rancour

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The British Coalition Government, 2010-2015

  • 448 Accesses

Abstract

The Coalition was an elite-driven project, with senior ministers from each party initially establishing a surprisingly cordial and constructive working relationship; something of a novelty factor, perhaps, or on their best behaviour at the beginning. Before long, though, policy tensions and ‘betrayals’ strained some of the relationships and weakened trust, until the 2015 election put them out of their misery. It was like a marital breakdown: honeymoon fun and euphoria, then home to day-to-day reality and mundane household chores, increased aloofness and bickering, rows the neighbours could hear, separate bedrooms, and eventually the liberation of divorce! Yet throughout, backbenchers in both parties suspected that their respective leaders were compromising too often and conceding too much to the other party; this added to the pressure on the respective leaders.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    For a full and detailed list of Liberal Democrat rebellions in the 2010–2015 Parliament, see the excellent website ‘The Public Whip’: http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/divisions.php?rdisplay=2010&rdisplay 2=LDem_party&house=commons).

References

  • Alexander, D. (2014). Liberal Democrats Have No Part in Tory Plans for Harsh Cuts and Empty Tax Promises. The Daily Telegraph, 8 December.

    Google Scholar 

  • BBC News. (2010). Cable in attack on bonuses for City “spivs”’,22 September http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11382047

  • BBC. (2011a). Coalition Divorce Inevitable, Says Lib Dem Tim Farron, 18 September. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14964893

  • BBC. (2011b). Lib Dem Lord Oakeshott Resigns After Attack on Banks, 9 February. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12411664

  • BBC. (2012). House of Lords Reform: Nick Clegg’s Statement in Full, 6 August. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19146853

  • BBC. (2014a). Sunday Politics, 14 December.

    Google Scholar 

  • BBC. (2014b). Oakeshott Quits Lib Dems with Clegg “Disaster” Warning, 28 May. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27604131

  • BBC1. (2013). The Andrew Marr Show, 22 December.

    Google Scholar 

  • BBC2. (2012). Daily Politics, 23 April.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beckett, A. (2010). Who Agrees with Nick Now? The Guardian G2, 2 June.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennister, M., & Heffernan, R. (2015). The Limits to Prime Ministerial Autonomy: Cameron and the Constraints of Coalition. Parliamentary Affairs, 68(1), 25–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boles, N. (2013). Which Party Should a Liberal Vote for in 2015? Speech to Bright Blue (a ‘Liberal Conservative’ Think Tank), 19 November. http://bRightblue.org.uk/index.php/medias/speeches/item/241-speech-by-nick-boles?

  • Cameron, D. (2011). Speech at Security Conference in Munich, 5 February. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pms-speech-at-munich-security-conference

  • Clegg, N. (2011). Speech to National Liberal Club, London: ‘One Year on: The Coalition and Liberal Politics’, reproduced in Liberal Democrat Voice, 11 May. http://www.libdemvoice.org/nick-cleggs-speech-one-year-on-the-coalition-and-liberal-politics-24113.html

  • Clegg, N. (2013). Slam the Door on EU Migrants and It Is Britain that Will Get Hurt. The Sunday Times, 22 December.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coates, S., Elliott, F., Jagger, S., & Watson, R. (2010). We’ve been Lib-Conned: MPs Fall Out of Love with the New Politics. The Times, 22 May.

    Google Scholar 

  • Constitution Unit, The. (2011). Inside Story: How Coalition Government Works. London: The Constitution Unit. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/research/coalition-government/interim-report.pdf

  • Cowley, P. (2015). The Coalition and Parliament. In A. Seldon & M. Finn (Eds.), The Coalition Effect 2010–2015. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Criddle, B. (1994). Members of Parliament. In A. Seldon & S. Ball (Eds.), Conservative Century: The Conservative Party Since 1900. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Critchley, J. (1978). How to Get on in the Tory Party. The Political Quarterly, 49(4), 467–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Critchley, J. (1985). Westminster Blues. London: Elm Tree Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Culzac, N. (2014). The Lib Dems Attack. The Independent on Sunday, 5 October.

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Ancona, M. (2013). In It Together: The Inside Story of the Coalition Government. London: Viking/Penguin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dominiczak, P. (2013a). Vince Cable Attacks Britain’s ‘Toxic’ Views on Immigration. The Daily Telegraph, 18 September.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dominiczak, P. (2013b). Conservative Party Membership Has Halved Since David Cameron and “Clique” Came to Power. The Daily Telegraph, 18 September.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dorey, P., & Garnett, M. (2015). “The Weaker-willed, the Craven-hearted”: The Decline of One Nation Conservatism. Global Discourse: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Current Affairs and Applied Contemporary Thought, 5(1), 69–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunkley, J. (2011). Vince Cable Attacks Executive Pay Levels. The Daily Telegraph, 23 June.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eaton, G. (2013). The Envelope Pusher. The New Statesman, 6–12 December.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elliott, F., & Hanning, J. (2012). Cameron: Practically a Conservative. London: Fourth Estate.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finn, M. (2015). The Coalition and the Liberal Democrats. In A. Seldon & M. Finn (Eds.), The Coalition Effect 2010–2015. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, L. (2014). Lib Dems all Over the Place on Economy, Warns Cameron. The Times, 8 December.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerard, J. (2011). The Clegg Coup: Britain’s First Coalition Government since Lloyd George. London: Gibson Square.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goes, E. (2014). The Coalition and Europe: A Tale of Reckless Drivers, Steady Navigators and Imperfect Roadmaps. Parliamentary Affairs, 67(1), 43–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grice, A. (2011). No More Policy Concessions to Lib Dems, Tories warn Cameron. The Independent, 23 April.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansard. (2012a). House of Commons Debates: Official Report, 29 November.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansard. (2012b). House of Commons Debates: Official Report, 23 January.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansard. (2015). House of Commons Debates: Official Report, 19 March.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardman, I. (2012). Cameron Faces Tory Fury on Lib Dem Ministerial Rebellion. The Spectator, 8 August.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris, R. (2011). The Conservatives: A History. London: Bantam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayton, R. (2014). Conservative Party Statecraft and the Politics of Coalition. Parliamentary Affairs, 67(1), 6–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helm, T. (2011). Right Wing Squares Up to Fight Battle for Soul of the Conservative Party. The Observer, 9 January 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heppell, T. (2014a). The Tories: From Winston Churchill to David Cameron. London: Bloomsbury.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heppell, T. (2014b). Ministerial Selection and Portfolio Allocation in the Cameron Government. Parliamentary Affairs, 67(1), 64–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holehouse, M. (2014). David Cameron’s “Sympathy” for Immigration Bill Rebels. The Daily Telegraph, 30 January 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenkin, B. (2013). Clegg’s Hypocrisy on Boundary Changes. Conservativehome, 29 January. http://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2013/01/from-bernardjenkin.html

  • Kite, M. (2010). Tories warn Cameron: Listen to Us or We Mutiny. The Sunday Telegraph, 12 December.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liberal Democrats, The. (2010). Liberal Democrat Manifesto 2010. London: The Liberal Democrats.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindsay, C. (2014). Lessons for Liberal Democrats. In R. Brown, G. Gloyer, & N. Lindsay (Eds.), Unlocking Liberalism: Life After the Coalition. Peterborough: Fastprint Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • May, T. (2011). ‘Ministerial Foreword’ to The Home Office, Policing in the 21st Century: Reconnecting Police and the People, Cm 7925. London: The Stationery Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, A. (1990). Stand Up and Be Counted. London: Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery-Massingberd, H. (1986). Top and Bottom of the Tory Class. The Spectator, 3 May 3, 9–12. http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/3rd-may-1986/9/top-and-bottom-of-the-tory-class

  • Murphy, J., & Cecil, N. (2011). Tory Right Would Send Children Up Chimneys. The London Evening Standard, 19 September.

    Google Scholar 

  • Norton, P. (2015). The Coalition and the Conservatives. In A. Seldon & M. Finn (Eds.), The Coalition Effect 2010–2015. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Owen, G. (2014). Home Secretary Theresa May Hits Out at Cabinet Colleague Vince Cable for Celebrating Huge Rise in Immigration. The Mail on Sunday, 2 March.

    Google Scholar 

  • Redwood, J. (2013). Some Thoughts on 5 Big Rebellions in this Parliament. John Redwood’s Blog, 11 September. http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2013/09/11/some-thoughts-on-5-big-rebellions-in-this-parliament/

  • Savage, M., & Ford, R. (2014). Minister Attacks Cable Over Immigration in Coalition Rift. The Times, 6 March.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scholefield, A., & Frost, G. (2011). Too ‘Nice’ To Be Tories? London: Social Affairs Unit.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J. (2015). Europe: The Coalition’s Poisoned Chalice. In A. Seldon & M. Finn (Eds.), The Coalition Effect 2010–2015. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Timmins, N. (2012). Never Again? The Story of the Health and Social Care Act 2012: A Study in Coalition Government and Policy-making. London: The Institute for Government and The King’s Fund.

    Google Scholar 

  • Travis, A. (2014). Coalition War Breaks Out as Vince Cable Attacks Tory Immigration Target. The Guardian, 6 March.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warrell, H. (2013a). Cable Attacks Student Migration Target. The Financial Times, 4 March.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warrell, H. (2013b). Tories Face Split Over Gay Marriage Bill. The Financial Times, 3 February.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, R., & Hurst, G. (2011). Saturday Interview; Michael Gove. The Times, 8 January.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watt, N. (2011b). “NHS Reform Is Safe” – Andrew Lansley Makes Private Plea for Tory Support. The Guardian, 13 June.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watt, N. (2011c). Nick Clegg Under Fire Over Health Reform “Victory”. The Guardian, 12 June.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watt, N. (2012). Cameron stance could force Britain out of EU, Clegg claims. The Guardian, 1 November.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watt, N., & Mason, R. (2014). Brutalise Tories over tax pledge, Clegg Tells Lib Dems. The Guardian, 6 October.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watt, N., & Wintour, P. (2010). There Is So Much Common Ground as well as Differences. The Guardian, 23 December.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wigmore, T. (2014). Why Old Etonian Tories Are a Dying Breed. The Daily Telegraph, 24 February.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, H. (2012). Vince Cable Plans Executive Pay Crackdown. The Independent, 20 June.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wintour, P. (2011). AV Referendum: Paddy Ashdown accuses Cameron of “Breach of Faith”, The Guardian, 5 May.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woolf, M. (2011). Clegg Spurned Cameron’s Fees Fiasco Escape Plan, The Sunday Times, 15 May.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yong, B. (2012a). Formation of the Coalition. In R. Hazell & B. Yong (Eds.), The Politics of Coalition: How the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government Works. Oxford: Hart.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yong, B. (2012b). The Coalition in Parliament. In R. Hazell & B. Yong (Eds.), The Politics of Coalition: How the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government Works. Oxford: Hart.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

    Peter Dorey (Professor of British Politics)

  2. Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK

    Mark Garnett (Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations)

Authors
  1. Peter Dorey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mark Garnett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Copyright information

© 2016 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Dorey, P., Garnett, M. (2016). From Roses to Rancour. In: The British Coalition Government, 2010-2015. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-02377-3_8

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation