New Government means a new start - Chris Davies MEP

Date published: 12 May 2010

The negotiations are over. The UK is to have its first coalition government since 1945, and Liberal Democrats will sit in the Cabinet.

I joined the Liberal Party in 1974. I have waited a long while for us to have the chance to shape the policies of the government.

From what I hear, the deal that has been thrashed out incorporates significant Liberal Democrat objectives. We will, of course, have to compromise and accept some Conservative ones too. That's the price to be paid for an agreement between two parties.
A deal with Labour was not credible. A Lab-Lib government would have survived the first crucial votes but it would have been worn down by attrition. Vote after vote would have been lost in the months that followed until the government collapsed in disarray. We would not have had the strong, stable government able to make the difficult decisions now required, and we would have little or nothing to show by way of achievement.

We have not got a commitment to a proportional voting system, which is bad news, but we don't have the votes in Parliament to secure it. I hope the other political reforms that have been agreed, and the hugely enhanced credibility that our party now gains, will stand us in good stead for the future.

I have known Nick Clegg for 12 years. We had next door offices for the 5 years we shared in the European Parliament. I voted for him to become party leader. I like him and I trust him. I have no doubt that the deal negotiated by he and the team that included the North West's Andrew Stunell MP (Hazel Grove) is as good as we were ever likely to get.

The way ahead will be rocky, and what lies ahead is uncertain, but today I am proud to be a Liberal Democrat and I am looking forward to the journey.