Fishburn Hedges

24.01.2012

Yesterday the media was in uproar following Lord Ashdown’s public statements against the Coalition Government’s welfare reform proposals.  Many experts said that his outspoken remarks were causing a headache for the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg.

But I think they’re all missing the bigger strategy being played out.  Both politicians are savvy enough to know when to speak out, and when not to.  Ashdown has been a long-time supporter of the Coalition and has enough political nous not to rock the boat without having a more strategic goal in mind.

Personally, I think this was planned and was an excellent way for the Lib Dems to distinguish themselves from the Conservatives, who are in the driving seat on welfare reform.  I doubt Nick Clegg is a real supporter of the reforms, which will hit poorer families hard, particularly in London and the South East, but he’s hardly in a position to speak out.  And a backbencher would hardly make the same impact; it needed to be one of the Lib Dem big beasts.

Ultimately, will it have an impact on the final shape of the bill?  Unlikely.  The Government has already pledged to overturn the amendments tabled in the Lords when the bill returns to the Commons.  But the Lib Dems will have already made their mark, and maybe this is all that matters.

This evening Alastair Campbell and Chris Mullin will be debating the issue of Ministers and the Media at the third event a series of seminars hosted by Fishburn Hedges and the Institute for Government and it will be interesting to hear Campbell’s take on how he would go about regulating what’s said by Ministers in a Coalition. 

Posted by Shirin Homawala

Visit our Media and Government microsite for more discussion