Governing without a majority.

The Labour Party governs in Wales as a minority administration. It has 30 seats in the Senedd which is the same as the combined total of the seats held by the three opposition parties.  In the case of a tied vote a motion is lost.

The problems facing a minority administration are well illustrated by reading the article below:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-15719039

After the 2010 general election the Conservatives did not wish to face the prospect of being a minority administration and hence the formation of the Coalition with the Liberal Democrats.

The Conservative Home website carried the following on 3rd November 2011:

Cameronism has involved three massive gambles...

• Remember the "change to win" slogan? Half of it was fulfilled. The party was changed in significant ways but we still fell short of a majority and in almost perfect electoral conditions.
• We then entered a Coalition government when the preference of the majority of members was to govern as a minority government and then hold a second election as soon as possible. Instead we have entered an alliance with a party that is resisting so many of the things that are necessary for the country's recovery.
• Gamble three has been an economic policy that has increased taxes, defended the Euro, raised the cost of energy and done little about red tape. The result is an economic league table performance that is more Wycombe Wanderers than Manchester United.

I believe it is open to question whether the Conservatives would have won a second election.  The Coalition achieved a working majority in the House of Commons and saved the electorate from the party-politicking we are witnessing in Wales.  Admittedly there was heavy horse-trading between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats before the Coalition agreement was reached, but at least we have a stable government...for now.  The eurozone crisis may of course destabilise everything, particularly as the Labour Party is re-discovering its euro-skepticism.

See:  http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100117707/labours-new-stance-on-europe-is-cynical-and-opportunistic-good/

Meanwhile, Mr Clegg is baring his pro everything EU fanaticism and sycophancy.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/nick-clegg/8890839/Nick-Clegg-Europe-must-focus-on-growth-and-jobs.html

Mrs Merkel is stating there is a need for treaty change.   Prefer her view to Clegg's.

Of course jobs and growth are important, but the structures are wrong, manifestly so: hence the mess the eurozone is in.  Will Europe destabilise the Coalition?   I expect it will.