The Times is currently serialising the biography of Charles Kennedy. One of the less surprising surprises is that co-operation between the Liberal Democrats and the Labour parties continued after the departure of Paddy Ashdown. Greg Hurst explains this co-operation through a shared acceptance on the part of Blair and Kennedy that progressive politics failed when two parties divided the votes.
It is clear that policy co-operation or local co-ordination were out of the question, due to the constraints placed by party activists. However, both parties shared similar campaign aims, with teh goal of placing Labour back in power:
Blair and Kennedy agreed to co-ordinate their national campaigns to maximise the electoral damage both could wreak on the Conservatives. Blair nominated Charlie Falconer to execute the agreement, Kennedy proposed Tim Razzall. The pair met weekly with Razzall, always alone, visiting the grand room in the Cabinet Office occupied by Falconer. On occasions Falconer would be joined by Pat McFadden, Labour’s election organiser, or Douglas Alexander, its campaign co-ordinator, who was close to Gordon Brown.
At these meetings the two sides discussed the broad outlines of their campaigns and what policy themes they would introduce on which days, with Razzall several times changing his planning grid so as not to get in Labour’s way. Such co-ordination continued throughout the campaign, as Falconer, from Labour’s headquarters in Millbank Tower, and Razzall, in Cowley Street, would talk every evening by telephone.
If there is such co-operation, are not both parties morally bound to reveal this to the electorate, so that they may fully understand the aims of those they are voting for? In reality, pigs may fly, but elections are still based on the available information and secret deals skew the results, lessening the effect of each voter by ensuring that their decision is based on incomplete or deliberately misrepresented information.
If Gordon Brown and Menzies Campbvell are both leaders at the next election, then such co-operation will be forged again. If it is, then the pact should be open and above board.