@johnruddy – I don’t any Lib Dems who say they would never countenance a coalition with Labour after next election.

@Mr. Sensible – Those who talk of coalitions as involving “selling out principles” never talk that way about their own party when they do it (Labour in Scotland and Wales) or indeed who they do it with (Lib Dems & Plaid in Scotland and Wales). So it seems that you only sell out principles when entering a pragmatic coalition when it is another party doing it with another party.

@mike – I agree plenty of concerns with NHS white paper – esp continuation of contestability/competition/privatisation championed by Milburn, Reid, Hewitt and Burnham. And much not in coalition agreement. Work needed.

And Ash you’re right; the comment about being progressive does not add up.

It’s nice to see 1 Lib Dem, 1 of a few, who hasn’t sold out on his principles. But he’s going to have to convince a few of his coleagues first, I think.

But lets look at the NHS White Paper

of course we should attack it

its a disgrace and Lib Dems know it

Lansley has walked all over them no wounder Redwood praises Lansley not Gove

Lib Dems need to get a grip of the NHS White Paper

You can play your part Evan

As for:

“how it would be counter-productive to describe the coalition as a “Tory government”, as “this would only seek to enhance the conservatives’ progressive credentials and allow them to take credit for all our policy gains, like on environmental policy, the Human Rights Act, on capital gains tax and tax cuts for the least well off in work”

– is this really how it works – the Tories get no credit for pursuing progressive policies, and the Lib Dems get no blame for pursuing regressive ones? Isn’t this supposed to be a Coalition Government, collectively responsible for its actions?