Editing Lib–Lab pact (section)

==21st century==

===Proposed coalition of 2010===
After the [[hung parliament]] resulting from the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]], the Liberal Democrats, as they had indicated they would do so prior to the election,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/clegg-reveals-lib-dems-are-prepared-to-back-cameron-1825917.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/clegg-reveals-lib-dems-are-prepared-to-back-cameron-1825917.html |archive-date=2022-06-14 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Clegg reveals Lib Dems are prepared to back Cameron |location=London |work=The Independent |first=Michael |last=Savage |date=2009-11-23}}</ref> first began negotiations with the Conservatives—the party that had won the most votes and seats—about the possibility of forming a government; but, after talks appeared to have stalled, complementary negotiations were undertaken with Labour.

Labour's delegation for negotiations included: [[Peter Mandelson]], [[Andrew Adonis, Baron Adonis|Andrew Adonis]], [[Ed Miliband]] and [[Ed Balls]]. Press rumours of a possible Lib Dem–Labour deal were publicised, with Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]] alleged to be willing to offer to legislate for a change to the [[Instant-runoff voting|alternative vote]] system, followed by a referendum on proportional representation, if an arrangement that would keep him in government could be agreed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8674103.stm |publisher=BBC News |title=Labour 'ready to concede defeat' |date=2010-05-11}}</ref>

A Lib–Lab coalition would, however, have been eight seats short of a majority.<ref name=travis>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/may/10/how-rival-coalition-deals-might-work |location=London |work=The Guardian |first=Alan |last=Travis |title=Con-Lib or Lib-Lab – how the rival coalition deals might work |date=2010-05-10}}</ref> A coalition of Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the [[Social Democratic and Labour Party|SDLP]], [[Plaid Cymru]], the [[Alliance Party of Northern Ireland]] and the [[Green Party of England and Wales|Green Party]]—a "rainbow" or "traffic light" coalition—would have been needed to give a working majority of one.<ref name=travis /> For this, amongst other reasons, the talks failed. On the collapse of talks with Labour, a deal between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative Party was reached (subsequently being approved by Liberal Democrats members at a special party conference).

There was a significant level of hostility to such a deal within the Labour Party, with coalition proposals being opposed by, among others, former Cabinet ministers [[John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan|John Reid]] and [[David Blunkett]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/wintour-and-watt/2010/may/11/coalition-talks-libdem-labour-deal |location=London |work=The Guardian |first=Patrick |last=Wintour |title=Coalition talks: Labour revolt may scupper deal with Liberal Democrats |date=2010-05-11}}</ref> John Reid said that such a coalition would be "bad for the country".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR_prPtIPQo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/rR_prPtIPQo |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=John Reid: Lib-Lab coalition 'bad for the country' |publisher=ITN News @ YouTube |date=10 May 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

[[David Laws]], chief negotiator for the Liberal Democrats in coalition negotiations, subsequently commented on Labour's preparation and conduct in negotiations; his main areas of criticism centred on Labour's lack of contrition about their record over the previous thirteen years, inadequate preparation for discussions, their unwillingness to accommodate Liberal Democrat policy proposals in the potential programme for government, and the arrogant and patronising attitude of specific key Labour figures. He said that whilst he felt Gordon Brown was quite serious about pursuing talks, he believed former minister Ed Balls was deliberately "sabotaging" them.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/somerset/hi/people_and_places/newsid_9216000/9216731.stm |publisher=BBC News |first=Ruth |last=Bradley |title=Balls "sabotaged" coalition talks |date=2010-11-23}}</ref>

===Possible coalition after 2015 general election===
[[Nick Clegg]] stated his opinion prior to the 2010 general election that the party which wins the most seats but fails to get an absolute majority in the house has the right to attempt to form a government first, either on their own or in a coalition.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8614630.stm |title=Clegg does not rule out Lib Dems joining any coalition |publisher=BBC News |date=13 April 2010}}</ref> He stated his willingness to work with the Labour Party if it won a plurality of the votes in 2015.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/nick-clegg/9419460/Nick-Clegg-I-would-form-coalition-with-Labour-after-election.html |title=Clegg would form coalition with Labour after election|location=London |work=The Telegraph |first=Tim |last=Ross |date=23 July 2012}}</ref> However, some reports said it was unlikely that this would happen under the leadership of Nick Clegg, as both Ed Miliband and Ed Balls voiced discontent with Nick Clegg over his partnership with David Cameron.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/depose-clegg-if-you-want-a-lib-lab-coalition-balls-tells-lib-dems-nt0rx5x5qpz |title=Depose Clegg if you want a Lib Lab coalition, Balls tells Lib Dems |location=London |work=The Times |first=Michael |last=Savage |date=10 September 2012}}</ref> Later reports indicated that Miliband and Balls were more relaxed with the thought of a Lib–Lab government after the 2015 election. According to an article in ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', a shadow Cabinet minister who was close to Miliband said: "Our activists really hate Clegg. But if having him as Deputy Prime Minister was the price of getting Ed into Number 10 then they would have to stick it." For years, Miliband is said to have refused to speak to Clegg,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wintour|first1=Patrick|last2=Syal|first2=Rajeev|date=17 February 2014|title=Ed Miliband snubs Clegg's openness to Lab-Lib pact after 2015 general election|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/17/ed-miliband-labour-liberal-democrats-coalition|access-date=2020-12-27|website=The Guardian}}</ref> although relations thawed as the 2015 election grew closer. A senior party figure said, "The contact is there and the leaders' offices are now in touch." Senior members of Miliband's team, including Lord Adonis, the former Cabinet minister, had been urging him privately to prepare for fresh coalition negotiations after the 2015 general election because opinion polls suggested no party would win an outright majority in 2015.<ref>{{cite news |first=Tim |last=Ross |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/10776524/Ed-Miliband-would-let-Nick-Clegg-keep-his-job-in-Lib-Lab-pact.html |title=Ed Miliband would let Nick Clegg keep his job in Lib-Lab pact |date=19 April 2014 |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref>

In 2014, Lib Dem minister [[Norman Lamb]] warned that "it could be enormously damaging for [the Lib Dems]" if the party went into coalition with Miliband's Labour.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mason|first=Rowena|date=5 October 2014|title=Senior Lib Dem Norman Lamb warns against coalition with Labour|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/oct/05/senior-lib-dem-norman-lamb-warns-against-coalition-labour|access-date=27 December 2020|website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> However, neither a coalition nor a pact between the Lib Dems and Labour was possible, following the Conservatives winning a majority at the 2015 general election and the loss of 49 Liberal Democrat seats. The scale of victory was unexpected by all major polls, and this was the first time a Conservative majority government had been formed in 23 years.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cowling |first=David |date=17 May 2015 |title=Election 2015: How the opinion polls got it wrong |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-32751993 |access-date=27 December 2020}}</ref>

===Possible coalition after 2019 general election===
[[Jo Swinson]], the Liberal Democrat leader, hinted at a possible alliance after the [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019 general election]] in the event that [[Jeremy Corbyn]] resigned as Labour leader.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.sky.com/story/general-election-jo-swinson-hints-she-would-work-with-labour-if-jeremy-corbyn-quit-11881661|title=General election: Jo Swinson hints she would work with Labour if Jeremy Corbyn quit|last=Taylor|first=Rebecca|date=9 December 2019|website=Sky News}}</ref> Once again, this was not possible, because the Conservatives received a majority of seats at the election, meaning that a Lib–Lab pact would be below the majority mark.

===Possible coalition after the 2024 general election===
After the [[2023 United Kingdom local elections|2023 local elections]], in which both Labour and Liberal Democrats made gains. Both [[Keir Starmer]], the Labour leader, and [[Ed Davey]], the Liberal Democrat leader, refused to rule out a possible alliance after the [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024 general election]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Adu|first1=Aletha|last2=Walker|first2=Peter|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/may/09/keir-starmer-refuses-to-rule-out-lib-dem-coalition-after-next-election|title=Keir Starmer refuses to rule out Lib Dem coalition after next election|date=9 May 2023|website=The Guardian|access-date=10 May 2023}}</ref> On 13 June 2023, [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party National Campaign Coordinator]] [[Shabana Mahmood]] ruled out a Lib–Lab pact in the by-elections in [[2023 Mid Bedfordshire by-election|Mid Bedfordshire]], [[2023 Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election|Uxbridge and South Ruislip]] and [[2023 Selby and Ainsty by-election|Selby and Ainsty]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gye |first=Chloe Chaplain, Hugo |date=2023-06-13 |title=Labour rules out Lib Dem pact and aims to win three by-elections - including Dorries's old seat |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/labour-rules-out-lib-dem-pact-win-three-by-elections-dorries-mid-beds-2407386 |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>