Current mood:	hopeful
Entry tags:	libdemmery, omg! we're in coalition!, politics

I should say up front that none of this is confirmed, but this list agrees with what was read out on the BBC. From the Graun's Live Blog comes this list of policy agreements of the coalition:

• £6b in year cuts in non frontline services subject to the advice from the treasury and the bank of england (Tory)
- I think this one was inevitable

• Scrapping of national insurance rises (Tory)
- agreed with this one anyway

• A substantial increase in the personal tax allowance from April 2011 with a focus on low and middle income earners, with a "long term goal" of a £10,000 personal tax allowance. There is no a timetable for this, but there is a promise to make further real term steps each year towards this objective. This is described as a "funded increase". It will be funded by taking the money the Tories had planned to use to increase the employee threshold for national insurance, and by an increase in capital gains tax for non business assets to bring it closer to the level of income tax.
- sad that this is not going to be immediate, but glad it's been adopted.

• Marriage tax allowance. The liberal democrats have agreed to abstain on this, which gives the Tories a "real chance" of getting that through.
- furious about this. Commitment to equality is on the back of the membership card, FFS. We should not be making judgements on relationships.

• Tax relief for higher rate pensioners will not be pursued
• Mansion tax dropped
- sad about these two, but again, see them as inevitable if agreement to be reached with tories.

• Raising the threshold on inheritance tax dropped, described as "unlikely to be achieved in this parliament".
- Hurrah!

• Referendum to bring in some form of alternative vote system. Coalition members will be subject to three-line whip to force the legislation for a referendum through, but they will be free to campaign against the reforms before referendum.
- "some form of alternative vote system"? So STV COULD be inserted. This is better than I was hoping for.

• New pupil premium to be introduced, steering more funding to schools for every child they take from poor homes. Both parties back this policy, but the Lib Dem version attaches more money to it.
- this is amazing.

• Reducing the tax burden on low earners. This could go some way towards the Lib Dem aim of lifting tax threshold to £10,000.
- I hope it does.

• A wholly or mainly elected house of Lords.
- Hmmm. I was always outside of the majority of my party on this anyway. Would rather see fixed term appointments myself.

• More equal constituency sizes
- YAY!

• Fixed term parliaments, including this one. The next general election will be held on the first Thursday of May 2015. Legislation will mean such agreements can only be broken by an enhanced majority of the House of Commons.
- YAY!

• A cap on immigration and an end to child detention immigration controls (the latter was a Lib Dem proposal).
- first half bad, second half good.

• Tory Welfare reform programme to be implemented in full.
- THIS is worrying.

• School reform programme providing all schools are held accountable.
- This also worrying.

• A commitment to maintaining Britain's nuclear deterrent. Renewal of Trident will be scrutinised to ensure value for money. Liberal Democrats will be free to continue the case for alternatives.
* shrug *

• A referendum lock will ensure that any proposal to transfer new powers to the EU must by law be put to a referendum.
- unsurprising, and I agree with this. Anything that big should go to a referendum.

• A great repeal or freedom bill to scrap the ID card scheme and the national identity register and the next generation of biometric passports
- YES YES YES! YES!

• Extending the scope of the Freedom of Information bill to provide greater transparency
- Yes!

* Adopt protections of the Scottish model for the DNA database
- Voted for this myself at conference.

• Protecting trial by jury
- Oh Cthulhu, thank you for this. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it, Judge Jack Straw.

• Reviewing libel laws to protect freedom of speech
- YES!!!! I hope that Simon Singh et all have seen this bit.

• Further regulation of CCTV and other items
- YES!

• Measures to boost economy in key areas such as low-carbon industries and investment in infrastructure. A green investment bank, a smart grid, retention of energy performance certificates while scrapping home information packs.
- This, also, is good.

• Lib Dems will be free to maintain their opposition to nuclear power while permitting the government to put forward the national planning statement for ratification by parliament so that new nuclear construction becomes possible.
- Fair enough

Banking reform

• A banking levy will be introduced.
• Bonuses will be tackled.
• A "more competitive banking industry".
• More credit to flow to businesses. The proposals of the respective parties will be looked at before deciding which is the better one.
• An independent commission will be set up to consider Lib Dem proposals to separate retail and investment banking and the Tories' proposals for a quasi separation. An interim report will be published within a year.
• The Bank of England could be given control of macro prudential regulation and oversight of micro prudential regulation under proposals to be put forward.

- All sounds good to me.

I can see why the MPs and Fed Exec were overwhelmingly in favour if this is all true. I would - will, if I can get my shift covered at work on Sunday - vote for this. It's not my dream, but it's close enough. I have spent my life fighting the Tories and what they stand for, and am suspicious that they will deliver on some of the aspects of this, but it's good, grown-up politics, and it's a damn sight better than the last government. Freedom Bill! Libel Reform! Referendum on Voting Reform!

I have more hope now than I did when Cam announced the coalition.