Redirection

Leadership isn't always plain sailing and Liberal Democrat leader Mr Nick Clegg has learned it the hard way. After two and a half years of pushing for the coalition to co-operate in a grown up and meaningful fashion (White, 2012), Mr Clegg has encountered an obstacle.

Last month he saw his work come seemingly to nothing when Prime Minister Cameron and his party failed to honour the coalition's agreement to reform the House of Lords (BBC, 2012). This roadblock forced a response from the Liberal Democrat leader. A new combative attitude was on display (and celebrated) at Deputy Prime Minister's Questions (Lindsay, 2012). But that is only a part of the story.

Mr Clegg recently revealed he'd had "lengthy conversations" with several senior Labour figures (Mulholland, 2012), confirming the reports in an interview with Andrew Marr:

"Grown-up politicians talk to each other across party lines. Over the last few weeks I have had lengthy conversations with Ed Miliband, David Miliband, with Tony Blair, with Peter Mandelson … talking about Europe, talking about political reform."

Changing tides call for changing tactics. And its not just the Lib Dems who are looking for a new direction. The Tories, who it has been suggested are also fearing defeat (Toynbee, 2012), appear to be looking for a new direction. The recent cabinet reshuffle, which strengthened the hand of the party right, was followed by hints of the possibility for a future Tory-UKIP alliance. The leader of UKIP suggested that his party might (under certain circumstances) be a possible alternative to the Liberal Democrats as Tory coalition partners, if needed, after the next election (Davies, 2012).

For leaders, its not always enough to direct efforts towards an uncompromising goal set by a predetermined plan. Stagnation, decline and obstacles unforeseen, can all force leaders to consider new directions (Johnson et al, 2001). As relations within the Coalition become strained, the leaders of both sides must start looking for an insurance policy.

In their attempts to redirect their parties, leaders will have to redefine them - an action that always risks creating identity crises amongst followers. In any crisis there are opportunities - for those within the group and those outside - to influence the outcome. While the Coalition tries to redefine its own identity, the Labour party, the Green party, and other third parties have a chance to affect the course of these debates and the new direction of political discourse.

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References:
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+ Michael White's 'Nick Clegg lead Lib Dems in shunning "tribalism"'; in The Guardian; 25 September 2012.

+ BBC's 'Nick Clegg: Lords reform plans to be abandoned'; 6 August 2012.

+ Caron Lindsay's 'Nick Clegg gets sassy at DPMQs'; Lib Dem Voice; 17 October 2012.

+ Helene Mulholland's 'Nick Clegg: parents can use pension pots to help young people buy property'; in The Guardian; 23 September 2012.

+ Polly Toynbee's 'George Osborne's strategic mind? Long may it continue to whirr'; in The Guardian; 4 October 2012.

+ Lizzy Davies 'Ukip says no Tory election deal without EU referendum pledge'; in The Guardian; 21 September 2012.

+ Alan Johnson, Colin Barker & Michael Lavalette's 'Leadership & Social Movements'; Manchester University Press, 2001.