Do the Deal, Dave

Tories are supposed to be pragmatists. That’s why they’re the traditional party of coalition in this country. On that front, it is interesting to see that John Major is suggesting that, to advance the cause of stability, Cameron should offer Clegg a number of cabinet seats. This seems sensible and, happily, would also improve the quality of the cabinet since, lord knows, there are a good number of Tories who ought to be kept well away from the Red Boxes.

More interestingly still, it was notable today how both Dan Hannan and Douglas Carswell were warm on the idea of a coalition and even, if necessary, some kind of electoral reform. Of course, they’re both liberals, not social conservatives and as such are less tribal, perhaps, than some. Nevertheless, since it seems to me that Cameron doesn’t need to offer much on electoral reform, the costs of going for a real deal are tiny when set beside the potential benefits of such an arrangement.