David Laws on a century of Liberal–Labour

With a Labour government now in power, the lessons from the historical interactions between Labour and the Liberals are more relevant than ever. Here, David Laws introduces his new book Serpents, Goats and Turkeys, a riveting account of the alliances, betrayals and power struggles that have shaped our democracy.

What inspired you to delve into the often turbulent relationship between the Liberals and Labour?

I realised that the history of Lib–Lab relations is both fascinating and important and that no one book has properly covered this topic over the whole period since the Labour Party emerged. Now that a Labour government is in power, it is also important for the Lib Dems (and Labour) to learn the lessons from previous relations between the two parties.

Can you explain the meaning of the title Serpents, Goats and Turkeys?

Each animal is a reference to a particular period of Lib–Lab relations.

In 1903, a senior Liberal accused the leaders of his party of ‘nursing into life a serpent which would sting their party to death’ after a secret pact was agreed which allowed Labour to stand unopposed in some seats.
The ‘goat’ was an uncomplimentary nickname used about David Lloyd George during the 1920s and 1930s – another key period for Lib–Lab relations, as this is when we saw the first Labour minority governments.
Finally, the Liberal MP David Penhaligon accused his fellow Liberals of being ‘turkeys voting for Christmas’ in 1977, when they decided to continue to support the Lib–Lab pact. This was the first known use of the phrase in the UK!

How did your experience as a former coalition Cabinet minister influence your perspective and approach to writing this book?

In 1999, I was in Scotland, helping the Lib Dems negotiate the first Scottish Parliament coalition with Labour. In 2010, I was part of the Lib Dem team that negotiated the Cameron–Clegg coalition. So, I am interested in relations between parties and in the connected issue of Lib Dem attempts to secure a fairer voting system.

What are the key factors that have prevented long-term co-operation between the Liberals and Labour?

When Labour has been a fully pledged socialist party, committed to nationalisation and ‘big-government’ solutions, this has been a barrier to working co-operatively with a Liberal Party. In the pre-First World War period, both parties favoured free trade and opposed tariffs – making them natural allies against the Unionists/Conservatives. But when Labour has pushed a very ‘left-wing’ agenda, that has created a deep ditch between Liberalism and Labour. Labour has also been much more cautious about electoral reform – which the Liberals/Lib Dems see as a vital factor enabling cross-party working.

If you could have lunch with three people mentioned in the book, dead or alive, who would they be and why?

Well, I’m a very big admirer of Paddy Ashdown, but I knew him well and spoke to him many times. So, I think it would have to be Lloyd George, Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee. Lloyd George was an original thinker and a master politician, though much that he did also damaged the Liberal Party. Attlee was that ‘modest little man’ who helped change Britain. And Churchill was clearly an intriguing character, a political titan, a great author and no doubt a highly amusing companion.

Serpents, Goats and Turkeys: A Century of Liberal–Labour Relations by David Laws is out 19 September.

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David Laws on a century of Liberal–Labour relations