In It Together: A TLIAP
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11.03 PM 6th May 2010
The driver turned to look at the passenger. It was 11am and election results were coming in thick and fast. The passenger was wearing a yellow tie, his shirt was crumpled and his dark blue jacket needed a wash, he’d worn it every day for the past week. He was eagerly typing away at his Blackberry.
“So you’re an MP, eh?” queried the cab driver, he’d gotten one of those just last month, an Asian, Zaz or Vaz or something like that.
“Yep,” said the MP still looking at his phone.
“For what party?” asked the driver, he hesitated and then added “If I may ask,” He turned the wheel and continued down a smaller street?
“Well, I’m a yellow,” admitted the man in the back seat. The car turned again and suddenly they had a view of the river. The Thames at night was something to behold.
“At least you’re not a bloody Tory,” Both men chuckled. They passed the Houses of Parliament. “I would’ve thought you’d want to stop here. No?”
“Parliaments shut. It’ll reopen when they elect the new bunch of MPs,” replied the passenger. He was trying to keep things as simple as possible.
“Including you?” asked the driver as he stopped at a red light.
“Including me, and hopefully…” He looked at his phone closely, “73 of my colleagues, at the very least.” Then there was a moment of silence. The MP continued to examine his phone. He was looking up the results. The BBC just, called another seat for the Liberal Democrats. Paul Rowen had kept his seat after a recount against Labour candidate Simon Danczuk in Rochdale. ‘They were getting close to 75 seats’ thought the MP, ‘something that before the debate seemed impossible.’ His mind wondered a bit. ‘Nick’s great performance was probably just luck. More than one debate or holding the debate a bit earlier would have seriously crushed our momentum. We were just lucky’
“So have you been here before?”
“Pardon,” the passenger had been too wrapped up in his thinking.
“The restaurant where you’re heading, is it nice?” asked the chatty cabbie.
“Never been. Although there is a nice Mexican place near there.” He yawned. The car stopped at another red light.
“Looks like its gonna be what they called a hung parliament, Eh? You’re gonna have to make a deal with Labour… or the Tories,” said the driver through gritted teeth.
“It’s too early to know if the numbers add up but yeah, we’ll probably go that way. Unless Cameron thinks he could go on his own,” The MP paused.
“Why am I telling you this?” he said with a laugh.
“Coz I asked,” replied the Cabbie simply.
“Wait, stop here,” the passenger pointed at the pavement in front of the Taxi. “Just drop me off.”
“OK.” The car slowed and stopped near the pavement. The driver looked at the meter. “Sixteen Fifty please.”
The man handed him a twenty pound note and said “Keep it,” as he opened the door. The driver thanked him.
“Just one last thing before you go.” The driver began as the MP got out. “What’s your name? My wife is a fan of Clegg and I want to tell her I met one of his lot.”
“David Laws,” he replied and then began to walk away. The restaurant where he was meeting with Nick, Danny and Vince was near here. It probably wasn’t the best place to decide who to form a government with but what can you do?”
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7.37 AM 7th May 2010
“The Liberal Democrats should be pleased with 89 seats today and will definitely play a massive part in the following days,” said the worn-out David Dimbleby.
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10.31 AM 12th June 2010
“And right now, the Chancellor George Osborne and David Laws are about to make a statement about the budget,” announced Nick Robinson rather too eagerly.
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10.00 PM 6th May 2012
“Now, the news at ten. The STV Referendum has narrowly passed in what is being called a victory for junior coalition partners the Liberal Democrats,” said the newscaster and then the election graphic came on.
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8.00 AM 7th May 2015
“With Coalitions now inevitable, the question is who will be in it. Will it be the Conservatives and Lib Dems again or maybe UKIP will join the fray, we just don’t know,” commented Charlie Staite. He really did hate it when BBC Breakfast got political, but the producers always get their way.
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11.03 PM 6th May 2010
The driver turned to look at the passenger. It was 11am and election results were coming in thick and fast. The passenger was wearing a yellow tie, his shirt was crumpled and his dark blue jacket needed a wash, he’d worn it every day for the past week. He was eagerly typing away at his Blackberry.
“So you’re an MP, eh?” queried the cab driver, he’d gotten one of those just last month, an Asian, Zaz or Vaz or something like that.
“Yep,” said the MP still looking at his phone.
“For what party?” asked the driver, he hesitated and then added “If I may ask,” He turned the wheel and continued down a smaller street?
“Well, I’m a yellow,” admitted the man in the back seat. The car turned again and suddenly they had a view of the river. The Thames at night was something to behold.
“At least you’re not a bloody Tory,” Both men chuckled. They passed the Houses of Parliament. “I would’ve thought you’d want to stop here. No?”
“Parliaments shut. It’ll reopen when they elect the new bunch of MPs,” replied the passenger. He was trying to keep things as simple as possible.
“Including you?” asked the driver as he stopped at a red light.
“Including me, and hopefully…” He looked at his phone closely, “73 of my colleagues, at the very least.” Then there was a moment of silence. The MP continued to examine his phone. He was looking up the results. The BBC just, called another seat for the Liberal Democrats. Paul Rowen had kept his seat after a recount against Labour candidate Simon Danczuk in Rochdale. ‘They were getting close to 75 seats’ thought the MP, ‘something that before the debate seemed impossible.’ His mind wondered a bit. ‘Nick’s great performance was probably just luck. More than one debate or holding the debate a bit earlier would have seriously crushed our momentum. We were just lucky’
“So have you been here before?”
“Pardon,” the passenger had been too wrapped up in his thinking.
“The restaurant where you’re heading, is it nice?” asked the chatty cabbie.
“Never been. Although there is a nice Mexican place near there.” He yawned. The car stopped at another red light.
“Looks like its gonna be what they called a hung parliament, Eh? You’re gonna have to make a deal with Labour… or the Tories,” said the driver through gritted teeth.
“It’s too early to know if the numbers add up but yeah, we’ll probably go that way. Unless Cameron thinks he could go on his own,” The MP paused.
“Why am I telling you this?” he said with a laugh.
“Coz I asked,” replied the Cabbie simply.
“Wait, stop here,” the passenger pointed at the pavement in front of the Taxi. “Just drop me off.”
“OK.” The car slowed and stopped near the pavement. The driver looked at the meter. “Sixteen Fifty please.”
The man handed him a twenty pound note and said “Keep it,” as he opened the door. The driver thanked him.
“Just one last thing before you go.” The driver began as the MP got out. “What’s your name? My wife is a fan of Clegg and I want to tell her I met one of his lot.”
“David Laws,” he replied and then began to walk away. The restaurant where he was meeting with Nick, Danny and Vince was near here. It probably wasn’t the best place to decide who to form a government with but what can you do?”
----
7.37 AM 7th May 2010
“The Liberal Democrats should be pleased with 89 seats today and will definitely play a massive part in the following days,” said the worn-out David Dimbleby.
-----
10.31 AM 12th June 2010
“And right now, the Chancellor George Osborne and David Laws are about to make a statement about the budget,” announced Nick Robinson rather too eagerly.
----
10.00 PM 6th May 2012
“Now, the news at ten. The STV Referendum has narrowly passed in what is being called a victory for junior coalition partners the Liberal Democrats,” said the newscaster and then the election graphic came on.
-----
8.00 AM 7th May 2015
“With Coalitions now inevitable, the question is who will be in it. Will it be the Conservatives and Lib Dems again or maybe UKIP will join the fray, we just don’t know,” commented Charlie Staite. He really did hate it when BBC Breakfast got political, but the producers always get their way.
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