David Cameron’s black book shows why it’s a coalition government for the full Parliament

The recent flurry of coverage about David Cameron’s little black book of his policies that the Lib Dems have blocked reinforces a point I’ve previously made.

The almost certain 5-year length of this coalition government is partly due to there being enough areas of policy agreement. It’s also partly due to there being enough areas where the two parties are happy to disagree in public, because disagreement suits them both.

Europe is the most obvious example. The difference of views helps David Cameron appeal to Tories and helps Nick Clegg appeal to Lib Dems. Being seen to disagree with each other helps both of them – so as long as their personal relationship doesn’t degenerate to the sort common between so many senior Labour figures, it helps keep the Coalition ticking along.

Hence the Liberal Democrats taking to the press and the internet to publicise the very list of policies that David Cameron had been talking about: