THE SPECTATOR
FUTURE LOYALTIES
To Portsmouth, and the beginning of the Party Conference season that closes at Blackpool in early October where the Conservatives will, doubtless, stage a triumph worthy of the most vulgar — in both senses of the word — of Roman Emperors. But, before then, the SDP, followed by the Liberals, and Labour, preceded by the TUC, will have to see how seaworthy their various potential 'ships of state' are after the tempestuous days of June. The cry that went up at Portsmouth, however, was 'abandon ship'. It was a sorry sight to see a young political Party deciding to pull out the plug almost before it had left harbour.
It was, ironically, the first debate in its six years of existence when the SDP really came alive as a political party, although no one who attended it could have escaped the valedictory feeling that overhung the occasion. One noble experiment, it seemed, was coming to an end — in as courteous and civilised a way as these things can be done, everyone claimed giving birth to two experiments, the nobil- ity of which remains to be seen; as does the wisdom of taking their several courses. At one particularly 'generous' moment Lord Jenkins said that, as far as he was con- cerned, he would not like to see any new SDP-Liberal political party field candi- dates against the three SDP MPs who would stay out on their own. 'The past creates its own loyalties,' he added. But, along with many other politicians and observers present, he seemed to overlook the fact that the future, too, will make its own new loyalties. And they may well not be much to his liking. For the pro-merger SDP politicians the way ahead will be full of profound difficulties.
It will be easier to judge this when the Liberals meet at Harrogate in the third week of September. There will be many Liberals who will squabble about their own internal legitimacy just as Social Demo- crats have squabbled about theirs. Many Liberals will not want to give up the name that they have borne so proudly for so long; many will not wish to adopt far- reaching constitutional changes in their party; many will disagree fundamentally about the policy implications of the prop- osed merger of the parties. The Liberal Conference can be an unruly affair, as David Steel was forcibly reminded last year in Eastbourne; and his hope of bouncing the SDP into early union with the Liberals was certainly brought about in party by his desire to bring a greater degree of order and authority into his own party. It may be that when the Liberals meet at Harrogate Mr Steel will find that this backfires on him. In any case the whole idea of merger — as are all such high notions in the real world of affairs — is fraught with the greatest difficulties, especially as one of the main negotiators, Mr Robert Maclennan, the new leader of the SDP, may well have only taken on the task out of a sense of duty rather than conviction. The 'Gang of Three', as they have now again become in name, with their able and highly ambitious Lieutenant, Charles Kennedy, MP for Ross Cromarty and Skye, are sailing into difficult waters. Theirs may be the 'ship of fools'.
As for David Owen, many questions that have puzzled observers of the political scene in past months — and, indeed, years — began to answer themselves at Port- smouth. This was especially so as a volume of memoirs Personally Speaking (Weiden- fled and Nicolson, £12.95), appeared at that time. Owen's account of the internal de- bate on possible fusion with the Liberal Party shows in detail how it has gone on for the entire history of the SDP. Far from springing, fully armed, from the head of David Steel straight after the recent gener- al election, the goddess of union has been there from the start, sitting quietly out of the public gaze. Dr Owen has always held out against this course of action, believing as he did — and still does — that the 'old style' of British politics has had its day. Many of his former colleagues on both sides of the Alliance have, however, never really been so sure that the 'old-style' is not best after all. In this context, Dr Owen repeats the remark of one of David Steel's aides the day before the general election: `We stitched up the SDP, make no mistake about it.' He adds simply, and no doubt sadly: 'The truth is, the SDP stitched itself up.'
`Look, it's an Argy bargee.' Whatever else one thinks about these extraordinary events it is certain that the SDP leadership in past months has played its hand very badly. At their conference, it became a ritual observance for members of the decision-making parts of the SDP to preface their speeches with public breast- beating for their part in the unsatisfactory situation in which they found themselves. Dr Owen, however, had no need of this. His behaviour throughout recent months has at least had the merit of being consis- tent. Some have said that he will be stranded on the beach by his 'idealism' while the 'realists' of the SDP and their brothers in the Liberal Party will become part of an 'anti-Thatcher majority' which offers the only chance of electoral victory over the Tories in the country. This is too easy. Owen, as a politician, has a much surer touch than any of his peer group in the former Alliance, where he was boxed in for far too long. He has a substantial following among the voters and a reputa- tion at Westminster second only to the Prime Minister's. He accepts that the break-up of the current SDP will take place. He wants it to happen as quickly as possible. He will form a new political party — for which any name rather than the `Owenite rump' will do, as one rather attractive lady delegate pointed out. It will have, in Mr David Sainsbury, a man who will not let it starve of funds in the early, difficult days. Mill Sainbury's support the corner shop?', Owen asked humorously: 'Sainsbury's began as the corner shop,' replied its Finance Director.) And, just as when the old SDP first announced itself, Owen's new party may discover that there are a large number of potential members already waiting to join and support it. There is also the chance that if Labour splits again in the near future Owen's party might be better placed than the new merged centre party to take advantage of the position. Moreover, one must not rule out a further 'Alliance' of mutual interest between a merged centre party and the Owenites. The Liberals and pro-merger SDP supporters talk in hard terms about this at the moment but their options may well seem more limited later on.
To Dr Owen a compromise was never on offer in the events which have taken place between the general election and now. Unlike the other members of the original `Gang of Four' he has retained a sense of dignity that has impressed many people. It may be that the gods have not abandoned him yet.
Previous page
