Lib-Con: New Politics, Old Partnership

The new politics isn't as new as people think. Shaun Ley looks back at the historical links between Conservatives and Liberals, the previous coalitions and the common philosophical traditions between the two parties. What can history tell us about the implications for the parties today? We hear from the LibDem MP John Thurso, whose grandfather Archibald Sinclair was the last Liberal to sit in a cabinet during the wartime coalition. Lord Heseltine explains why he first stood for election under the Liberal Conservative banner. And Professor David Dutton of Liverpool University explains how the two parties have converged and diverged over the last century, and identifies some risks to both parties in the future.