7 May

Most modern conservative parties are coalitions. This is because they don’t actually believe in anything much, except protecting the interests of those who are doing well. That’s how the parties originate, as a collection of aggrieved groups. The LNP for example began in the 20th century when wealthy landowners (Nat) and industrialists (Lib) joined forces to oppose the growing workers movements and their party, the ALP. The Libs and Nats agree on almost nothing. Except that they want working people to not be in charge. This is why these coalitions can easily be fractured, as we’re seeing right now, and picked apart. Because the things politicians in a coalition are against (and there are lots of things they’re against) rarely have much connection with each other. So the Libs and Nats are constantly at war, but also within the Libs and Nats people are always at war too.