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#REDIRECT ]
{{refimprove|date = October 2010}}
{{see also|Cameron Ministry}}
The Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition is the present ], formed after the ], which had ended in a ] with the Conservatives having the most seats but no party having an overall majority.

The ] and the ] entered into discussions which culminated in the ], setting out a programme for government until the next general election, scheduled for 2015. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats both wanted to be 'green governments' with ] spearheading electoral reform. ] led efforts to reform education to 'drive up education standards'. The Coalition Government also led efforts to help the ], most notably pushing for ] action on the ]. In 2012, a consultation to legalize ] was opened. In 2012, the coalition government also introduced plans to monitor the emails of all UK citizens.

Following two consecutive quarters of negative growth, the UK entered a double-dip recession in the first quarter of 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17836624 |work=BBC News |title=UK economy in double-dip recession |date=25 April 2012}}</ref>

==Coalition agreement==
{{Main|Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement}}
The initial agreement between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats spelled out eleven key areas on which the coalition would focus.<ref>.</ref>

#Deficit reduction
#A spending review - concerning the ], schools and a "fairer society"
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#Political reform (including changes to the ])
#] and ]
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#The UK's relationship with the ]
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#The ]

A final agreement followed.<ref></ref>

==Coalition members==
{{Main|Cameron Ministry|Premiership of David Cameron}}
Following the general election on 6 May 2010 ending in a hung parliament, negotiations took place between the Liberal Democrats and the governing Labour Party (led by ]), and between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives. It became clear that Labour and the Liberal Democrats could not form a coalition government, while ] made a "big, open, comprehensive offer" to the Liberal Democrats to form a coalition with them. Having agreed on a coalition, ] (]) accepted the Queen's invitation on 11 May 2010 to form the government as Prime Minister, with ] (Con) as the ], ] (Con) as the ], ] (Con) as ], while other key positions went to ] (LibDem) as the ], ] (Con) as ], ] (Con) as ], ] (Con) as ], ] (LibDem) as ] and ] (Con) as ]. ] conducted a year-long research project into the coalition, interviewing 120 Parliamentarians, civil servants and ministers, and concluded that the coalition hasn’t been beset by partisan rancour but has been remarkably stable and decisive.<ref> http://www.ethosjournal.com/home/item/269-ruling-by-consensus </ref>

==Policy changes introduced==
===2010 budget===
{{Main|June 2010 United Kingdom Budget}}
{{Expand section|date = August 2010}}

===Public spending cuts===
{{main|United Kingdom Conservative-Liberal coalition government austerity programme}}
] closed due to spending cuts]]
The coalition has instituted public spending cuts, in an attempt to reduce the ongoing deficit of the UK government. The closure programme was initially focused upon public bodies funded by government, often known as ], which were abolished or merged. By July 2010, a total of 54 such bodies had either been abolished or had their funding withdrawn.<ref name=ind20100727>Nigel Morris The Independent, 27 July 2010</ref> In October 2010 a list of 192 quangos to be abolished was officially released, with 118 to be merged.<ref>{{cite news |title=Quango list shows 192 to be axed |author=Staff writer |newspaper=] |date=14 October 2010 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11538534 |accessdate=23 October 2010}}</ref> These include:

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In addition, several agencies will merge:<ref name=ind20100727/>
*] will merge with the ]
*] will merge with ] after the ]
*] will merge with the ]
*] has merged with the ]
*] will merge into the newly created ]
*] will merge with the ] ]

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A number of agencies including the ] and the ] were marked 'Under consideration' in the official Government release, subject to future reviews by the end of 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_191543.pdf |title=PUBLIC BODIES REFORM – PROPOSALS FOR CHANGE |author=] |date=14 October 2010 |work= |publisher=] |accessdate=23 October 2010}}</ref>

{{Expand section|date = August 2010}}

The coalition has also closed a number of programmes or services provided directly by Government Departments, such as the public health ].

===Legislation enacted===
The following acts have been passed:<ref>{{cite news |title=Government Bills before Parliament 2010-12 |publisher=UK Parliament Website |url=http://services.parliament.uk/bills/government/2010-12.html?group=house}}</ref>
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===Legislation proposed===
The following bills have been introduced:<ref>{{cite news |title=Government Bills before Parliament 2010-11 |publisher=UK Parliament Website |url=http://services.parliament.uk/bills/government.html?group=house}}</ref>
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==Scandals==
*] was involved in a lobbying scandal after taking his friend ] on trips abroad to meetings.
*] were trebled to a maximum of £9,000 per year even though ] had pledged not to increase fees in his election campaign.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/8123832/Nick-Clegg-admits-breaking-tuition-fees-pledge.html |title=Nick Clegg admits breaking tuition fees pledge|publisher=BBC}}</ref>
*The ] caused considerable damage to the Coalition in relation to David Cameron's employment of ]. It was further aggravated by the announcement he had ridden ] horse on loan from the ], and the implicit involvement of Culture Secretary ], whom had been handed jurisdiction over ]'s ] bid after Vince Cable's supposed expression of bias, in passing confidential information to the Murdoch empire regarding the bid's progress<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17826634|publisher=BBC|title=The BSkyB takeover emails | date=25 April 2012}}</ref>
*In November 2011 Home Secretary ] came under heavy criticism<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theweek.co.uk/uk-news/uk-immigration/42185/theresa-may-plays-blame-game-uk-border-controls |publisher=The Week |title=Theresa May plays blame game on UK border controls |deadurl=no |accessdate=19 August 2012}}</ref> for presiding over a scheme weakening UK border controls, and allowing potential terrorists into the country unchecked. Some of the blame also fell on (now former) Head of the UK border force ], whom May claimed went beyond his remit.
*] was removed from a quasi-judicial role in deciding whether BSkyB should be allowed to takeover control of Sky, after being accused of bias against ], the company which owns ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.headoflegal.com/2010/12/21/taking-vince-cable-off-the-bskyb-case/ |title=Taking Vince Cable off the BSkyB case |deadurl=no |accessdate=19 August 2012}}</ref>
*] was caught red-handed by undercover journalists from ], offering special access to the Prime Minister in exchange for cash.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17503116/ | deadurl=yes}} {{Dead link|date=June 2012|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref>
*Culture Secretary ] allegedly colluded with News Corporation during their takeover bid for BSkyB, by exchanging ostensibly supportive emails with Frédéric Michel, News Corp’s director of public affairs. Hunt chose not to refer the takeover bid to the ].

==See also==
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==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* BBC News, 12 May 2010
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{{David Cameron}}
{{Nick Clegg}}
{{Cameron Cabinet}}
{{UK Conservative Party}}
{{UK Liberal Democrats}}
{{British ministries}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2010}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:United Kingdom Coalition Government 2010 To Present}}
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Latest revision as of 17:30, 13 June 2017

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