Andrew: Yes, political parties are coalitions… but built around a core of
common values. A political party is rather like a human personality–always
lots of idiosyncracies and contradictions, probably some skeletons in the
closet, capable of surprising us now and then, but presenting an overall
gestalt to the world that will attract some, repel others, and be
acceptable or unacceptable to yet others depending on their inclinations and
circumstances, and the temper of the times. On the matter of third parties,
though: remember that Labour was once a third party….