Toasting the new politics

Old habits die hard, especially in our tribal, confrontational brand of politics.

Getting a group of Conservative and Lib Dem activisits together to chat on television about their parties' parliamentary marriage wasn't plain sailing.

The Tory club in North West Bristol wobbled a bit when they heard we wanted to bring several of the other side into their bar.

And it took some effort to find party members to go face to face on live TV.

But the end result was an antidote to the normal, cynical view of parties and their members.

Looking at the half dozen sipping drinks together it was hard to guess who came from which party.

Among them: a British Asian woman, who works in the public sector, a male teacher who used to be a Labour councillor, and a middle-aged woman who'd spent 25 years fighting the other lot.

The ice broken, they chatted cheerfully about the challenges facing the coalition.

And under the intimidating glare of a live camera the mood of goodwill didn't wilt (not even when I asked, rather meanly, "What do you like least about the Lib Dems?").

As we handed back to the studio, they toasted the new government.

And as we packed up our vehicles and prepared to drive off, one Lib Dem was still happily inside talking to the Tories who until a week before had been her biggest rivals.

If their leaders can keep it as convivial, maybe this marriage of convenience can last.

Politics certainly does look different these days.

Especially when you put the party labels to the activists: the British Asian woman and the ex-Labour councillor were Tories, the older woman was a Lib Dem.