Dillon–Colton proposal
The Dillon–Colton proposal is the name of a proposed confidence and supply agreement between the United Conservative Party (and the wider Conservative Coalition of Superior by extension) and the Reform Party of Superior. Named after the leaders of both parties, Isaac Dillon and Mark Colton respectively, the proposal calls for the Reform Party to agree to confidence and supply where they will back the United Conservative-led government in matters of foreign policy, budget, and potential votes of no confidence by the opposition. Calls for the proposal have been made since the beginning of Dillon's presidency with Dillon and many within his administration having expressed support for such an agreement while Colton remains cautious but is open to the possibility. There are both advocates and opponents of the agreement in both parties.
Arguments in favor of the proposed agreement includes common views on foreign policy by both parties, mainly anti-Landonism and opposing the United Commonwealth, common ground on the federal budget along with Dillon's more moderate positions since becoming president, and a history of shared opposition to the previous Liberal Democratic-led government under Jennifer Granholm. Arguments against include ideological differences between both parties and the rise in liberal and progressive support for the Reform Party since 2022.
History
Prior to 2018, the Reform Party was part of the Progressive Bloc of Superior, an electoral alliance between various center-left and progressive political parties lead by the Liberal Democratic Party formed in the aftermath of the 2015 Superian federal election, in response to Interngate, alleged violation of government ethics and abuse of power towards interns and various House Delegats (both in the opposition and government alike). In the wake of this, many in both the opposition and Reform Party voiced support for the party joining the conservative opposition. Dillon would support the motion of no confidence that triggered the 2020 election, but would not have the party join the opposition citing the national conservative and right populist platform supported by Isaac Dillon. Nonetheless, many in both camps backed having the party join the conservatives in some kind of agreement in parliament.
In 2021 during Courtgate, the Reform Party would support the vote of no confidence against Granholm and the Early Federal Election Act of 2021 which would trigger another snap election in 2022. During the 2022 election campaign, the UCP ran a more moderate, center-right and Red Tory campaign to appeal to traditionally non-conservative voters. As a result of this approach and its electoral successes, many in the Reform Party would voice support for the party forming a confidence and supply agreement with the United Conservative-led government, a proposal that many in the UCP and its allies would also voice support for. Colton himself would not state any stance on the matter, but did voice support for negotiations with Dillon and that he was opent to the possibility of such agreement or a similar one so long as he and Dillon found enough common ground to ensure such an agreement can materialize and be sustainable.