Purple (government) Purple (government) Purple is a common term in politics for governments or other political entities consisting of parties that have red and blue as their political colours. It is of particular note in two areas: in the politics of the Netherlands and Belgium and in the politics of the United States. "Purple" () is the nickname of a government coalition of social democrats and liberals, excluding Christian democrats. It is derived from the combination of the colour of the social democrats (red) and liberals (blue). Both the Netherlands and Belgium have had such governments. In the Netherlands the two cabinets
Palatinate (colour) Palatinate (colour) Palatinate or 'palatinate purple' is a purple colour associated with Durham University. It is used in the academic dress of Durham University and in the faculties of medicine and law at Newcastle University (being a former college of Durham University). The term has been used to refer to a number of different shades of purple. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as a "light purple or lavender colour", which is used for Durham (and Newcastle) academic hoods. For corporate purposes Durham University uses a darker shade. A separate colour, 'palatinate blue', is derived from the Coat of Arms