This is quite convoluted. Ordinarily you might expect that Cameron would try for the âminor partiesâ option and his own party grassroots are seemingly piling on the pressure for him to go for this option. They just donât want to go conceding too much to the Lib Dems.
If Cameron does want to go for the minor option, the most obvious combination would be the DUP and SNP. Cameron however ruled out dealing with the SNP although Alex Salmond has indicated for some time that his preference is for a Tory government (on the basis that it will antagonise the Scots and push them into his arms). However this would see them only on 319. The combined opposition would have 326.
However Cameron knows that the difficult decisions facing him in the coming period will necessitate a proper majority and that simply scraping to a position where they have one vote more than they need wonât suffice. Hence I think some sort of deal will be agreed with the Lib Dems. I think both parties are aware of this and I would expect something to be concluded fairly rapidly. Her Majesty may be having visitors this evening although I think itâs likelier to happen over the weekend
Thereâs a lot of chat about âvoting reformâ being a key part of any Lib Dem package. But what is being largely overlooked is that any such overhaul would have to go to a referendum and the chances of it being passed are regarded as very slim. So this may be a complete red herring.
The Tories were quite unlucky not to get the majority having polled a higher vote than Labour did in 2005 and being 8 points clear. Geography really thwarted them though. They just didnât make a sufficiently strong breakthrough in the North of England and made no breakthrough whatsoever in Scotland where theyâre still stuck on one seat. The swing also manifested itself in a very haphazard way. You saw for instance Birmingham Edgbaston staying Labour â youâd have expected this to only stay red if Brown was on course to be in the position Dave is in now and would have thought it was a stonewall Tory gain in light of the national result last night. Yet Montgomeryshire in Wales (number 210 on their list) went blue, although there would be a suspicion that this was as much a backlash against sitting Lib Dem MP, the âcolourfulâ Lembit Opik as much as anything.
They have no mandate to push for PR, they just got their arses handed to them in the election. Or maybe that was because there isnât PR? Hilarious to see all the labour pols whoring themselves in a desperate effort to get the lib dems on side. There was no chat out of them for electoral reform over the past 13 years.
I think I said on Page 1 of this thread that it would be an election to lose. If Labour and Lib Dems form a coalition it could well be electoral carnage for them when the next election comes around, whenever that may be, and with such a flimsy coalition in terms of numbers, it could be sooner rather than later. This is assuming that first past the post is still in operation. If PR is introduced, it would mitigate that.
Whatâs the idea Larry? Brown keeps the PM job for a while and then resigns with Labour electing the new leader? Not exactly a brilliant populist strategy given the criticisms Brown came in for with accusations that he had no mandate to be PM.
Iâm surprised at the apparent change of heart from the Lib Dems. Iâd say their members hate the tories, whatever about Clegg.
Yeah thats the reasoning behind it. Not sure how well Lib Dems role in this will go down for the following reasons.
They have said talks with Tories were going well and were looking for clarification on a couple of micro issues yet are now looking to start formal talks with Labour. Perhaps something to do with fact that there was a meeting between leading figures in the parties on Saturday and this had just been leaked?
Is it really Lib Dems role to decide how leader of Labour Party is?
If its a front bencher Ed Miliband would probably be one of most left leaning so would like to see him get leadership.
Unreal how badly the rightwing press want Labour out of government. Iâm not a fan of Labour but if theyâre pissing off the Daily Mail etc so much then that can only be a good thing.
Labour look to be pushing for Alternative Vote whis is a rather shite compromise where any candidate with >50% is elected and if not then you look at second choice etc.
Surprising turn of events. Couple of the tabloids will have trouble revoking their criticisms of Clegg but they wonât give a shit anyway. Thereâs been a huge campaign to get Cameron in and they have it now.
Channel 4 quite humorous at the moment. Theyâre not used to this coalition lark, Snow is hugely excited by the developments.
If the Lib Dems have settled for Alternative Vote as itâs rumoured then theyâre idiots. Itâs a massively watered-down alternative to PR and a complete sop.
The famine is over. Sir Alec Douglas-Home has finally shed the unwanted tag of being the last Etoninan Prime Minister. 46 years was a long wait for Number 19.
Indeed, to be followed by Boris as number 20 I expect. The crusties seem to have struck a hard bargain, fixed term parliaments, tax cuts for the low income earners, inheritance tax cut axed. Hopefully the hunting ban will still be lifted and hanging comes back.
