Kingmaker2 Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 , so a lib/whoever deal could see nick clegg being pm for a few months while the other party sorts itself out. Highly unlikely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingmaker2 Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Speaking to Andrew Marr on the BBC this morning Nick Clegg was asked if he would support Gordon Brown in a hung parliament if Labour polled 3rd in terms of votes. Clegg ruled out going into coalition propping up Labour under such circumstances even if they won most seats. It's now becoming a little clearer as to what Clegg was saying. He's essentially saying If the Conserveratives don't get a majority of seats then, even though it will be Brown's prerogative as incumbant Prime Minister, to form a coalition government, then Clegg will not play ball. That will leave Cameron forming a minority government or possibly a Con/Lib coalition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingmaker2 Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 To me what he is saying, with Brown as leader (thus PM designate) count me (and the Lib Dems) out. Get rid of Brown and maybe we can talk. Not quite, What he is saying is that the Labour party and Brown won't get his support should the Conservatives get more seats but no majority. Even if Labour get less seats than the Conservatives, Brown as incumbent PM will STILL have the right to attempt to form a coalition government over Cameron, what Clegg is saying is that he won't form a coalition with Brown in these circumstances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unregistered Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Even the Americans want Clegg to win (actually they want Vinny Cable to help their own Treasury Secretary in a North Atlantic financial alliance.) . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PC Brigade Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 According to the OP Clegg will support the Tories even if Labour get the most seats. So there you have it, vote Lib Dem get Tory. Same old Tories but yellow. Not quite - he said he wouldn't support Labour if they had the least votes, but still came out with the most seats. It's a demonstration of our broken electoral system that Labour could lose by millions of votes and still be the largest party. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigthumb Posted April 26, 2010 Author Share Posted April 26, 2010 It's now becoming a little clearer as to what Clegg was saying. He's essentially saying If the Conserveratives don't get a majority of seats then, even though it will be Brown's prerogative as incumbant Prime Minister, to form a coalition government, then Clegg will not play ball. That will leave Cameron forming a minority government or possibly a Con/Lib coalition. I think everyone else had figured that out 92 postings ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigthumb Posted April 26, 2010 Author Share Posted April 26, 2010 Not quite, What he is saying is that the Labour party and Brown won't get his support should the Conservatives get more seats but no majority. Even if Labour get less seats than the Conservatives, Brown as incumbent PM will STILL have the right to attempt to form a coalition government over Cameron, what Clegg is saying is that he won't form a coalition with Brown in these circumstances. What he said was... regardless of the amount of seats any party got, should Labour poll less votes than the Lib/Dems and the Conservatives he wouldn't form a coalition government with Labour (the 3rd placed party in terms of votes not seats). He was very specific in his interview and clarified the position several times under questioning from Andrew Marr. The English language is a wonderful thing if people use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 What he said was... regardless of the amount of seats any party got, should Labour poll less votes than the Lib/Dems and the Conservatives he wouldn't form a coalition government with Labour (the 3rd placed party in terms of votes not seats). He was very specific in his interview and clarified the position several times under questioning from Andrew Marr. The English language is a wonderful thing if people use it. As you pointed out some time ago. But I feel Clegg, by being so specific, has hung a millstone round his neck by committing to a partnership with the Tories in those circumstances. New Labour are his natural allies and he will never get the electoral reform he's aiming for by an alliance with the Tories. In fact the prospect of a Tory/Lib Dem alliance could lose Clegg a lot of votes. Clegg has repeatedly said he would not work with Gordon Brown but that doesn't mean he couldn't work with New Labour; Brown doesn't have to be their leader and I'm sure lots of New Labour MPs and voters would be glad to see the back of him. IT is never wise to lay your cards on the table in politics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigthumb Posted April 26, 2010 Author Share Posted April 26, 2010 As you pointed out some time ago. But I feel Clegg, by being so specific, has hung a millstone round his neck by committing to a partnership with the Tories in those circumstances. New Labour are his natural allies and he will never get the electoral reform he's aiming for by an alliance with the Tories. In fact the prospect of a Tory/Lib Dem alliance could lose Clegg a lot of votes. Clegg has repeatedly said he would not work with Gordon Brown but that doesn't mean he couldn't work with New Labour; Brown doesn't have to be their leader and I'm sure lots of New Labour MPs and voters would be glad to see the back of him. IT is never wise to lay your cards on the table in politics Oddly enough the pundits totally disagree with you. The Tories had started to campaign on the slogan "vote yellow get brown" . Clegg has effectively shot that down in flames. The political commentators seem to think it is a very shrewd move. But what do they know when we can listen to the opinion of a Labour supporter on here. P.S.. The Liberals went into coalition before with Labour on the back of a load of promises, none of which materialised. Perhaps they have learned not to trust liars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 OTOH..." Nick Clegg signalled that the Lib Dems would only support a government that offered electoral reform. The Lib Dem leader told a news conference electoral reform was "an absolute precondition for renewal in this country". An hour later, at a Conservative press conference, Cameron said that he was not in favour of electoral reform. But he refused to give a categorical commitment to maintaining the current first-past-the-post system." http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2010/apr/26/general-election-2010-live-blog Can't see any prospect of Cameron caving in to the kind of reform that Clegg wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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