Nick Clegg won't support Labour in a hung parliament.

[Kingmaker2]

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.

 

So this from Nick Clegg is clear then:

 

"You're confusing two things, Andrew. What I've said in the past, which is that I think a party which has got the most votes and seats - which in other words has got the strongest mandate but without an absolute majority - has got the right to seek to form the government."

 

And also you are way out on a limb if you think Nick Clegg with about 100 MPs would get backing as PM in a coalition with either other main party with 2- 3 times as many MPs.

[Kingmaker2]

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".

 

Can't see any prospect of Cameron caving in to the kind of reform that Clegg wants.

 

What Nick Clegg wants is proportional representation.

 

Cameron has always been against proportional representation.

 

So if Cameron doesn't get a majority he may offer some limited electoral reform but not PR.

[Bigthumb]

So this from Nick Clegg is clear then:

 

"You're confusing two things, Andrew. What I've said in the past, which is that I think a party which has got the most votes and seats - which in other words has got the strongest mandate but without an absolute majority - has got the right to seek to form the government."

 

And also you are way out on a limb if you think Nick Clegg with about 100 MPs would get backing as PM in a coalition with either other main party with 2- 3 times as many MPs.

 

What he said was..

In an interview on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show, Clegg said Gordon Brown would have no right to carry on "squatting" in Downing Street if Labour received fewer votes than both the Liberal Democrats and the Tories.

 

He also said this would apply even if Labour won most seats.

 

It is obviously unpalatable to you, but thankfully your hangups have no bearing on reality.

[Kingmaker2]

What he said was..

In an interview on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show, Clegg said Gordon Brown would have no right to carry on "squatting" in Downing Street if Labour received fewer votes than both the Liberal Democrats and the Tories.

 

He also said this would apply even if Labour won most seats.

 

It is obviously unpalatable to you, but thankfully your hangups have no bearing on reality.

 

Hmm what I quoted was actually from the very SAME BBC 1 Marr interview, so Clegg's far from being clear.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/andrew_marr_show/8642638.stm

[esme]

there is no way in hell either Labour or the Conservatives are going to allow full proportional representation to pass unless they have absolutely no choice as it will remove the only thing that's keeping them as the "main" two parties and biasing the system in favour of giving one of them a majority of seats

 

so if either Lab or Con win but there isn't a clear majority winner, expect six months of bickering as the winner tries to get a bill through and is prevented by lack of support where every time the Lib Dems will ask loudly and clearly for PR first, be denied and subsequently block the vote

 

then when the PM of the time gets fed up we'll have another election and maybe the people having seen what the term "coalition" means to the two "main" parties on issues that might make a difference to the electorate, will actually get off their a*ses and boot them out of office and vote for the Lib Dems instead

 

alternatively we could just take that as read and vote Lib Dem now saving six months of useless bickering in parliament

[Sausage Dog]

Apart from the fact that he ruled that out as well.

 

I don't think he has said that. He's going to have to side with Labour or the Tories (assuming he can't form a government of his own), and Labour is the only party likely to back Clegg on voting reform.

[Sausage Dog]

No he wasn't. He was elected leader of the Conservatives in 2005, he first stood for election in 1997 and was elected as an MP in 2001.

 

I stand corrected

[Gessa]

The latest betting with Hills is that in the event of a hung parliament the Lib Dems are 1/4 to form a government with Labour keeping the Etonian spoiled toffs out.

[Sausage Dog]

Reading between the lines I think Clegg is saying he will not support Brown and if Labour come third it would be for Labour to support him (Clegg) as PM.

 

Youn could be right; we are in for an interesting few weeks. It really would be, to use that overused word, historic, if Clegg became PM. I just can't see it happening though.

[Gessa]

Well Browns an idiot and there tactic is too attack anyone this week until the last debate.

 

Well there you go then.