So Labour have blown it!

[hitch_1980]

Aww...come on. Now they are scraping the bottom of the barrel.

 

At least they will have the option of seeing the bottom of the barrel

[Photofit Ed]

At least they will have the option of seeing the bottom of the barrel

 

If you gaze long enough into the bottom of a barrel, you will finish up in the bottom of a barrel. I would sooner be perceived as losing than supping with the devil.

Have the Bories no dignity left?

[andyofborg]

Well Clegg has consistently refused to clarify his position, flip flopping in almost every direction.

 

However from the Andrew Marr interview Clegg did say he wouldn't want to prop up a government that finished last in the popular vote......but he made no mention if Labour actually beat the Lib Dems in the popular vote.

So I certainly wouldn't rule out Clegg doing a deal with Labour if they dangle electoral reform (But not PR) in front of him.

 

As far as the Conservatives go, they indeed will try to form a government without the LibDems if they possibly can and will look to other alliances first.

 

the problem is that until we have the results its almost impossible for clegg to decide what he's going to do, there are simply too many alternatives in terms of number of seats and proportion of the vote.

 

labour are closer to the lib dems in ideology so it would be easier for them to deal with labour than the conservatives and labour get first go at making a government but only if labour come first, a close second or gordon brown falls on is sword fairly quickly.

 

i doubt anything other than proper PR will be an acceptable option for the lib dems, the first past the post+ system favoured by Brown enhances all the worst parts of the current system and provides none of the benefits.

 

the only other parties likely to have a significant number of mp's for the conservatives to deal with will be the welsh, scottish and irish mp's and they have pretty much made their conditions clear - no cuts to our budgets and more devolved power - neither of which will be possible either fiscally or idealogically for any party

[Uptowngirl]

The UUP support the conservatives already, so thats another 10 ish seats to back any Tory government.

 

I had already taken account of them and Sinn Fein in my sums. 314 seats will see the Tories home and dry. But regardless of that I do fear the Clegg may have missed the boat.

He could have offered a deal with Cameron before polling day. (maybe he did) If after the count Cameron has a majority or can put one together without Clegg, then Nick has blown it. He might have lost his only chance at being in government.

[hitch_1980]

I had already taken account of them and Sinn Fein in my sums. 314 seats will see the Tories home and dry. But regardless of that I do fear the Clegg may have missed the boat.

He could have offered a deal with Cameron before polling day. (maybe he did) If after the count Cameron has a majority or can put one together without Clegg, then Nick has blown it. He might have lost his only chance at being in government.

 

Secret deals....where have I heard that before.....oh yeah, blair and brown

[Kingmaker2]

the problem is that until we have the results its almost impossible for clegg to decide what he's going to do, there are simply too many alternatives in terms of number of seats and proportion of the vote.

 

To be fair I think Clegg slipped up in the Andrew Marr interview.

 

At that time Clegg was riding high in the polls on the back of the first debate and Labour were trailing behind in third.

Clegg was a little presumptuous into thinking that the polls would still have the Lib Dems polling higher than Labour come polling day, most polls now put the Lib Dems in third.

It was quite noticeable to me that Lib Dem support in the polls began to fall off after the Andrew Marr Nick Clegg interview and the subsequent flip flops.

[Photofit Ed]

I had already taken account of them and Sinn Fein in my sums. 314 seats will see the Tories home and dry. But regardless of that I do fear the Clegg may have missed the boat.

He could have offered a deal with Cameron before polling day. (maybe he did) If after the count Cameron has a majority or can put one together without Clegg, then Nick has blown it. He might have lost his only chance at being in government.

 

ERM......so what the Cons are doing actually is counting their small change in the hope that they can afford a bottle of champagne between them. If the Cons do manage to form such a very fragile government as is suggested they will have no more power than the opposition have.

They will be constantly under public scrutiny and should they err, we shall kick their butts.....VERY VERY HARD!

[Uptowngirl]

Well actually it does, because like it or not the incumbent PM, as convention dictates, remains the Prime Minister in the event of no one party winning overall majority.

It is up to Brown to try to form a workable government and it is only after Brown decides that he can't then he will have to recommend to the Queen who could, which obviously could be Cameron.

 

What happens after the election in a hung parliament is ultimately up to Brown not Cameron......Cameron will need to wait for Brown to wave the white flag before going to the Queen.

 

What a big pile of toe nail clippings. If no party has an overall majority, as soon as the counting is finished both Brown and Cameron will be dashing around trying to do deals. It isn't up to Brown at all, and it certainly isn't necessary for Cameron to wait until Brown has failed to put together a coalition before he tries to put his own together.

If Cameron has another party's support, it isn't there for Brown. So effectively the first to get together 325 supporting MPs is Prime Minister.

[andyofborg]

I had already taken account of them and Sinn Fein in my sums. 314 seats will see the Tories home and dry. But regardless of that I do fear the Clegg may have missed the boat.

He could have offered a deal with Cameron before polling day. (maybe he did) If after the count Cameron has a majority or can put one together without Clegg, then Nick has blown it. He might have lost his only chance at being in government.

 

sinn fein never take their seats in parliament

[Photofit Ed]

What a big pile of toe nail clippings. If no party has an overall majority, as soon as the counting is finished both Brown and Cameron will be dashing around trying to do deals. It isn't up to Brown at all, and it certainly isn't necessary for Cameron to wait until Brown has failed to put together a coalition before he tries to put his own together.

If Cameron has another party's support, it isn't there for Brown. So effectively the first to get together 325 supporting MPs is Prime Minister.[/QUOTE]

 

Technically you are incorrect. Practically you have lots to learn about politics. Such a fragile government would never be allowed to survive for very long in England, it never has been.