BS: Tories just short of a majority

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Lox
Date: 07 May 10 - 09:18 AM

Richard - its a choice of the tories or Labour for clegg, and no matter which way he turns the losing side will make your complaint.

And anyone else in his position would have to make the same choice.

His circumstances say nothing about his character.

He will fall in with labour, of that there is very little doubt, as his demands will be too much for the tories to stomach.

But you can't expect him to give Brown what he wants without making him work for it.

You watch how Slimy Gordon gets when he starts comes to Woo ... that will be equally unpalatable if not more so as he has considerably less charisma ...

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 07 May 10 - 09:11 AM

Ratty, you display your ignorance. Constitutionally the convention is clear. The sitting PM has the first go. If he fails then the wily old constitutional lawyer on the gold chair, her maj (who has consistently shown better political nous than the parties, apart from her perfectly correct views about the church of Diana the Martyr in which she failed to grasp the stupid sentimentality about the "people's princess") should send for the person she judges most likely to be able to form a government - but for over 50 years (I'd have to look up the date) that crown prerogative has been exercised only on advice and not as a matter of political judgment.

IMHO Clegg has now shown himself to be slimy and unprincipled public schoolboy (from Westminster) and if he buys into being "Dave"'s bumboy he will destroy the LibDems. He may have done it already.

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Lox
Date: 07 May 10 - 08:09 AM

Clegg is just playing hard to get. He knows Brown needs him and vice versa.

Its a political Passo Doble - Clegg flirts with Cameron to increase Browns desire, but he's always looking over his shoulder ...

... The question is whether Brown has the balls to go up and 'win him back'.

Brown and cameron are both salivating at the thought, but balancing it with a 'you ain't all that ...' attitude.

I hope they don't show it till after the watershed ...

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: GUEST,Allan
Date: 07 May 10 - 07:55 AM

"The Labour Party do NOT have the right to try to form a government first. That right belongs to the Conservative Party,who have won both the most seats and the largest percentage of the vote."

That is an opinion but that is all it is. Convention is that Brown as incumbant has the right to attempt to form a govt. The problem for him is that Clegg isn't playing ball with that - and how could he after he's already expressed his opinion that the party with the most seats should go first? So Brown can't initially form a govt if the Lib Dems won't talk but that doesn't mean he does not have the right to attempt it. No doubt if Clegg can't work with the Tories he may then go back to Labour without losing face with the electorate over his comments so far.

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 May 10 - 07:55 AM

Maybe we should send Bill Clinton over to mediate a grand coalition government.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: theleveller
Date: 07 May 10 - 07:49 AM

Just been talking to my son who's doing a history and politics degree and we agree that there will most likely be another election within 12 months.

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 07 May 10 - 07:44 AM

it seems likely that the final arbiter in this instance will be Her Majesty The Queen

So it all could hinge on whether a rich woman with about as much idea of what goes in real life as I have of life in the Kalahari? Good grief. What a pity I am too old to get the next boat to Australia. Still, seeing as I am half Polish and don't really belong here, according to some people, I could always be forcibly re-patriated...

DeG

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: theleveller
Date: 07 May 10 - 07:39 AM

"however it seems likely that the final arbiter in this instance will be Her Majesty The Queen (God Bless Her),"

What a complete load of bollocks - old Lizzie Windsor has absolutely no say in the governance of this country (thankfully) and is just a useless anachronism - despite what her idiot son might think. What century are you living in, bubblyrat?

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 07 May 10 - 07:36 AM

It's all down to the Queen now, basically ...

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Lox
Date: 07 May 10 - 07:35 AM

Constitutional convention allows Brown to have the first go.

Clegg is playing hard to get.

The Tories will not accept Cleggs Demands.

But he will tease Labour until they offer a range of concessions that he is prepared to accept.

Ultimately, Brown will form a Government with Clegg, and the next election will be PR.

Then we can begin the business of democracy.

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Howard Jones
Date: 07 May 10 - 07:33 AM

I'm not sure that's correct. The Conservatives have the most votes and the most seats, so arguably (and the other parties are arguing) they have a mandate, but they don't have the parliamentary arithmetic to form a government without some help. As I understand it, Gordon Brown is still the Prime Minister and has the right to try to form a new government. If he thinks he can command a majority in Parliament, he can carry on, until he's overturned by a vote of no confidence. However, he may decide he's got no chance, and resign. In either case the Conservatives could then try to form a government, and would themselves face the risk of a vote of no confidence. If it emerges that no one can command a working majority, we'll face another election.

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: bubblyrat
Date: 07 May 10 - 07:24 AM

The Labour Party do NOT have the right to try to form a government first. That right belongs to the Conservative Party,who have won both the most seats and the largest percentage of the vote.However,they can only form a majority government IF they promise to A) govern in the interests of the country and B) promise to attend to both national AND Liberal Democrat issues regarding the efficacy of the current parliamentary voting system,in which case Mr Clegg,the Lib/Dem leader,has intimated that he might be amenable to reaching some sort of political accord or alliance.
                Mr Clegg ( I don't know him personally,thus I don't call him "Nick",as it would be both rude and presumptuous )has already indicated ,on TV earlier this morning,that he is sticking to his principle of putting himself and his party in the position of supporting,or at least being prepared to be approached by,the party that gains or has gained the most votes, which in this instance is undeniably the Conservative party.
                   Mr Brown will doubtless try to do his utmost to remain as Prime Minister,and is unlikely to resign,however it seems likely that the final arbiter in this instance will be Her Majesty The Queen (God Bless Her),who will, presumably,ask him to state whether or not he is able to form a credible,workable,and legitimate government ; since it appears to be about 99% certain that he will have to answer "No", then that should be the end of that.
                Since we now have a "Hung" ,or as others euphemistically call it, "Balanced" parliament, it is very likely that another election will be called,perhaps within the next two years. Under those circumstances,the Liberal Democrats will,with an eye to future public opinion,be very cautious about just what they are prepared to offer or concede IF any agreement with the Conservatives is in fact reached. We live in interesting times !!

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Lox
Date: 07 May 10 - 06:58 AM

Bear in mind that the Tory share of the vote only increased by 3.9%

The Lib Dem share went up by 1%

So for David Cameron and all his supporters to talk about the resounding will of the public etc is a pack of lies.

The Facts .. so far

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: theleveller
Date: 07 May 10 - 06:53 AM

"But at least Nazi Nick got a bloody nose ! "

As did the other neo-nazis, UKIP (quite literally in one case!)

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Leadfingers
Date: 07 May 10 - 06:43 AM

MOST voters were in favour of a Hung Parliament - And MOST voters think Hung is the same as Hanged !

But at least Nazi Nick got a bloody nose !

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 07 May 10 - 06:40 AM

As a member of the Labour Party who recognises that we have lost the respect and trust of lots of previous voters I am heartened that people didn't return the Tories to power and did not choose the Lib Dems much either.

What happens now will be a bit interesting

L in C

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: peregrina
Date: 07 May 10 - 06:28 AM

constitutional convention (according to the papers) is that if there's a hung parliament, the sitting government stays, it's not the newcomer-with-most-seats-short-of-majority

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 07 May 10 - 06:24 AM

So far Old Etonians + Irish lickspittles (various) 300
Lab + Lib/Dem 303

So it all comes down to what the rag tag and bobtail will do - and most of them look pretty unlikely to fancy being "Dave"'s bumboys.

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: theleveller
Date: 07 May 10 - 05:13 AM

Well, looks like no-one won, but at least the Spawn of She-Devil Thatcher aren't going to get a working majority so they're unlikely to get the most repulsive of their policies through. Gordon Brown has the right to try to form a government first, if he can form an alliance with the Lib Dems. Watch this space!

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 07 May 10 - 04:50 AM

Blue suit on today!!

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: GUEST,Allan
Date: 07 May 10 - 04:39 AM

"If they do fall short of a majority who will they form a coalition government with? Labour? LibDems? BNP?"

BNP don't come into it as they have no MPs. Lib Dems would normally slide more towards Labour and the Tories have said they wouldn't countenance electoral reform so that looks unlikely. Outside of the various Ulster Unionists I can't really see who else would work with the Tories and it is unlikely that they would have a majority even with DUP support! Even though they are Labour's main rivals in Scotland I can't envisage the Scottish nationalists backing the Tories. Scoland has so turned its back on the Tories that Salmond surely couldn't countenance backing them and he has said they would vote on issues rather than go into any coalition. So I can't see the Tories getting a majority though it looks unlikely that any Lab-Lib coalition would have a majority either. Most likely eventual scenario if the Tories can't get the Lib_Dems to back them is perhaps Cameron running a minority govt!

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: GUEST,mark-s(on the road)
Date: 06 May 10 - 11:53 PM

Just heard they might have a hung parliament in England.
Wow - you Brits are tough.
Wonder how we arrange something like that here!
Mark (now waiting for a knock on the door from the thought police)

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: mousethief
Date: 06 May 10 - 10:45 PM

Tea leaves.

If they do fall short of a majority who will they form a coalition government with? Labour? LibDems? BNP?

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Gervase
Date: 06 May 10 - 07:06 PM

Chicken gizzards.

Subject: RE: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: Lox
Date: 06 May 10 - 06:04 PM

exit polls

Subject: BS: Tories just short of a majority
From: GUEST,The Smiler
Date: 06 May 10 - 05:53 PM

How the F*** do they know that already? time 22:53 UK time