so, given we are likely to have a hung parliament, do you think that Gordon will resign or opt to stay in power?

I think GB will stay in power (and actually I hope he will until the economic crisis is over) and then hopefully be pushed aside by a younger minister. I really really hope the Libs are involved, it'll be a great balance for GB,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX_d_vMKswE

I think the tories will be the largest party if they are unable to get a slim majority. If Clegg keeps his word that they deal with with whoever has the largest electoral madate he will be talking to Cameron.

mrsbaldwin nice to see you in the Apr 22nd TV Debate thread (Politics)

Alistair Darling PM in fantasy hung parliament? Nah, he is same grey haired stock as Gordy. IMO Lab would have to front up with Miliband to match Clegg (ie to have someone similar age, similar style etc).

Anyway, my fantasy PMs in no particular order - Jack Straw, Hilary Benn or Cleggy

POssible configurations:

LibDem largest party
Cleggie Boy (PM), Sara Tether (FS), Darling Chancellor

Labour largest party
Darling (PM, the grey man), Clegg (FS), Cable (Chancellor)

I can see hanging chads before us (or whatever the UK equivalent is).

They will all be fighting like ferrets in a sack. It will unedifying.

If it's a hung parliament, I think a GE within 18 months certainly...

Anyone think there will be another GE within a year?

Bloody hell - it's not quite Ashes to Ashes (maybe more Life On Mars) but have I time travelled back to the last time Harold Wilson was in power? LOL!

lincstash you are hilarious!

so you dont believe that UNITE and GMB are going to set about Brown and the Blairites?

www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/25/gordonbrown.labour

archi ve.workersliberty.org/activity/fractions/scotland/scotprog.html

The fact is leaked on-line correspondence from the senior Unite organiser Graham Stevenson, a member of the British Communist Party's executive, shows a serious plot is now under way at the heart of Unite to seize Labour and that the union movement is adopting Communist Party values and becoming determinedly more aggressive. In 6 months time, civil war will ensue between New Labour and Old Labour. Especially if Brown loses the election.

thanks for your last line, lincstash, it's a useful red flag to any poor innocent who might be tempted to believe the rest of your post.

No idea what sexuality has to do with any of it anyway, haven't you noticed even some Tories admit they are gay these days?

"By Chil1234 Fri 23-Apr-10 13:00:27
If Brown fails to win a clear majority his own party will force a leadership election. They've been itching to do it since he hit rock bottom on the clapometer polls. Staying or leaving won't be his decision to make. "

True, but the reality is much worse, especially if they are in a hung parliment situation.

The Unions, UNITE and GMB intend to eject the Brownites and Blairites from the party and return it to its socialist roots. To that end they provide 25% of the party funding and fund (ie control) 167 of the MP's, more than half. Civil war is going to tear Labour in half, and if they are in minority government, it will panic the markets and wreck the economy as the capital leaves the country and our credit rating vanishes, killing recover.

Vote Lib-Dem to wreck the economy overnight.

And dont forget, Homosexuality is abnormal.

Tat ld policy would suit us- very well off school with 2 famillies on free school meals atm (not us) and a few hardeer up famillies in the working poor bracket (us); school seems to generally look down on poorer famillies presumably because of funding issues

Or could just be because we have a mad head LOL (disclaimer: am not stand alone on that, get roitinely stopped when out by people wanting to discuss her, teachers admit it freely and I heard a teacher asking another if they could spit in her tea last week)

Although... if the Tories end up with more votes than Labour, but fewer seats, they might begin to see the virtues of reforming the voting system, no?

...maybe not.

edam, the LD funding follows the deprived pupil, not the school. So should work counter to the indirect social selection in some schools' admission policies.

btw, policy, agree with you on Alan, can't think of anyone else who is either up to the job or catches my fancy. Although if we are talking fantasy, we could let Harriet have a go, it'd scare the life out of Paul Dacre.

School funding is already weighted to account for deprivation, which is why ds's school is always moaning (because it's in a relatively well-off area). How will the Lib Dem promise differ from existing policy?

Thanks for the quote + link, anastaisia - typed my bit before seeing second page of comments.

"So, in short, nobody fucking knows"

True, and I think it will stay that way, as it keeps both Labour and Conservative parties worried as hell, and when it comes to negotiation, will give the LDs the upper hand in pushing for electoral reform, plus some of their other manifesto intentions.

Fantasy right, can be anyone at all in the Labour Party?

Kate Hoey

This is where the COn/Lib coalition would fall down, I would think - Cons would never support proper PR because it would lock them out of government for ever.

Fantasy Labour leader game: Alan Johnson for now, Ed Miliband for later?

Political reform will be the sticking point, regardless of whatever system we moved to we're unlikely to have a conservative government again if we have a fairer system.