Depressed Lefty red eye - The morning after the night before

Cheer up Lefties. labour are the medium term winners in the mess.....I think that this gives them a chance to renew faster than they had hoped. best for them to stay out of coalition and have "clean hands". Mandy must be whistling in the shower

Yes, the Lib Dem grandees are keeping themselves very quiet indeed. They must have the meeja pounding at their doors.

What do you think will happen nearlytoolate?

There doesn't seem to be a really workable solution if the Tories won't compromise on an electoral reform referendum (for which they and Murdoch will campaign hard for no change).

Beachcomber its a nice idea, and might even have been a goer if the LibDems had made more electoral progress. But the way the numbers fall it just doesn't add up, plus factoring GB unpopularity and (in my view) inability to work in a collaborative fashion...

TDiddy the triple lock would prevent NG entering into an agreement without agreement of the party. Is it 2/3rds? Anyone notice lack of comment by senior LDs? David Steel. David Owen. Wonder why....

The deed is done.

New thread when we're ready for it or the loading of this one tips us over the edge

nearlytoolate - the party will be sceptical of a leader getting himself a nice cabinet seat and sacrificing real electoral reform. I really think that will trump everything else. It would split the party, I am quite certain about that

Meant to say - really odd tweet from Labour Prolesworth!

I'm one of those people nearlytoolate. I only think Gordon should remain PM long enough to get a coalition together which will promise a referendum on electoral reform.

Once this coalition is up and running a new leader should be chosen and a referendum held.

This is what I think should happen (if Hameron refuses a referendum on electoral reform) but I see that GB is too unpopular to pull it off.

I think it is right that the Tories have been given the first chance at doing a deal with the Libdems - however it is not Brown's fault if the other two fail to conclude this deal.

Just read this comment on the LibDem Fed Exec site;

"I don?t mind if the Lib Dems work with the Tories for the good of the country, but never at the price of electoral reform. The Lib Dems should try and negotiate the best deal they can for Labour and Liberal voters with the Tories. If they are able to agree a deal which includes electoral reform then fine. If not then they should tell the Tories that they plan to take 24 hours to think about it.

At this point they should go in front of the press and simply state they are ready to work with the Conservatives in a strong coalition as long as they promise to let the people decide on electoral reform in a referendum or they will have no option to start talk with Labour on a minority government. They should say they are offering a full term parliament deal to satisfy the financial markets contingent on letting the people decide in a referendum.

The onus would then be on the Tories to explain why they can?t let the people decide what electoral system they want and why they are against having a deal which would be in the interests of stability!

For me there can be no deal without at least some electoral reform."

Interesting point of view.

Is it just me, or is it not vaguely surreal that people are still claiming Gordon could be PM?

Been out just got back

What's occuring?

I agree but I think you are under-estimating the extent to which the Libs will be desperate for power and to prove they can make a coalition work.
And, the numerous examples of Lib/Tory alliances at local level. Libs are not nearly as close or well disposed towards labour as we would like to think.

Labour is really winding up LibDem supporters:

"Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw insisted Mr Brown could stay in No 10 in a coalition deal, telling the Today programme: "It would be inconceivable to me for the Liberal Democrats to sign up to anything that fell short of a guarantee of a referendum on reform of the voting system."

ilovemydogobama whether he is bluffing or not he will soon find out that he will split the party and still end up with no PR if he takes the ConLib route.

From a Tory point of view DC should also avoid the mess as well or atleast not give away PR.

From a Labour point of view: they should wait until they are the only option or best of all, not get involved at all.

Slightly OT but am PMSL at all the English Tories stamping their feet and saying 'snot fair' that the Scottish vote has scuppered things for them.

They can blame Thatcher (and our unfair voting system which they weirdly still endorse) for that.

ooh lenin what kind of takeaway? Am contemplating a thai, but they don't deliver. The indian one does, but minimum order means I'd order waaayyy too much.

Re: Nick Clegg. Wonder if it's a bluff. He has no intention of working with Tories, but would be in better bargaining position with GB?

Pondering leftie thread ---

Well, when I read the "depressed lefty red eye" I immediately thought it was an oblique reference to the prime minister :-)

I agree - but maybe it would be better for Clegg not to insist on a PR referendum under the Tories (which, let's face it, will never be allowed to succeed), but wait until such time Lib and Lab can really work on it together - i.e. work towards a jointly agreed proposal for the next election.

I like Hassled's suitably vague title.

Len, I have just CATed you...

I don't understand why people are still trying to muster up a progressive majority for PR - it seems very clear to me that Clegg has no intention of working with Labour.

I think Labour should stop telling NC what to do - it will only backfire!