to think that if the SNP hold the balance of power in Westminster it would be a hoot

[grovel]

to be in the room with Salmond, Sturgeon, Balls and Miliband as they discuss co-operation? Salmond and Balls are highly adept at getting under other peoples' skin. Sturgeon has already said she'll give Miliband some backbone.

Not reallly the only people will be sniggering will be the scots as her only intention is to safe gaurd their jobs, their future,their schools so I would imagin it won't be very funny at all
Espically when they undermine the Union so much it would have no choice it breaking up and even sturgon believes from what you said about backbone ed is to weak for the job he would be buillied by them if this happens LABOUR will be the junior partner regardless of how many seats they have because ed is so weak

Would Sturgeon even be there? I know she's party leader but not a Westminster MP.

It would be interesting though.

I was talking about the body language, not the outcome.

Hilarious.

This is the next 5 years of our lives...

Well, at least there is bugger all chance of it happening.

Well I would love to be a fly on the wall. Can't imagine the 'chemistry' would be all that great.

Did you watch Coalition? The Labour negotiators brought muffins to the meeting. Everyone got really excited. Very funny.

I did. Can't decide what I thought of it.

99 you're talking utter cotter.

The Sturgeon has said they won't go into coalition with labour and the most they will offer is confidence and supply. Allied to that is the fact that the Snp are in a fairly weak bargaining position as the won't do a deal with the Tories whereas Labour will have other options. Minority government with or without the Lib Dems.

You claim to be a supporter of the union but a consequence of this is that the Snp are standing in a British election and will send their MPs to a Westminster parliament that represents all of Britain. Therefore they are free to lend their support to whoever they like and vote as they see fit.

What's everyone scared of?

Scotland has elected MPs to Westminster for a long time. Snp have been in Westminster for a long time.

Every mp is meant to look out for their constituency.

It's, at the very best, 59 seats out of 450.

There's no referendum on the agenda.

The SNP have more to them than independence.

So what are people worried about?

I enjoyed it. I thought Gordon Brown came out of it really well. I even cried a bit for him.

The entire system would become perverted. The SNP could tax the English heavily to provide a bounty for the scots. They could support unpopular policies in England which the scots would be unaffected by.

I feel that lack of democracy needs sorting. It is not right the present situation where Scottish and Welsh mps get to decide English matters but not vice a versa.

I would not mind an snp coalition if the English get devolution as well.

Freally* and we have had a government by a shower of Tories who attracted 13 per cent of the popular vote and one mp.

Cuts both ways.

Then you should have been shouting for devolution a long time ago.

It's the parliament of the whole of the UK. Not just England.

SNP MPS already abstain from voting on English only issues that won't affect Scotland.

What possible scenario are you imagining that a vote in parliament would mean that the SNP MPs were able to actually inflict a tax on English people for the benefit of Scotland. I'll say it again; at the very, very best/worst the SNP would have 59 seats. Out of 450. You do the maths.

ComposHatComesBack hit the nail on the head: sauce for the goose!

Labour and the Tories should if necessary agree a non-aggression pact to prevent the Scottish tail wagging the English dog. They should vote together for EVEL and to repeal the Barnett formula.

Sigh.

What planet are you living on that you think 59 Scottish MP's can support laws that will compromise England and benefit Scotland.

The SNP will back socially democratic policies. As will Plaid Cymru.

If current government policies weren't so SE centric, maybe there wouldn't be so much support for leaving the UK in Scotland.

also...

Sorry OP, yes, it could be amusing.

the scottish tail wagging the english dog

Give me strength.

I reckon after last night, the prospect of Miliband and Sturgeon working together will actually be quite appealing for many. The Tories may regret raising the idea! Especially since they themselves have
Nigel 'leave people with HIV to rot' Farage and his merry band as the group people are expecting them to chum up with.

Malkie - So pleased I wasn't the only one

Agrestic, I just thought he came across as really principled and passionate, not a smooth politician. It was the bit where he was talking to Mandelson and he realised that he was the problem and would have to resign. It just really got to me.

The muffins in the meeting made me laugh because it reminded me of my staff room whenever a packet of biscuits appears. Everyone gets so excited.

maybe there wouldn't be so much support for leaving the UK in Scotland

You may remember that there was more support for in Scotland for remaining in the UK. Those who did vote Yes didn't really seem to do so because they felt the current Government was too SE centric iirc. Numerous other reasons came before that.