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

[wannaBe]

given the current prime minister stays in power until he resigns

Mr cling-on-by-his-fingernails until the last possible second?

It's like trying to take a cuddle toy away from a toddler to wash it. (Noooooo).

I could see him getting pushed out by more LibDem-friendly cabinet ministers (Milibands, Johnson) if LibDems insisted. Which would be quite likely I think - I read somewhere that Clegg really doesn't want to work with Brown.

Clegg and Brown don't seem like natural allies. Mind you they are both very left wing which could make it easier than we think for them to work together.

I think because Clegg is Mr. Telegenic Smoothy chops and Brown looks like a rather disgruntled St. Bernard people assume it wouldn't work. In terms of ideology they're pretty well matched.

I don't know about that, wasabi. I think there are some pretty big differences between them. Will Straw summed it up the other night as the difference between 'equality' and 'liberty' (GB's emphasis being the former, NC's the latter). GB also tends towards big state solutions, whereas NC doesn't.

We're not getting a hung parliament please
GB will never give up power without a fight.

What's interesting is the way the debates have reframed the election as a 3 horse race. Sucked all the oxygen aawy from likes of ukip, greens etc

Policywonk I agree to a certain extent but I still think they aren't a million miles apart. They are both very redistributive. The Lib Dem mansion tax for example would be right up Brown's street.

At least it makes a change from the usual two horse race...

I think GB would stay in place. I can't see him resigning. I think he believes in what he says and does. I may not like all of it but I do think that GB has integrity. I think he'd think that it was his job to stay.

If Clegg insisted that Brown stepping down was the price for LibDem cooperation, Brown would have no choice. I imagine Clegg would be worried about being seen to prop Brown up, esp. if Labour comes third in the popular vote.

I can't see Brown going out without one hell of a fight. The fact that we are even having this conversation makes me very wary of a "balanced parliament."

PW - do you happen to know where I can see how the polls in the run ups to previous elections compared to how people actually voted?

wg tbh I think a hung parliament is a certainty because I can't see any party getting a majority of 326 seats.

I do think that bringing nick cleg into the equasion has actually increased the chances of a hung parliament because although people will talk the talk after the debates and say "oh yes, I'll vote Lib dem," i think it's more likely that people will stick to what they know and will vote as they always have.

The lib dems aren't likely to get nearly as many votes as the poles suggest but they will probably get some more which will take away from the other parties and reduce the majority.

Hi Hassled. Not off-hand, sorry. You could try this site?

There was talk before the debates started that Clegg actually favoured working with Cameron and the conservatives, then there were rumbles within his party about that and all went quiet on that front and his 'kingmaker' line was born.

Clegg said that he would look at how the nation voted and decide, well if the nation votes in favour of the conservatives but needs support to get into government then surely that means clegg would side with cameron?

Anyone?

I don't really want GB to stay in power - even with a hung parliament, he was okay as Chancellor - but he really isn't able to lead the country effectively. I would prefer Clegg and Cameron to work together if there has to be Hung Parliament.

Well Clegg keeps saying that he thinks that the 'biggest' party should be given the chance to govern without forming a coalition first. When challenged on whether 'bigger' means seats or votes, he refuses to clarify. The LibDems are going to be having a post-election pow-wow in thre event of a hung parliament - I think Clegg can't do anything without the agreement of this group.

So, in short, nobody fucking knows

' Sucked all the oxygen aawy from likes of ukip, greens etc '

Having registered as a Green last eyar rhe only thing that ahs sucked the air from them IMO is the stupid infighting and rude emails they send each otehr which I now have to see delviered to my inbox.

Never got that when I was a LD member.

This hung parliament malarkey is making me very uneasy. If that's what we get and NC and GB form a govt. I foresee a very unstable couple of years for us and this is not the time we need that.
For now we need decisive action to manage our public finances and bring the deficit down.

"So, in short, nobody fucking knows"

I thought I was going mad PW, I knew I had heard it but the press keeps going on about GB/NC so I thought I'd got it wrong.

I think a C/LD government would be better balanced and able to work together more efficiently.

clarissimo

Oh and my dream scenario (with no comments on how unlikely it si LOL) is Clegg as PM with Brown back as Chancellor.

And before I get yelled at for being stupid or whatever we can all dream right? Doesn't mean we think it will happen.

The possibility of a Clegg- CAmeron coalition is actually a huuge stumbling block towards them getting my vote tbh.

Thank you PW

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.

If Brown fails to win a majority, he will be ceremonially decapitated on Tower Hill.

Who on earth does look like a credible PM though? If Lab did cling on in a hung parliament, and there was a leadership challenge, who would step up to the mark? Given that there might well be another general election soon after, in which labour might enter the wilderness years again, who with longterm ambition would want to take on the labour party leadership - just think of what the cons went through after major, leader after leader discarded.