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

Clegg doesn't like Brown, I sincerely doubt he will enter into a coalition with them without the condition that Brown steps down. Just cannot see it.

I don't see a Con/Lib Dem coalition working either, they are poles apart on electoral reform and Europe.

Labour are rubbish at getting rid of their useless leaders though - their own party machinery makes it a bloody sight more complicated than the Tories who are utterly ruthless.

Have to agree that nobody has a clue. Clegg has said that he would work with the biggest party which is probably likely to be the Tories but Vince Cable working with the likes of Olver Letwin???? I just can't see how it would work in practice.

I would love to believe in this happy, clappy lets all work together and have a govt of all the talents stuff but I'm just too cynical. They'd spend all their time manouvering for the next election and it'll crash and burn. I would love to be proved wrong on this - coalition govts are a lovely concept and seem to work in a lot of countries.

But not in this one.

Grimma Peter Mandelson

Lib Dems have said in the press they would offer their support to the party with most votes if they'd agree to support 4 of the Lib Dems key policies.

"? Investing extra funds in education through a pupil premium for disadvantaged children.

? Tax reform, taking 4 million out of tax and raising taxes on the rich by requiring capital gains and income to be taxed at the same rate.

? Rebalancing of the economy to put less emphasis on centralised banking and more on a new greener economy.

? Political reforms, including changes to the voting system and a democratically elected Lords, that go further than proposed by Labour."
The Guardian; 14/2/10

imo and in answer to OP they will have to push him and quite hard too

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.

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?

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

Kate Hoey

"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.

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

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?

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.

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.

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)

"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.

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?

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.

lincstash you are hilarious!

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!

Anyone think there will be another GE within a year?

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

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

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

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)