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

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

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

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.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX_d_vMKswE

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,

Yes GB should stay in and sort out the shit he created!

Mind you he has had a while to sort out a lot of shit (which obviously the tory government left for him - or was that the Blair government in which he was deeply involved???) and hasn't got anywhere so far has he - keeps telling us all these wonderful things he is going to do so we will vote for him but he has had 12 years to do something wonderful and so far the only thing I can say is great (and I am being sarcastic) is surestart!

I'm trying to imagine what a civil war between old and new labour would be like.

Will Old Labour wear donkey jackets and sing the internationale and man some barricades? Whilst New Labour will wear designer clothes, sing Things Can Only Get Better and eat antipasti? Will New Labour be armed with extra virgin olive oil? Old Labour with pints of bitter?

Prescott might throw a punch I suppose but Blair will dodge it. Then what? Mandy throwing Molotov cocktails?

I just can't see it ...

Lol Quattro Some people really do have over active imaginations (not you mind, I enjoyed that imagery)

If there IS a HUNG-parliament NC is easily going to be the most WELL qualified member---

I found this little nuclear nugget yesterday - tangential, but very revealing:

(my added emphasis on the pay off line, and the translation is by someone called Christopher le Coq, apparently)

Jacques Foos is the chair holder of isotope radiation and the president of the ?environmental center? of CNAM. He is the vice president of the commission of the surveillance factory of the Hague (CSPI). The government named him an expert in the field of ionizing rayons for the creation of a national plan ?health-environment". This is what he has to say:

"... Of course France, due to pressure from the anti-nuclear crowd, could stop nuclear energy; it?s a small country that would find itself at 300th in the world... Better to stay on this path and help other countries benefit from our pioneer experience in this field ? it can only be extremely profitable for our country."

(er, France , that is) ...

mrsbaldwin - you are right about Jack Straw being a good call as front man for Labour post Brown

Tashtodd - Clegg's priority will be electorial reform and not who the largest party is; I feel certain about that.

Brown has ruined this country by de-regulating the banks and allowing them to sell and re-sell all these crazy "products" to each other which included re-packaged mortgages that had been sold to people who couldnt afford to re-pay them so we ended up bailing out the banks. He also sold half our country's gold reserves at rock bottom price - why does anyone still even talk about him - find out your facts !!

TDiddy - he might not keep his seat.

Do you know why it is now a 3 horse race instead of just the normal 2?

The media is highly politically aligned..
We don't live in a free world.. the press and Media is controlled highly bias either to one or the other party..

I had my own political party (SwindonOrgUK party) before I got divorced and lost my Treasurer.. :-( Mainly to get PR for my web site.
According to the Electoral Commission media exposure is not to be biased and is to be equal..
Words only. Look at how much PR and expensive full colour glossy A2 leaflets and billboards are being used by the two main parties.

All the political main parties are aware of the ticked off, fed up, disillusioned and angry electors. So they included Lib Dems to distract voters with something new so the electors forget what has made them angry..

Does this ring a bell?
Just wait until they find that the voters aren't kids.. and anyway they aren't the boss of us.. well hopefully not for much longer.

Who am I well I'm one such ticked off, fed up .. elector who saw there was no Independent standing and decided that there should be, so people can protest by using their vote instead of spoiling it or by not voting.
?The accomplice to the crime of corruption is frequently our own indifference?.

One email got 500,000 to become Jedi's for fun.
I believe this year the term 'Protest Vote' will be used more and more.
1 million new young voters have registered..
Why, when have teenagers cared to vote?

Wait and see how many new Independents get in and how many votes they get.

If you disagree with what I term as 'bollocktics' check out your local independent or other small party and vote for them (not ones like BNP) or write 'Protest Vote' on your voting slip.

In the unlikely event I got elected I'd definately call for the EC to add that option to future voting slips.
Then if more than a 3rd were Protest Votes that would be the same as no confidence in that constituency and cancel the election result for say 6 months until Parties have nominated new more believable manifestos and candidates.

That would be after I told the House that they talk a loads of b.....ks .. :-D

Karsten Evans
South Swindon Protest Vote candidate
www.swindon.org.uk

I find the prospect of a hung parliament deeply depressing.
Nothing will get sorted out (probably including who's PM) for ages, there will be more hints, deal and denials,endless bickering and pontificating on everything. There will be less honesty as they will all be saying one thing and trying to do another. The election will only be the beginning of it all, not the decider.

jennyftm - even if we don't like Brown you cannot accuse him of deregulating the banks!??? I think deregulation was a Thatcheterite stream? Blair and Brown transferred supervision from the Bank of England to FSA but I am not sure why everyone talks about this as being significant when the evidence is that other western central banks did nothing to stop the bubble. In fact the BoE interest rates setting was at the heart of our own bubble.

And Brown certainly didn't create derivative products. And by the way, it is time that someone pointed out how much revenue the UK earned over many many years by being the most advanced financial centre. Far far more than the govt invested in the banks recently. And by the way, the UK govt will make a profit from their investment in the banks.

There is so much unfounded talk about the financial crisis; so much mis-information that it is startling.

londonartemis - I think breaking the complacent duopoly of Conservatives and Labour could turn out to be a good thing.

"I find the prospect of a hung parliament deeply depressing.
Nothing will get sorted out (probably including who's PM) for ages," .......as though much ever gets done anyway?

TDiddy - I can understand wanting to break up the duopoly, and I'm not against that per se. Rather, I just think that with a hung parliament we'll get less honesty and decisiveness as each faction (and there are factions within the parties) tries to do backroom deals on everything. With the state of the economy at the moment, I am a bit worried nothing will ever get done and we carry on slipping into more and more debt.

I think there will be an attempt by Labour to stay in power but it will not be credible with a very low vote share. I actualy think we could see street protests if Labour attempted to stay in office.

The LibDems and Conseratives will get together and wil be invited to form the Govt. By the Monday morning, Cameron will be in Downing St. Informal 'back channel' pressure will be applied to make sure that happens.