If Clegg sides with the Tories I don't think I will be voting Lib again

[Loujalou]

Anyone got any thoughts on this. Hopefully it looks like he will side with Labour. But if he went Blue that would be it.

I don't think Clegg will abandon PR, he is Kingmaker here, he can have anything he wants (well his party can).

This is similar to what happened at last Irish election, Green Party were Kingmaker, went into power with their most hated party (Fianna Fail). But as a result had quite a strong influence on program of Government.

The Government has been stable, but Greens will probably be in the wilderness after the next election as a result.

I agree with Nick Clegg it should be first past the post, but then I am a Tory girl

God this is so depressing

Of the realistic options, I'd much rather see solid lib-con than weak con-DUP or weak lib-lab/regionals

TDWP good for you.

Aussieng, the LibDem vote is up on last time. They don't actually have many fewer votes than Labour, just far far fewer seats.

Clegg has consistently said throughout the campaign that the party who gets the greatest share of the vote should have the chance to form a government. He's hardly able to back down on that.

Commentators seem to be suggesting that rather than an actual coalition the LibDems might agree to abstain from voting on a Conservative emergency budget and then the Tories would have to run with a minority government.

Of the realistic options, I'd much rather see solid lib-con than weak con-DUP or weak lib-lab/regionals

So would the markets. Don't think it would be solid though, just less weak.

As a Labour voter, will you be angry if I say it should have been obvious from NC's comments last week? - he's made his leanings towards the Tories pretty clear before polling day.

I wouldn't say he's hinted at favouring the conservatives

He has made his dislike of Gordon Brown clear...which is understandable in a party that believes in a fairer electoral system...why do we have an unelected prime minister?

I think we will see some huge changes in the Labour party in the coming weeks. It will be interesting...

I feel quite sick actually and feel like crying! I oomed and ahhed about who to vote for, them or Labour, as I was concerned that my vote for them would be a "wasted" vote and the Conservatives would get in.

I voted LD in the end, completely wasted vote. Conservatives gained my area over Labour by very very few votes. I should have voted Labour!!

If Clegg makes a coalition with the Conservatives, I will never vote LibDem again!

Devil, he didn't hint at favouring the Conservatives, although he used the scenario that Labour's share of the vote would be third with the LDs second (dream on), I think he indicated a marked preference for an alliance with the Tories about 10 days ago.

LibDem got 23% of the vote. I appreciate that under the current system that translates unfairly into number of seats (and do believe that should be rectified) but it is still only 23% and unimpressive as usual.

I'm just going to repost bobbiewickhams post because it will save me form thinking too much

"Nobody can want a government formed by two losing parties, surely?

Labour have no moral right to form a government. And Clegg has said all along he would only form a government with the party with the most seats/votes.

Gordon Brown is clinging onto power by his fingernails, and he should accept that he has lost his mandate and well, do one.

But he won't - not without a fight. Power-crazed egomaniac that he is.

God, we're going to have to go through all this again in a year, aren't we? "

Lib & Con government of cuts, recession and unrest.Labours dream solution.

Thegodmother - this is the whole point. If you have a better voting system you don't have to vote tactically and can vote for what you believe in. The lib dems fought the election for this. Hopefully there will be a better system by the next election.

Also it is not Nick Clegg's fault if 28% of people said they would vote for his party these last few weeks and then changed their minds at the last minute. If he had more seats there would be more chance of getting some of the policies the lib dems put forward in their manifesto.

So 23% - nearly 1 in 4 votes cast - is "nobody else bothered to vote for them hardly" and unimpressive, while 29% (what Labour got, and they have 251 seats and counting) is lots of people voting and much more impressive?

jesus 23% of vote is nearly a quarter!

aussie you are quite mad to state that this is unimpressive!

Gordon Brown on TV this minute... with only 16 seats still to be reported, these are the numbers of seats and votes

299 10,472,688 Conservative
254 08,448,380 Labour
054 06,646,785 Liberal Democrat

Anyone suggesting that "first past the post" is fair or good, just needs to add up the votes and see if it still makes sense...

The Lib Dems have around 60% of the Conservative vote or around 75% of Labour's, yet nothing like 180 seats ... clearly unfair.

With PR on those figures we'd have around 260 Conservatives, 220 Labour, 155 Lib Dem and the Lib Dems would still have something akin to a 'casting vote' if they decided not to 'join' one or other party. I know some think it would be awful, but it would mean each and every proposal would get thorough scrutiny.

Good to hear Gordon Brown accepting Nick Clegg has his options open.

Depends how much the Tories / Lab want to be in power to whether they let PR go forwards.

How does it work? I realise we wouldn't have our own MP but would that mean more power to local councils?

Bit thick emoticon - but lived in this country all my life.

There are different systems. Under some of them you would have your own MP, but there would be extra MPs added in on top so that the total proportions matched the voting proportions.

Sounds complicated but it is the most fair way.

"jesus 23% of vote is nearly a quarter!" But would it be 23% under PR?

As a fair man I would imagine his duty is to side(?) with the party atht got the most seats.