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.

indeed, hindsight is a wonderful thing. I hadn't imagined it possible that the Lib Dems would want to have anything to do with a party like the Tories

Well and truly taken in.

There's always hope that they will go the other way though.

The quote that stuck in my mind from the Gove webchat:

"Clegg an attractive, humane, thoughtful and constructive politician who fell in with a bad crowd... "

Sorry, posted too soon.I meant to add,

..this has been on the cards for a long time.

A Con-Lib coalition or agreement would represent the largest portion of the electorate. But even a Lab-Lib one would represent over 52% of the electorate. Either works for me so long as they get on with sorting out the deficit.

At least with lib lab we would get electoral reform which its obvious is neccesary

May that bastard Clegg rot in Hell for consorting with them.

He will cost our MP his seat, shortly before he retires.

I'm never voting LibDem again for the fact that Clegg bastard even entertains the Cons at all.

He's a lilly-livered, wet girl's blouse, traitrous sell out who deserves to have his political career ended.

I might move to Scotland though its ruled by Westminster so not sure what difference it will make. Maybe I should move somewhere hot. My family are from Cyprus.....

At least with con-libdem we get to see the Conservatives fuck it all up really badly and Labour will get voted in at the next opportunity - there's always a bright side I guess.

And the Tories are likely to fuck up totally. [Grin]

Liking it.

can't even do that right.

expat - Clegg is doing what he said he would do talk first to the party with the most votes/seats. This is fair as more people voted tory than labour so you can't just ignore the party with most support.

It doesn't mean he is ditching all the lib dem policies.

It would be far worse if he talked to the party who had lost the election. If he started propping up the labour party the lib dems would be accused of keeping the tired labour party in power and letting down the people who "voted for change".

I think if the tories don't come up with some decent policy compromises and a fairer voting system clegg should leave the tories to go it alone and not jump into bed with labour.

Many lib dems hate labour in the same way that you hate the tories.

Yes. And no, I didn't have to do a ceremony. I got it before they brought that in (and started charging big fees).

I want my vote back!

Shame on you Mr Clegg. 2/3rds of the population voted left of centre and you flirt with the right. Grrrr

hear hear snowlady

Well, snowlady, because of the way voting works here, our MP was LibDem and his name was on the ballot.

He might just switch sides, though, because if Clegg goes Blue, he probably won't keep his job next time round.

I agree with mrsbaldwin's advice. Enter into an agreement with the Tories - there are enough points of agreement - but only if it includes a proper deal on PR. Re. the EU - Cameron said no giving further powers to the EU, which given that the Lisbon Treaty is through, I don't see as being controversial (what else is likely to come up?)

Not keen on an actual coalition - presumably they can't force us to take cabinet seats if we don't want them, though...

Clegg is doing what he always said he would - giving the chance to the party that got the most votes and the most seats. There aren't enough seats for a Lib/Lab agreement anyway.

too tired to construct an argument so I'll just say I agree with snowlady.

no matter which way Clegg goes people are going to be angry.

Glad I didn't vote for Mr Long Legged Cleggy Weggy. Today has been soooooooooo depressing.

Although my leanings are to the left, I can understand why Nick must speak to David. But it has to be proper electoral reform or nothing. I would be unlikely to vote Lib Dem again if he sold out on electoral reform.

why would you do that OP?

if you are the sort of liberal who opposes 42-day detention without charge and ID cards, how could you conscience a lab-lib pact unless the liberals got those things? (things in which the conservative anifesto already matches the iberal one on)

as LD's favour proportionate representation, then it would be within their remit to form a government with some kind of deal about cabinet posts - even with a party they had disagreements with.

in a way, how could Clegg form a govt with the party that has been riding roughshod over civil liberties for the past decade or more?

actually i think the OP is being daft. this is one of the few scenarios in which the LDs could get to wield real executive power, and really get some of their policies made fact, and the OP (a putative LD) doesn't want them to do it - why?