Another unelected labour PM

[voteanythingbutBNPplease]

Gordon brown resigns.
So if LIb dems do deal with labour - ANOTHER unelected PM.

hmmm

"I think a lib/con coalition that will inevitably go tits up could be good for Labour"

And there was me thinking that a LibLab pact going belly up would be good for the Conservatives. No-one really wants the Libs, do they?

"I am Labour and I don't want a lib/lab/nationalist pact."

Me neither actually.

Oh FFS! cameron has offered the Libs AV

Apologies for the extended fisk but there is so much wrongness on this thread

1. 'ANOTHER unelected PM'. Every PM we've ever had has been both elected (by their constituents) and unelected (in that there is no Prime Ministerial election). This is just a nonsensical point. If you are silly enough to vote for parties purely because of their leader then frankly you deserve to get shafted.

2. 'So LD go for the power rather than what "the people" have asked for....' No. 'The people' did not ask for a Tory government. They did not ask for a Labour government. They did not ask for a LibDem government. They asked, pretty conclusively, for a hung parliament (check the pre-election polls - way more than 50% thought a hung parl would be the best outcome).

It doesn't matter how many times you try to say that the Tories won. They didn't. The clue is in the fact that that pinkish fellow isn't in Downing St.

3. 'the markets clearly want a conservative influence'. The markets can fuck off. They don't get to decide.

4. 'did you see the poll of LibDem members earlier where 97% supported NC in talking to the Tories first.' - that'll be because NC said, extremely clearly, before and after the election, that the party with the most seats and the most votes would have (in his opinion) the moral right to seek to form a government first. It's not a measure of LD supporters' pro-Tory views.

5. 'this talk of 'progressive majority' is bollocks'. No, it's not. Recent polls have shown pretty conclusively that far more LD voters are in broad sympathy with Labour than are in broad sympathy with the Tories. LD policies on the economy, Europe, electoral reform and income redistribution all have a great deal in common with Labour policies. I haven't seen a single journo, politician or commentator attempt to argue that there is more natural LibCon synergy than there is LibLab synergy, but I've seen most of them arguing the opposite (including every single senior LibDem who's been authorised to talk to the press).

6. 'On that basis we shoudl award Olympic gold to the 2nd and 3rd place high-jumpers as collectively they jumped higher than than the guy who actually did jump the highest.' Look, it's called democracy. A minority Tory government would have no true democratic legitimacy; 64% didn't want it. Either a LibCon or a LibLab administration would have a proper mandate.

7. 'They are hardly acting for the benefit of the country.' Just because it's not the outcome you want, it doesn't mean it's not in the national interest.

WetAugust, you've been pretty rude to MmeLindt without any justification, given that her posts have been very measured and calm. I think you owe her an apology.

"lots of people don't actually think about the parliament - they are voting for who they want to be PM"

Well sorry but more fool them because that's not how the system works."

I agree theyoung - it is more fool them. Unfortunately not everyone understand the system.
And if we have PR in any form it will be really complicated - I'm sure that will result in some people being put off voting altogether as they will be confused.
Obviously other people will be delighted so more likely to vote. Either way, if we do get PR (or AV, or AV+) I think they'll need more staff at polling stations to explain it all! - and therefore more time to vote judging by the queues this time

imagine how totally ludicrous if we end up with a PM who didn't participate in the TV leadership debates

You elect a party, not a leader. The parties do not campaign on the basis of their leaders personal views, they campaign based on the policies of the parties. The leader is interchangeable, IMO.

What is more important is that the leader is a decent person, with the strength to rule the country.

All this unelected leader stuff is bollocks.

wetaugust where did you get that from?
AV???? really???

Not really, Carmelita. The leaders participated in the debates in order to put across the views of the parties, all they did was to spew the part line over and over.

Of course, they used personality to try and win the day, but are you saying we should let personality and media pretty win the day?

"imagine how totally ludicrous if we end up with a PM who didn't participate in the TV leadership debates " I totally agree.
And wetaugust - have just heard on bbc.
Can't believe it. I don't think the tory grassroots will like that AT ALL.

Sky - Adam Boulton 3 mins ago

lol WetAugust. The pant-wetting rudeness is a general thing then, I take it

Don't come on here to flame me - I read your comments on the other thread. I don't need policywonk dictating to me - ooops sorry guys - I forgot - you lot are dictators aren't you as you totally fail to accept democratic views

WetAugust - you're being outrageously rude. Policywonk and MmeLindt are both incredibly measured, genuine posters. Think you should apologise to both of them.

I've reported your posts to MN.

I'm not dictating anything. I said I thought you owed MmeL an apology. And now I think you owe me an apology too

wetaugust is just sore - like most right-wingers - because even after 13 years of allegedly dreadful Labour rule, the tory party STILL haven't managed to secure a majority

how galling it must be

Sorry- what is AV??

If the LibDems and Cons are not a posible match then what on earth have they been talking about for four days?

Big deal Quaatro - impressed - not!

Actually Greensleves - I have said I'm not a Tory voter.

I can't believe Cameron has offered AV+

My estimation of him just went down.

Alternative Vote

Go and play on your own leftie thread.

If MMe is distressed at my post she must be over-sensitive. Toughen up!