Why are lib dems getting to call the shots if they got the least votes-confused?

[poshsinglemum]

I am a complete novice at politics. I voted Lib dem but am at a loss at why they are playing such a key role in this. Why aren't labour trying to form a coalition with the cons? Is it due to clash of ideology?? I'm confused!

There's no set way up that it has to be, really. There are definitely Lib Dems who think the Conservatives and Labour should be left to each other to work something out. And there are sometimes "grand coalitions" of the two largest parties in other countries.

I think that in the current climate the Tories and Lib Dems are seen as more able to work together on the top priority of cutting the deficit, though. While in some ways the Lib Dems' deficit policy is closer to Labour (the Lib Dems and Labour dont wants to start cutting the deficit in the next year, while the economy is recovering, whereas the Tories do) there's also an assumption that Labour got us into this so aren't best placed to be getting us out - the Lib Dems and Tories would between them take a more critical view of Labour spending.

If you had two vehemently opposed parties, both with a 49% share of parliament and one of them needs 51% to be in control, the little party with the other 2% suddenly becomes very important.... whoever they are. That's why the LDs have been after PR all this time

If (in some parallel universe) the Tories and Labour cooked up a nice little plan so that they had 564 out of 650 seats between them... it would be akin to a one-party state and not particularly healthy