@itsrobert - I agree, people don't seem to remember, we had
198
seats, and now we have 302-308 seats. for me, a Liberal Democrat - Conservative Coalition, Menzies is talking bull, the Jenkins Commission was ordered by Tony Blair to keep the Libs quiet about offering a Coalition to get out the Tories, this time we have a Hung Parliament, it's a very different circumstance, MC doesn't want to commit into a Coalition, will we have the TV Coverage all day?
I don't know. They started winding down about an hour ago but then they changed their minds and remained on air. I guess there is nothing much to see now though.
I'm not saying it would work - just wondered if it could constitutionally work. Personally I think minority governments should be illegal, and if a coalition fails it should go back to elections. You simply don't have the majority of voters' support - and that's the majority of voters, far from majority of the population.
@Itsrobert - that's true, they have gained a huge number of seats. But against a very weak, unpopular and in many ways unstable Labour government who very few people expected to retain a majority, that's not surprising.
Even last night Tory shadow ministers were predicting a Tory majority and I think that's the problem - I suspect they expected to win, regardless of Cameron's recent claims.
I'm not saying Brown is better than Cameron, or that there should be a non-Tory government. I'm saying Cameron is a hypocrite: a man who in the last fortnight said publicly that proportional representation would keep us in a hung parliament - now he's offering the Lib Dem's it - and a man who's major problem with Brown was his unelected mandate to govern - in what possible way does Cameron have more authority to govern?
Yep, can't blame them really. Alastair & Co. have been on the go since last night and must be incredibly fatigued. Moreover, I think it will take days for a deal to be hammered out; definitely not in the next few hours.
@House - No, Cameron has not offered Clegg PR. He's offered him a commission on electoral reform. It's by no means a done deal that we'll get PR.
On the unelected issue - Cameron's point has been that Brown did not face the people in an election campaign as Leader of the Labour Party. He was whisked into office without a preceding election. Try as you might to claim that Cameron does not have the authority to be PM, he has emerged from an election and has definitely come out on top compared to the other parties.
@House - Brown lost 88 seats, and received a lower vote share than Foot near about, he was never elected - and we he was, he lost, so he has no mandate to govern.
Cameron, was elected in his party, and when he went to the people, on the back of Economical Crisis, and effectively won - people saw this as a chance to get labour out, also, on a comment on the electoral system - the vote share 36/29/23 give the Tories largest party, but short by 24 (currently) - If we have the opposite, Labour get a 100 seat majority, is it fair. No.
I think the BBC's coverage will end at 3.45 - otherwise it will just be endless speculation for hours, I don't think much more is going to happen today now.
I think the BBC's coverage will end at 3.45 - otherwise it will just be endless speculation for hours, I don't think much more is going to happen today now.
I think it'll depend on declarations - if they can get them all by say 4.30pm they'll probably stick with it. If some look like they'll still be a few hours, they might give up.
Normally, if it was clear that the Tories/Labour (or Lib Dems ) had a majority, then they'd leave - not bother with the declarations, then wait for the Six to add it onto. But this election, every seat matters, I'd say 4/5 O'Clock, pushing 6.
) had a majority, then they'd leave - not bother with the declarations, then wait for the Six to add it onto. But this election, every seat matters, I'd say 4/5 O'Clock, pushing 6.