[kendra k]

Dear Sidders,

If you want a direct democracy, move to America and earn your citizenship.

xoxo
Kendra

"Alistair, you are being a bit provocative." It's good to see that the Sky News mouthpieces aren't much different than the Fox News mouthpieces.

[Yudster]

I saw that happen live - couldn't believe what I was seeing! Great stuff.

I have to admit to a certain ambivalence about these new developments. Much as I personally would prefer the option of a Lib Dem/Labour/Other coalition, I can't help thinking that just because its completely allowable under a parliamentary system, its incongruous that the party which polled most votes and won most seats should be probably the only party to NOT form part of the government. I expect the niggling doubt will fade to amusement if it actually happens though.

A question - can someone explain what is meant by "progressive coalition"? Its a term which has been used a lot in the last couple of days and it seems to be something totally separate from any type of coalition which has gone before - what does it mean? I could take a guess, but I'd probably be wrong. Boboff?

[Boboff]

One that aims for progress?

i.e. has to do things the tiny minority parties want to in order to secure support on other issues.

I like a "Rainbow" co-alition, sounds very Lloyds Webber...... Gordon Brown the musical, Limbik Opik and the cheeky girls do the opening number with the "retro" piece a Blair and Oasis number, the finale sees the Horsemen of the Apoclyse ( Mandelson, Adonis et al) singing always look on the bright side of life

" When the vote is shit, it can be a real big hit" " We are lords and rich and that the truth"
" We're lining our own pockets, watch the plebs they love it" etc etc

[Yudster]

One that aims for progress?

i.e. has to do things the tiny minority parties want to in order to secure support on other issues.

I got the impression it was a more specific and formal idea than that - but thanks.

I like "rainbow coalition" too. Very Greenpeace!

[MK Chris]

"Progressive" seems to be the lefty word used when they're trying to highlight what the Tories are not... as highlighted on Rate My Tory - so a progressive alliance, I'm assuming would mean a left-leaning one.

Also, the thing with AV - which is what the Tories are offering - is that it is NOT proportional. I don't think it's going to be enough for the Lib Dems to say yes to (I certainly hope not.)

Lembit Opik was hilarious on Have I Got News For You - fair play to the guy, he had a sense of humour... I don't know when it was filmed, but it was broadcast within 12 hours of the final results coming in, so he didn't have a lot of time to get used to the idea he'd lost.

[Yudster]

Well face it, no one - not even Lembit Opik - takes Lembit Opik seriously.

AV is an interesting one. The furthest the Tories appear to be going on reform is to offer a referendum on it. The Labour coalition would guarantee it as I understand it, and then offer a further referendum on PR (which I would imagine would be the public's choice - if the public gives a toss). The Tories aren't going anywhere near PR it seems.

The next 24 hours might be quite exciting.

[Boboff]

I am at the POST OFFICE.

[Yudster]

Well maybe not so exciting then.

[MK Chris]

More of Adam Boulton losing his rag - this time with Ben Bradshaw (he kept his cool slightly better this time though.)

[MK Chris]

Lib-Con coalition is looking more likely again. Andy Burnham is the first cabinet minister to publicly express doubt at a Lib-Lab coalition working.

[Yudster]

If, as I read earlier, they have dismissed the possibility of the "rainbow" coalition and have specifically said no to including the SNP, I can't actually see how a Lib/Lab coalition could form a working majority.

[Boboff]

You are right, they would need some "others" to have a majority.

Brinkmanship at it's best, or worst what ever your view. I can't see them working with the DUP either, although they have said they would work with Lib Lab??? Strange. It might be that the Irish are best avoided in any coalition as could be very devisive for the country that, and maybe if you take that lot out then the majority isn't as hard to hit.

Personally if we get a Lab Lib gov't and Johnson gets the new leadership / PM role, my pre -election forecast will be spot on, not a bad bit of punditry seeing how far fetched it sounded at the time!

[MK Chris]

It's a bloody shame, but I think we are resigned to the fact that David Cameron is our next Prime Minister. Let's hope it's only one term.

[Yudster]

My personal feeling is that its a shame, and my belief is that its a mistake - but I still can't shake that thought that even though no one got a majority, the Tories polled more than anyone else, so if anyone should head up a coalition it should be them.

I'm so democratic it hurts.

[kendra k]

Ahh the joys of democracy. (This isn't as bad as the 2000 presidential election.)

[Boboff]

Yeah, 2 votes from Piss smelling pensioners in Florida got you Bush!

[Yudster]

Tory negotiator and shadow foreign secretary William Hague said:

"We want a strong and stable government with a secure majority in the House of Commons and an elected Prime Minister."

Even if Cameron heads up a coalition government, that won't make him an elected Prime Minister though. Given the result of the election I have to agree (between gritted teeth) that its as close as we can get, but he still won't have been elected.

[MK Chris]

Apparently The Sun has sent a hearse to 10 Downing Street. Tasteful.

[Latina]

But as some bloke on Radio 4 said earlier today, and Topher said yesterday, is there really such a thing as an elected Prime Minister? Our political system doesn't elect PMs, it elects MPs, and we end up with the leader of whichever party has the most seats as our Prime Minister.

I understand it's a bugger if you've voted with a particular future PM in mind and then it ends up being someone else though.

[MK Chris]

But as some bloke on Radio 4 said earlier today, is there really such a thing as an elected Prime Minister? Our political system doesn't elect PMs, it elects MPs, and we end up with the leader of whichever party has the most seats as our Prime Minister.

I understand it's a bugger if you've voted with a particular future PM in mind and then it ends up being someone else though.

I said that yesterday! Honest:

yet another unelected Labour MP becoming prime minister?

Let's be clear, every single Prime Minister is unelected except for as an MP. You do not vote for your prime minister, you vote for your MP. The leader of the party with an overall majority then becomes Prime Minister; if this does not happen, you get coalitions or minority governments and Labour and the Lib Dems combined have more votes and seats than the Tories.

[Latina]

I edited my post for you.

Do you not have strikethrough on this forum?

[Yudster]

In as much as the electorate is aware that the leader of the party with a majority at election is the PM, and if you are voting for the party you want to win the election, you are by extension voting for that PM, then yes we do elect a PM - just not directly. But technically you're absolutely right of course. However its a little mischievous to imply that this situation is no different to usual, which some commentators have been doing.

[MK Chris]

There's no Prime Minister.... anarchy!

Fair play to Gordon Brown for not being a cynical * and wheeling the kids out sooner - they are cute.

[Johnny 1989]

So although we still don't know we know that if the Lib Dems have joined forces with the Tories or not we do know that Smug Tory Twat Cameron is in charge of the country

Well let's see how this pans out over the next 12 months, hopefully Cameron will be shown up for the out of touch wanker he is & when the election is called again within the next 6-18 months (haven't a clue when it will happen) the arse will be gone.

Watching Ed Balls talking to Dimbleby on BBC News, Dimbleby puts those Sky reporters to shame, he's a constant professional.

[DevilsDuck]

bloody hell.....this eastenders is long.....where are the duff duff duffers....