General Election 2010

[Guest alex]

[Craig 6682]

I'll be disappointed if a formal coalition comes out of it, even if that includes the promise of a referendum on electoral reform (which it won't). Some kind of "we won't vote you down" cooperation would be far preferable, something that can be spun as "in the national interest in these difficult times" without completely alienating a good proportion of Lib Dem voters. I have no idea what's actually going to happen, though, nor do I trust in any of the interpretations of what's happened so far ("there've been no leaks/talks haven't broken down yet so things must be going well", etc.), so I don't really know what to say beyond that.

 

 

2nd election in October or November is my guess, with Gordon Brown replaced.

 

It's either October or January by all accounts. Depends how soon after the summer recess they want to call it.

[Craig 6682]

Brown making speech in Downing Street now.

 

Brown has said that Clegg has told him he wants to start formal discussions with Labour as well as continue those with the Conservatives.

[Craig 6682]

Gordon Brown has announced his decision to step down as Labour leader. Will not lead the party in the next government - whatever the outcome. Will stay on as long as necessary.

[Phil 6]

About time.... fecking squatter.

[Happy Face 29]

Not just yet though, right?

[Phil 6]

Not just yet though, right?

 

 

By September...

[Craig 6682]

Not just yet though, right?

 

Nope - will lead the party as long as necessary but has no intention of leading the next administration or in opposition. Presume the Lib Dems have mentioned that they'll entertain discussions on the proviso that he doesn't lead.

 

Clever move from the Lib Dems IMO - keeping all their options open and at the same time putting pressure on the Tories to compromise.

[Happy Face 29]

And the pound plummets.

 

[Craig 6682]

Gordon Brown 'stepping down as Labour leader'

 

Gordon Brown has said he is stepping down as Labour Party leader.

 

Mr Brown, prime minister since 2007, said he wanted a successor to be in place by the time of the party's conference in September.

 

Mr Brown announced his intention to quit in a statement in Downing St in which he also said his party was to start formal talks with the Lib Dems.

 

The Conservatives won the most seats and most votes in the election and have been in talks with the Lib Dems.

 

Mr Brown said no party had won an overall majority in the UK general election and, as Labour leader, he had to accept his part in that.

 

He said he had no desire to stay in his position longer than was needed to form a stable government, and that he would ask the Labour Party to set in form the process of a leadership contest.

 

He said it could be in the interests of the country to form a "progressive" government - possibly in coalition with the Lib Dems - the UK's third largest party.

 

It emerged earlier that the Lib Dem negotiating team, who have held days of talks with the Conservatives, had also met senior Labour figures in private.

 

The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said one of the stumbling blocks to any Lib Dem-Labour deal had been Mr Brown himself.

 

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/ele...010/8672859.stm

[Renton 21368]

Very dignified exit there from Brown contrary to all the allegations he would be dragged from Downing Street by his finger nails. History will vindicate him, in my opinion of course.

 

I'd say we must be odds on now for a full Lab-Lib coalition and we will get a referendum on voting reforms. To those that say there is no mandate for this, I'd point out the majority in this country want a progressive party - the majority did not want the tories. Interesting times.

[Monkeys Fist 42116]

David Milliband as leader?

Anyone know latest odds.

 

Run Tories run.

 

The lefties are coming

[Christmas Tree 4704]

Putting party allegiances to one side, this sordid week highlights the bad side of PR.

 

Here we have a minority party of 50 odd seats that has just forced the leader of the labour party to resign.

 

Secondly, a lib lab pact can not reach a majority and needs to also sell out to the likes of the SNP ffs!

 

What happens next time when the labour party needs the BNP to stay in government? What will they sell out then?

 

I feel sorry for Brown being forced out by another parties leader.

 

Simply shabby politics.

 

Also, if millibands the favourite to replace him...... Fucking hell.

[Andrew 4720]

Next Labour Leader betting - latest odds from William Hill:

Evens - David Miliband

7/1 - Alan Johnson

8/1 - Ed Balls, Ed Miliband, Alistair Darling

12/1 - Harriet Harman, Peter Mandelson

[Andrew 4720]

Putting party allegiances to one side, this sordid week highlights the bad side of PR.

Here we have a minority party of 50 odd seats that has just forced the leader of the labour party to resign.

 

Secondly, a lib lab pact can not reach a majority and needs to also sell out to the likes of the SNP ffs!

 

What happens next time when the labour party needs the BNP to stay in government? What will they sell out then?

 

I feel sorry for Brown being forced out by another parties leader.

 

Simply shabby politics.

 

Also, if millibands the favourite to replace him...... Fucking hell.

 

alledgedly though he was surely likely to go anyway if he didnt win this election hung parliament or not

[Renton 21368]

Putting party allegiances to one side, this sordid week highlights the bad side of PR.

 

Here we have a minority party of 50 odd seats that has just forced the leader of the labour party to resign.

 

Secondly, a lib lab pact can not reach a majority and needs to also sell out to the likes of the SNP ffs!

 

What happens next time when the labour party needs the BNP to stay in government? What will they sell out then?

 

I feel sorry for Brown being forced out by another parties leader.

 

Simply shabby politics.

 

Also, if millibands the favourite to replace him...... Fucking hell.

 

Surely it highlights the bad side of first past the post?

 

There are many forms of PR, it works very well in the majority of advanced countries.

[Renton 21368]

Putting party allegiances to one side, this sordid week highlights the bad side of PR.

Here we have a minority party of 50 odd seats that has just forced the leader of the labour party to resign.

 

Secondly, a lib lab pact can not reach a majority and needs to also sell out to the likes of the SNP ffs!

 

What happens next time when the labour party needs the BNP to stay in government? What will they sell out then?

 

I feel sorry for Brown being forced out by another parties leader.

 

Simply shabby politics.

 

Also, if millibands the favourite to replace him...... Fucking hell.

 

alledgedly though he was surely likely to go anyway if he didnt win this election hung parliament or not

 

Of course he was.

[Meenzer 15412]

Putting party allegiances to one side, this sordid week highlights the bad side of PR.

...

Secondly, a lib lab pact can not reach a majority and needs to also sell out to the likes of the SNP ffs!

 

Lib-Lab would've had 52% of the MPs under pure PR.

[Renton 21368]

For the record I'm still unsure about all this and think it may be best to let the tories go for a minority government but on the plus side it is hilarious watching the Cons and their supporters exploding in indignation. I hear that Adam Boulton has lost it on Sky TV, the fat twat.

[Christmas Tree 4704]

Next Labour Leader betting - latest odds from William Hill:

Evens - David Miliband

7/1 - Alan Johnson

8/1 - Ed Balls, Ed Miliband, Alistair Darling

12/1 - Harriet Harman, Peter Mandelson

 

I must admit I quite like Alan Johnson. He always has a smile on his chops.

[Meenzer 15412]

I'll tell you what, mind, when you look at the bookies' lists for next Conservative leader you start to see the extent of their problems. If Cameron does go, what on earth next for them?

[Christmas Tree 4704]

Putting party allegiances to one side, this sordid week highlights the bad side of PR.

 

Here we have a minority party of 50 odd seats that has just forced the leader of the labour party to resign.

 

Secondly, a lib lab pact can not reach a majority and needs to also sell out to the likes of the SNP ffs!

 

What happens next time when the labour party needs the BNP to stay in government? What will they sell out then?

 

I feel sorry for Brown being forced out by another parties leader.

 

Simply shabby politics.

 

Also, if millibands the favourite to replace him...... Fucking hell.

 

Surely it highlights the bad side of first past the post?

 

There are many forms of PR, it works very well in the majority of advanced countries.

 

 

The point is though that this situation is rare in first ptp. With PR it will happen every time and manifestos will be ripped up re-written post election in smoke filled rooms by minority parties.

[Phil 6]

I'll tell you what, mind, when you look at the bookies' lists for next Conservative leader you start to see the extent of their problems. If Cameron does go, what on earth next for them?

 

 

William Hague

[Guest alex]

Looks like Clegg won't do exactly what 'Prime Minister Cameron' tells him

[Meenzer 15412]

The point is though that this situation is rare in first ptp. With PR it will happen every time and manifestos will be ripped up re-written post election in smoke filled rooms by minority parties.

 

The Lib Dems, at least, would be well advised to break down any future manifesto pledges into "this is what we want to do generally" and "these are the key points we'll insist on in the event of any coalition". At least that way you've got a positive keynote message to drum home on the campaign trail. It's harder for the big parties to sell "these are the things we'd drop"...