What will be the outcome of the General Election

[The Mighty Thor]

But they might if people feel Scotland is getting shafted under a Tory government.

 

There's many people fear Scotland getting shafted under a Scottish (SNP) government. As i said a few weeks ago the one thing that puts the fear of god into me about independence is the likes of Salmond & Sturgeon getting the keys. The lack of political talent in Scotland is terrifying.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

There's many people fear Scotland getting shafted under a Scottish (SNP) government. As i said a few weeks ago the one thing that puts the fear of god into me about independence is the likes of Salmond & Sturgeon getting the keys. The lack of political talent in Scotland is terrifying.

 

 

There's an irony there. The Tory wipeouts in Scotland meant that talent like Forsyth and Rifkind headed south or to the Lords. Similarly, the Labour big brass didn't want anything to do with Holyrood. Local councillors were able to glorify themselves instead.

 

Salmond is head and shoulders above any politician in the Scottish Parliament.

[Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC]

How cool would it be to be Clegg right now? I'd say to Cameron, I'll make you king if you passionately kiss a black bricky from Sunderland for 30 seconds.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

How cool would it be to be Clegg right now? I'd say to Cameron, I'll make you king if you passionately kiss a black bricky from Sunderland for 30 seconds.

 

 

It might be cool for a minute. I reckon Clegg could split his party depending on his decision.

[The Mighty Thor]

There's an irony there. The Tory wipeouts in Scotland meant that talent like Forsyth and Rifkind headed south or to the Lords. Similarly, the Labour big brass didn't want anything to do with Holyrood. Local councillors were able to glorify themselves instead.

 

Salmond is head and shoulders above any politician in the Scottish Parliament.

 

When i say a lack of talent in Scotland i don't just mean in the SNP!

 

I had the BBC Scotland election programme on for about 10 minutes before i'd had enough of Sturgeon and turned over to the 'English' coverage.

[I P Knightley]

its gonna be a really interesting couple of months and i wouldn't be surprised to see another election in the very near future

 

 

World Cup and then summer holidays. I reckon the "very near future" will be October.

[Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC]

It might be cool for a minute. I reckon Clegg could split his party depending on his decision.

 

Without doubt.

 

I think we all know what the outcome is going to be deep down. Anyway, here's that wankstain Cameron about to make his statement ...

 

Browns statement was very dignified I thought.

[Miller Jambo 60]

World Cup and then summer holidays. I reckon the "very near future" will be October.

 

 

Its all Vlads fault, but no one wanted to say it .

[P-Dizzle]

What's better for the Lib Dems?

 

Clegg standing by what he said, and letting the Conservatives try and govern?

 

Joining up with Labour to keep the Tories out, despite what he said?

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

Without doubt.

 

I think we all know what the outcome is going to be deep down. Anyway, here's that wankstain Cameron about to make his statement ...

 

Browns statement was very dignified I thought.

 

 

I agree and I'm hardly his biggest fan!

 

Cameron seeking a coalition with the Lib Dems. Clegg should be careful what he wishes for!

[The Mighty Thor]

What's better for the Lib Dems?

 

Clegg standing by what he said, and letting the Conservatives try and govern?

 

Joining up with Labour to keep the Tories out, despite what he said?

 

Are the Tories going to agree to electoral reform as a pre-condition? Turkeys voting for Christmas?

 

I hope Clegg has the Sandy Galls to dig in and make that his number one priority, otherwise he'd be as well resigning.

[Ryan Gosling]

Cameron's an assclown.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

Are the Tories going to agree to electoral reform as a pre-condition? Turkeys voting for Christmas?

 

I hope Clegg has the Sandy Galls to dig in and make that his number one priority, otherwise he'd be as well resigning.

 

 

The likelihood is that the Tories will offer a free vote on the referendum on PR in the Commons and campaign for a 'No' vote.

[P-Dizzle]

Are the Tories going to agree to electoral reform as a pre-condition? Turkeys voting for Christmas?

 

I hope Clegg has the Sandy Galls to dig in and make that his number one priority, otherwise he'd be as well resigning.

 

I think they've said they will let it happen, but will vote against it. Something along those lines.

 

I don't want Clegg to hand this to the Conservatives, I'm not happy about that and I suspect other Lid Dem voters won't be either.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

I think they've said they will let it happen, but will vote against it. Something along those lines.

 

I don't want Clegg to hand this to the Conservatives, I'm not happy about that and I suspect other Lid Dem voters won't be either.

 

 

I think that's the Lib Dems problem. They have a huge base (for them) in SW England and they would be more than happy with this outcome.

 

The Lib Dems could be heading for a split if they make a deal.

 

I have a feeling they might bottle it and go for a 'confidence and supply' measure with the Tories.

[Danny Wilde]

Are the Tories going to agree to electoral reform as a pre-condition? Turkeys voting for Christmas?

 

I hope Clegg has the Sandy Galls to dig in and make that his number one priority, otherwise he'd be as well resigning.

 

Agreed.

 

I just don't get Clegg. Brown & Labour have banged on about "securing the recovery" and how the Tories would put it at risk. At the same time, Clegg and the LibDems want electoral reform... theres little or no-chance the Tories will give them that, but Labour might go a big part, if not all of the way, to meet them on that.

 

If Brown and Clegg really meant anything they said this past few weeks, then anything less than a pact - or some kind of governmental understanding - would be an act of utter betrayal to the broad left. Did I just dream the last few weeks ? Would Clegg really forego possibly his one chance of wrangling a major electoral concession, just because he feels that the Tories have the right to govern as the largest single party. Just for Cleggs information, heres the most striking figure from today. Votes - not seats - but VOTES.

 

15 Million Labour & LibDem votes v's 10.5 Million Tory votes.

 

After an anti-climactic performance by him and his party, Clegg should grab that electoral reform branch. The political and economic situation is far too volatile ... if he's thinking that he might have a stronger hand in 6 or 12 months time. Sometimes in politics, tomorrow never comes - and he should take whatever he can now in terms of concessions and power-sharing.

 

And if he think he can cosy up to Cameron, he's playing with suicide. Not only will the Tories play him like a fiddle, but he'll rapidly be seen as the weak bloke who basically faciliated a Tory government. I can't speak for England, but that will crucify the Scottish LibDems in advance of 2011 and infuriate their generally left-of-centre activists.

 

If I was a LibDem I'd be feeling I'm about to be shafted at this point in time.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

Agreed.

 

I just don't get Clegg. Brown & Labour have banged on about "securing the recovery" and how the Tories would put it at risk. At the same time, Clegg and the LibDems want electoral reform... theres little or no-chance the Tories will give them that, but Labour might go a big part, if not all of the way, to meet them on that.

 

If Brown and Clegg really meant anything they said this past few weeks, then anything less than a pact - or some kind of governmental understanding - would be an act of utter betrayal to the broad left. Did I just dream the last few weeks ? Would Clegg really forego possibly his one chance of wrangling a major electoral concession, just because he feels that the Tories have the right to govern as the largest single party. Just for Cleggs information, heres the most striking figure from today. Votes - not seats - but VOTES.

 

15 Million Labour & LibDem votes v's 10.5 Million Tory votes.

 

After an anti-climactic performance by him and his party, Clegg should grab that electoral reform branch. The political and economic situation is far too volatile ... if he's thinking that he might have a stronger hand in 6 or 12 months time. Sometimes in politics, tomorrow never comes - and he should take whatever he can now in terms of concessions and power-sharing.

 

And if he think he can cosy up to Cameron, he's playing with suicide. Not only will the Tories play him like a fiddle, but he'll rapidly be seen as the weak bloke who basically faciliated a Tory government. I can't speak for England, but that will crucify the Scottish LibDems in advance of 2011 and infuriate their generally left-of-centre activists.

 

If I was a LibDem I'd be feeling I'm about to be shafted at this point in time.

 

Yet if Clegg props up Brown, the squeeze in middle England that they suffered will be nothing in comparison.

 

As I say, the real winners are the SNP.

[Danny Wilde]

Cameron is offerring Clegg a kick-it-into-the-long-grass talking shop on electoral reform:

 

#1443: David Cameron says the Tories and Lib Dems can discuss electoral reform, with an all-party committee of inquiry set up to discuss the issue.

 

Jack and the beanstalk stuff this, Clegg supposedly set out to achieve political change and now he might be coming back instead with a bag of magic beans from David Cameron. Dear oh dear oh dear...

[P-Dizzle]

Aren't Labour largely against PR anyway? So if the Lib Dems get a free vote on reform, a peeved Labour opposition would just fail it?

[Danny Wilde]

Aren't Labour largely against PR anyway? So if the Lib Dems get a free vote on reform, a peeved Labour opposition would just fail it?

 

Indeed.

 

Cleggs hand gets worse by the hour. He'e either got to play it or fold.

[The Vulture]

There is one big thing that might stop a rerun - money! The Tories are the only party with any money, Labour is close to bankruptcy and the Lib Dems have little to no cash anyway.

 

According to the Times, the Conservative Party were in debt by about ?35 million in 2006, I very much doubt that since they have been in opposition for this time, that they now find themselves in the black.

[Miller Jambo 60]

Aren't Labour largely against PR anyway? So if the Lib Dems get a free vote on reform, a peeved Labour opposition would just fail it?

 

 

We need reform.

 

Doug.

[P-Dizzle]

Could helping the Tories damage the Lib Dem vote in Scotland? I'm not sure if it would make a big difference to them or not.

[Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC]

We'll see what Clegg is made of over the coming hours/days. Got a feeling he's nothing more than a polished performer.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

According to the Times, the Conservative Party were in debt by about ?35 million in 2006, I very much doubt that since they have been in opposition for this time, that they now find themselves in the black.

 

 

*cough* Lord Ashcroft!

[Miller Jambo 60]

Indeed.

 

Cleggs hand gets worse by the hour. He'e either got to play it or fold.

 

 

Correct mate, he will play it, on a slight tangent, looking at the Scottish results makes us look like aerses.

You would think everything is lovely under labour, or are we so fixed on Thatchers ****** ups we wont forgive.

 

Doug, Shop Steward and labour for 30 years

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

Could helping the Tories damage the Lib Dem vote in Scotland? I'm not sure if it would make a big difference to them or not.

 

 

The Lib Dems' seats in Scotland are in what you might say are 'natural' Tory areas.

 

What it might mean is less tactical voting supporting them, e.g. in Aberdeenshire.

[P-Dizzle]

Indeed.

 

Cleggs hand gets worse by the hour. He'e either got to play it or fold.

 

There's no way a majority of the Tories would support it, Labour aren't going to. So how can they foresee a referendum on this?

 

I think you've put it well there, every hour it's looking worse. He's being squeezed by both sides.

 

Get in bed with the enemy for the sake of a reform vote, and risk alienating a section of his support.

[Danny Wilde]

Ming Campbell and David Steel, old-stagers at this game, are both tacitly against a LibDem-Tory deal from what I can see of their utterances this past few hours.

 

Both of course are also part of the Liberal elite, and pally with Brown.

 

I don't know how much remaining clout these oldies have in the party (not much perhaps) but you can bet your bottom dollar that they - and many other LibDems like them - would vastly prefer to see Clegg do a deal with Brown, not Cameron.

 

2.57pm: Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Lib Dem leader, is responding to the Cameron offer on the BBC. He is not impressed. On the plan for an all-party committee of inquiry on electoral reform, Campbell said: "We have been round this course before." (He was referring to the Jenkins Comission.)

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

In other news, the Shinners end up winning FST by 4 votes.

 

Reg Empey, you are a tube! If you had ran a candidate there you could have won South Antrim with tactical Nationalist voting. Muppet!

[P-Dizzle]

The Lib Dems' seats in Scotland are in what you might say are 'natural' Tory areas.

 

What it might mean is less tactical voting supporting them, e.g. in Aberdeenshire.

 

My constituency is a strong Lib Dem seat, with Tories the nearest. So that sounds like what you're saying.

 

But I don't like the idea that they're going to help the Tories, because they have the bulk of the vote down south. I'm not happy about that.

[I P Knightley]

According to the Times, the Conservative Party were in debt by about ?35 million in 2006, I very much doubt that since they have been in opposition for this time, that they now find themselves in the black.

 

I read about this in the Private Eye a while back. I don't think the debt is as deep as ?35million recently but the story was more about Labour's cashflow problems which I believe, were worse and leading Brown to treading on eggshells when dealing with the unions.

 

Correct, though, that the parties' financials will take a battering if they have to go through all this again. I'd hope that many of the freaks and loons like Esther Rantzen would stay away from the process next time.

[Glamorgan Jambo]

Ming Campbell and David Steel, old-stagers at this game, are both tacitly against a LibDem-Tory deal from what I can see of their utterances this past few hours.

 

Both of course are also part of the Liberal elite, and pally with Brown.

 

I don't know how much remaining clout these oldies have in the party (not much perhaps) but you can bet your bottom dollar that they - and many other LibDems like them - would vastly prefer to see Clegg do a deal with Brown, not Cameron.

 

2.57pm: Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Lib Dem leader, is responding to the Cameron offer on the BBC. He is not impressed. On the plan for an all-party committee of inquiry on electoral reform, Campbell said: "We have been round this course before." (He was referring to the Jenkins Comission.)

 

Everybody is forgetting that Clegg started out as a member of the Tory group at university and got to Brussels/the EU initially by being a political aide to Leon Brittan. And the point was made a few weeks back that the double putsch on Kennedy and Campbell was to an extent pushed by the less radical and non left leaning recent Lib Dem MPs.

[Superman]

My constituency is a strong Lib Dem seat, with Tories the nearest. So that sounds like what you're saying.

 

But I don't like the idea that they're going to help the Tories, because they have the bulk of the vote down south. I'm not happy about that.

 

Do the Tories not have the right to attempt to form a government as they're now the largest party. The geographical location of their support doesn't matter a jot as it was UK wide elections and Lab/Lib Dem are both unionist parties.

[rossthejambo]

My constituency is a strong Lib Dem seat, with Tories the nearest. So that sounds like what you're saying.

 

But I don't like the idea that they're going to help the Tories, because they have the bulk of the vote down south. I'm not happy about that.

 

 

That's my feelings too, I'd be mightily pissed off if the Lib Dems struck a deal with the Tories.

[P-Dizzle]

Do the Tories not have the right to attempt to form a government as they're now the largest party. The geographical location of their support doesn't matter a jot as it was UK wide elections and Lab/Lib Dem are both unionist parties.

 

They can attempt to form a government if the incumbent PM can't. Lib Dems would not team up with Labour, because the Tories are the largest party and they think they should have the right to govern.

 

My point was, the Lib Dems will let the Conservatives govern in exchange for a shot at reform. I voted for the Lib Dems because Labour had no chance in my constituency, and the next party were the Tories.

 

I wanted a Lib-Lab coalition, I don't want the party I vote for to enable the Tories to govern even if they have a majority down south.

[Superman]

They can attempt to form a government if the incumbent PM can't. Lib Dems would not team up with Labour, because the Tories are the largest party and they think they should have the right to govern.

 

My point was, the Lib Dems will let the Conservatives govern in exchange for a shot at reform. I voted for the Lib Dems because Labour had no chance in my constituency, and the next party were the Tories.

 

I wanted a Lib-Lab coalition, I don't want the party I vote for to enable the Tories to govern even if they have a majority down south.

 

Should have made thought twice about voting Lib Dem then, as Clegg was on record prior to the election saying Cameron should get first shot at forming a coalition if there was no outright majority and the Tories were the biggest party. That was always going to happen.

 

The Lib Dems have form in ditching their policies for a sniff at power. They did it at the Holyrood elections when they ditched their main policy of scrapping tuition fees to form a coalition with Labour.

[P-Dizzle]

Should have made thought twice about voting Lib Dem then, as Clegg was on record prior to the election saying Cameron should get first shot at forming a coalition if there was no outright majority and the Tories were the biggest party. That was always going to happen.

 

The Lib Dems have form in ditching their policies for a sniff at power. They did it at the Holyrood elections when they ditched their main policy of scrapping tuition fees to form a coalition with Labour.

 

No it wasn't.

 

Lib Dems were expected to take more seats, making the balance far more even. Which would have lead the way for a Lib-Lab coalition that would outnumber the Tory vote.

 

But that pre-election hype didn't translate to as many votes as they were expecting. Now that the Tories have an outright majority, Lib Dems will side with them because they are by far the biggest party.

[Miller Jambo 60]

That's my feelings too, I'd be mightily pissed off if the Lib Dems struck a deal with the Tories.

 

 

Thing is they will Ross , the LD have no chance of winning themselves.

A wee bit glory for them TBH.

As for voting for them in scotland, wasted vote like the SNP going no where.

Or have i missed something.

FTR i voted tory why cos im sick of no jobs and being shafted by petrol. blah blah.

 

Doug.

[Nelly Terraces]

Tories didn't get an overall majority despite all their hype and bullcrap about Cameron.

 

And the SNP are a busted flush ('wee party - wee parliament' is about their pitiful small minded level) and as good as finished.

 

Happy days.

[Patrick Bateman]

That's my feelings too, I'd be mightily pissed off if the Lib Dems struck a deal with the Tories.

 

Hopefully folk will learn their lessons about the Lib Dems - They are utterly shallow and will piss all over the values they claim to represent in order to get a scrap of power. Hopefully they will be rightly punished in 2011 at Holyrood.

[Superman]

No it wasn't.

 

Lib Dems were expected to take more seats, making the balance far more even. Which would have lead the way for a Lib-Lab coalition that would outnumber the Tory vote.

 

But that pre-election hype didn't translate to as many votes as they were expecting. Now that the Tories have an outright majority, Lib Dems will side with them because they are by far the biggest party.

 

The Lib Dems always shoot their load early in elections. They got a surge after the initial TV debate but that eroded away, leaving their support in the polls at the same level as the last election. Their performance last night wasn't a surprise.

[Miller Jambo 60]

The Lib Dems always shoot their load early in elections. They got a surge after the initial TV debate but that eroded away, leaving their support in the polls at the same level as the last election. Their performance last night wasn't a surprise.

 

 

If the LD got in to power we would be over-run by any wee nation in any wee war.

Bunch of gays- end off and wheres my supermarket ya mups.

Got to laugh, the clowns in East Craigs voted for them and they have done SFA for us.

 

 

Doug.

[Therapist]

This election proves, yet again, that Scotland is a diddy little "country" that's set in its ways. By blindly voting for Labour and Cyclops, the brain-dead hordes have denied the Conservative and Unionist party the clear cut victory it deserves based on voting patterns elsewhere.

 

The Scottish electorate - Scotland's shame.

 

Having said that, it was great to see the SNP and Fat Alex do so badly.

[JamboAl]

If the LD got in to power we would be over-run by any wee nation in any wee war.

Bunch of gays- end off and wheres my supermarket ya mups.

Got to laugh, the clowns in East Craigs voted for them and they have done SFA for us.

 

 

Doug.

 

They could suffer in the next election as well.

A lot of the Labour disenchanted would vote for Clegg as a protest vote but certainly wouldn't want him to get into bed with David Cameron.

[leginten]

This election proves, yet again, that Scotland is a diddy little "country" that's set in its ways. By blindly voting for Labour and Cyclops, the brain-dead hordes have denied the Conservative and Unionist party the clear cut victory it deserves based on voting patterns elsewhere.

 

The Scottish electorate - Scotland's shame.

 

Having said that, it was great to see the SNP and Fat Alex do so badly.

 

How long is it since you stopped voting Labour in general elections, then?

[Sterling Archer]

This election proves, yet again, that Scotland is a diddy little "country" that's set in its ways. By blindly voting for Labour and Cyclops, the brain-dead hordes have denied the Conservative and Unionist party the clear cut victory it deserves based on voting patterns elsewhere.

 

The Scottish electorate - Scotland's shame.

 

Having said that, it was great to see the SNP and Fat Alex do so badly.

 

I was under the impression that Gordon Brown would be moving out today, have I missed that?

[P-Dizzle]

This election proves, yet again, that Scotland is a diddy little "country" that's set in its ways. By blindly voting for Labour and Cyclops, the brain-dead hordes have denied the Conservative and Unionist party the clear cut victory it deserves based on voting patterns elsewhere.

 

The Scottish electorate - Scotland's shame.

 

Having said that, it was great to see the SNP and Fat Alex do so badly.

 

[I P Knightley]

This election proves, yet again, that Scotland is a diddy little "country" that's set in its ways. By blindly voting for Labour and Cyclops, the brain-dead hordes have denied the Conservative and Unionist party the clear cut victory it deserves based on voting patterns elsewhere.

 

The Scottish electorate - Scotland's shame.

 

Having said that, it was great to see the SNP and Fat Alex do so badly.

 

 

You could add the urban North-West of England; the Leeds/Bradford connurbation and the east side of London to your "diddy little" areas of the UK.

 

Shameful. The lot of them.

[Therapist]

I was under the impression that Gordon Brown would be moving out today, have I missed that?

 

He has an extra hour or two that's all. All he's doing is demonstrating how desperate he is to stay in power. Anyone with an ounce of moral fibre and decency would have resigned as PM and leader of New Labour. Still, when you were never democratically elected in the first place....