Is losing to a Labour minority government the best outcome for the Tories?

[d000hg]

Hmm let me see, Labour have some hard core voters who will never switch.

Public sector workers, people on benefits, single mums, minimum wage slaves like supermarket shelf stackers etc etc.

They all gain massively by Labour coming to power. It does not matter if the country gets ****ed, as long as they win.

Rather a condescending tone considering that's exactly why most of us on CUK will vote the way we do too... the party we think is best for our self/our family.

[Batcher]

True, but both would be massive sticking points, arguably show stoppers from both parties.

Independence is only mentioned in this General Election by the unionists. Nicola Sturgeon has said time and again that Independence isn't what we're voting for.

Another referendum will only happen if there is support from the voters for the SNP to include it in another Scottish parliament election manifesto and the SNP are given a majority, and therefore a mandate to hold another one.

[MicrosoftBob]

Don't believe for a minute that Milipede won't do a deal with the SNP. He gets to be PM with the help of the SNP.

The flip side is that Cameron gets back in and Milipede loses his job. He may not admit to doing deals but you can bet your life Len McCluskey's people will be talking to the SNP's people to agree to concessions.

FTFY

[MicrosoftBob]

Just imagine the SNP have influence and actually help force Labour to bring in policies that are popular with the electorate all over the UK.

I don't think even the SNP could bring back Thatcher

[d000hg]

Just imagine the SNP have influence and actually help force Labour to bring in policies that are popular with the electorate all over the UK.

"Give all the money to Scotland" isn't going to be popular.

[jamesbrown]

I don't buy into the argument that there will be a quick general election, because the current coalition changed the rules completely.

In order to have another general election, the government needs to lose a vote of no confidence. Everyone then gets 14 days to try to form another government without the need for an election.

The government cannot call an election themselves without getting 2/3 of the house in favour of it. The government call a vote of no confidence in itself and then win that vote, to give themselves 14 days to form a new government or have a general election, but that's unprecedented to call for no confidence in yourself.

So we could end up with a Labour or Conservative government because they command the support of the house, that loses the Queen's speech, loses their budget, but cannot be removed from office because there is no incentive to do so - and then the opposition parties can say "they've done nothing" and hope that the public don't realise why not (seems to work for the republicans in America).

To be honest, a few years without any massive changes might even be what the country needs from here.

This is one of the problems with having an unwritten constitution. Aside from the Cabinet Manual there's basically feck all guidance. The Cabinet Manual states that any potential gov't must have the confidence of the House. The first step in the process is the Queen's Speech, followed by a series of votes (the first opportunity to test confidence). What's messy about this process is that it's unclear when someone should approach the Queen in practice (how clear does it need to be that they have the confidence of the House?). So, you get the potential for a Speech that is subsequently voted down. However, once a gov't is actually formed, the Fixed-term Parliament Act essentially means that it isn't going anywhere, even if it's deeply unpopular. For example, it wouldn't be possible for the PM to seek a new election. So, in answer to the OP, there's very little chance of that under the Fixed-term Parliament Act, whereas it would have been quite likely in the past. Whatever arrangement commands the confidence of the House first will almost certainly be the gov't for the next 5 years.

[zemoxyl]

This is one of the problems with having an unwritten constitution. .

I'm finding the whole thing amusing. Cameron and Milliband are both going to get shafted with this 1930s-style FPTP voting system that they fought to keep in place.
Who said politics couldn't be fun?

[Batcher]

"Give all the money to Scotland" isn't going to be popular.

It is in Scotland

Did I forget to thank you for the free prescriptions, free Uni tuition fees, free bridge tolls, free care for the elderly, Council Tax frozen for the last 8 years. etc., etc., ?

Sorry, must have slipped my mind.

Thank you from the heart of my bottom

[TestMangler]

It is in Scotland

Did I forget to thank you for the free prescriptions, free Uni tuition fees, free bridge tolls, free care for the elderly, Council Tax frozen for the last 8 years. etc., etc., ?

Sorry, must have slipped my mind.

Thank you from the heart of my bottom

And to add to that, I'd also like to thank you for the Small Business Bonus, which, for the benefit of the English contributors to my well being, is a scheme by the business hating SNP to give up to 100% relief on business premises rates to SMEs. Disguised employees need not apply, but please continue to throw your money over Hadrians wall. We love you for it. xx

[VectraMan]

It is in Scotland

Did I forget to thank you for the free prescriptions, free Uni tuition fees, free bridge tolls, free care for the elderly, Council Tax frozen for the last 8 years. etc., etc., ?

Sorry, must have slipped my mind.

Thank you from the heart of my bottom

You must wake up every morning, turn your head to the heavens and praise the Lord that the independence movement failed.