It was the Sun what won it (oops maybe not)

[centurian]

Cable will almost certainly be chancellor in exchange for the LD's support. That will be Clegg's price

[VectraMan]

Cable will almost certainly be chancellor in exchange for the LD's support. That will be Clegg's price

There's no way Brown would agree to that. That gives them way too much power, not to mention that it would be completely unworkable given their different policies.

[centurian]

There's no way Brown would agree to that. That gives them way too much power, not to mention that it would be completely unworkable given their different policies.

But it's better than being Leader of the Opposition - shortly followed by being a backbench opposition MP.

Essentially that's the carrot that Nick Clegg will dangle in front of GB/DC and the first one to take it becomes Prime Minister. Now if they both turn round and say "get stuffed" and both hold their nerve, then Nick Clegg will have to scale back his demands.

But each will be afraid that the other is about to take up Nick on his offer and become PM.

Basically Game Theory for the country's top job.

[Boudica]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...endence-party#

i like this

[VectraMan]

But it's better than being Leader of the Opposition - shortly followed by being a backbench opposition MP.

Essentially that's the carrot that Nick Clegg will dangle in front of GB/DC and the first one to take it becomes Prime Minister. Now if they both turn round and say "get stuffed" and both hold their nerve, then Nick Clegg will have to scale back his demands.

But each will be afraid that the other is about to take up Nick on his offer and become PM.

Basically Game Theory for the country's top job.

Somebody has to form a government, even if it's a minority one. An unworkable coalition acheives nothing, and the economy is too big a deal in any election, let alone this one, for any PM to hand it over to somebody in a different party over whom he doesn't have full control. It just wouldn't work, it could only be a stunt to even suggest it, and Nick Clegg seems more reasonable than that.

[centurian]

Somebody has to form a government, even if it's a minority one.

Not always. If a stable government cannot be formed - a new election will be called.

An unworkable coalition acheives nothing, and the economy is too big a deal in any election, let alone this one, for any PM to hand it over to somebody in a different party over whom he doesn't have full control. It just wouldn't work, it could only be a stunt to even suggest it, and Nick Clegg seems more reasonable than that.

Likewise this is the one and only chance that the LD's will have to wield any power. Do you think they're going to be content with Environment and Prison's secretary, or a few other noncy jobs.

No, Nick will hold out for one of the top jobs, especially if the polls are right and the LD's get the same share of the vote as Labour (or more). In fact he probably won't stop with Cable as chanceller - he'll probably demand 50% representation in the cabinet and cite the popular vote share as the electoral mandate for it.

[TinTrump]

There's no way Brown would agree to that.

He won't be in a position to. Given the discontent within the Parliamentary Labour Party with him, anything less than an outright victory will result in him being replaced. So in this scenario, he's gone.