Saturday, May 8, 2010

Second British General Election within a Month or Two.

Here in London this Saturday its grey, rainy and cold and the Tories and the Lib Dems are trying to get into bed together. To rule here you have to have at least 326 seats in Parliament. The Tories much agrieved got 306, Labour, expecting a wipe out, was happy to get 258 and the Lib Dems led by their smooth double-glazing salesman Nick Clegg were crushed to actually loose seats and end up on 57.
The Lib Dems want first past the post to be replaced by proportional representation (PR) which, unsurprisingly, would increase their personal representation. The Tories, forever looking backwards, would rather sell their wives than concede the abomination of PR. So although a coalition of 306 Tories and 57 Lib Dems looks good numerically, it wont happen unless, it is possible of course I suppose, the Lib Dems relinquish all their wonderful sounding principles for a brief moment in the sun. Labour, who are philosophically closer to the Lib Dems have offered them their cherished PR but the numbers dont add up to the magic 326.
So what? Well, the Tories could try to go it alone with the No Surrender Ulstermen and maybe even the Scots and Welsh Nationalists but it would be not much clear of 326 and about as managable and stable as a paper bag full of rattlesnakes on speed.
In conclusion, its all too messy and unworkable. One thing is certain; we Brits are off to the polls again sometime very soon.
Some stats; the percentages of the popular vote obtained were as below
Tories; 36, Labour; 29, Lib Dem; 23, Others; 12.
Contrary to what the Tories are claiming, they do not have a moral right to rule. Coalitions of Tory and Lib Dem; 59% ; or Labour and Lib Dem; 52% maybe.

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