results

[thetank]

I thought John Reed was already retired.

[Jon MW]

I thought John Reed was already retired.

oh yeah, good point, he didn't stand for re election

My above points, and even easier for him to take the long term strategic view

[nirvana]

Never thought I would ever agree with Labour's ex Home Secretary John Reed. Well said!

   I know, shocking amount of sense being talked

I can honestly say I have never heard a politician speak with such clarity, in so few words with such complete integrity.

Sometimes you think you see people being sincere/authentic but I think in future I will more easily identify it - it will be the John Reed test for me from now on

I wouldn't put too much faith in his integrity

For his party it's a better strategic move to not be the next government

For him personally - he's probably one parliamentary term away from retirement, having that on the back bench with his cabinet career behind him isn't really that much of a sacrifice.

Ha ! Not quick enough my son. Lost my dewy eyed innocence in 73 seconds.

OK, I'm with Jim, bring in Ray Winstone

[Woodsey]

Is there any realistic chance of a Lib/lab deal, or are Libs just talking to Lab to scare the tories into giving them a better deal?

[Bongo]

I thought John Reid was talking sense on election night too so his comments tonight have reinforced my new found respect for him (I was very surprised)

[redsimon]

Is there any realistic chance of a Lib/lab deal, or are Libs just talking to Lab to scare the tories into giving them a better deal?

Feelling that Clgg can't sell Lib/Con deal to his party so looking at Labour post- Brown with better PR gtee?

[Jon MW]

Is there any realistic chance of a Lib/lab deal, or are Libs just talking to Lab to scare the tories into giving them a better deal?

Feelling that Clgg can't sell Lib/Con deal to his party so looking at Labour post- Brown with better PR gtee?

My money is still on the Lib Dems agreeing not to bring down a Conservative minority government

But the offer of electoral change without a referendum tips things more towards a Lib Lab agreement, it's just whether it's enough.

[Rod Paradise]

I thought John Reed was already retired.

But now Brown (who he wasn't exactly friendly with) is gone & up pops John, unsoiled by the economics crash & the election, acting the statesman.......


See he's advocating Labour try the same tactic he's been using as chairman of Celtic, i.e. do as little as possible & wait for the evil b*stards in blue to screw it up.

[ ] Working well John.

[TightEnd]

I cannot find a single democracy in the world where at least some of the policies of the party that gained the highest number of votes in an election did not end up being put into action.

I find it inconceivable that whatever party finishes in this place in an election on whatever electoral system is ignored in any coalition goverment

Yet we now face the prospect of this.

Remarkable times.


I still take the long view, I think, that this is a coalition not to be part of. Any of the coalitions will be short lived and have to go through very hard times and be very unpopular.

I think I also take the view that if Labour/Lib Dems do this they will face slaughter at the next election. Over-reaction maybe. Get soundly beaten might be a better way of putting it.

My ire is not so much towards Labour but towards Clegg who cannot with a straight face claim to be acting in the public interest when he is blatantly playing one off against the other for the gain of his party. If he had waited until Conservative talks had failed, then fair enough

[doubleup]

I cannot find a single democracy in the world where at least some of the policies of the party that gained the highest number of votes in an election did not end up being put into action.

I think this might happen in Israel, not sure tho

[thetank]

I wouldn't put too much faith in his integrity

For his party it's a better strategic move to not be the next government

If he did have a hidden agenda, another possibility is that he (and others in the Labour party who have expressed similar sentiments) wants it to look like Labour are divided, and not altogether desperate to stay in power.

The ulterior motive being that they don't have to offer the LibDems as much in their deal.

Personally I think he was just calling a spade a spade.

[Woodsey]

[Longy]

I cannot find a single democracy in the world where at least some of the policies of the party that gained the highest number of votes in an election did not end up being put into action.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_1951

Labour had 200 000 more votes and lost the election.

or USA 2000 Gore got more votes, no?

[TightEnd]

I cannot find a single democracy in the world where at least some of the policies of the party that gained the highest number of votes in an election did not end up being put into action.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_1951

Labour had 200 000 more votes and lost the election.

or USA 2000 Gore got more votes, no?

yes but in 51 the party with the most votes did not have the highest number of seats, a vagary of FPTP. However I accept the point that it is not toally unprecedented


USA 2000 was clearly a disgrace, but no coalition it was an either/or choice


I am so outraged I am considering marching on parliament with a rolled up copy of the Daily Telegraph in one hand and a signed photo of Ecosse in the other.

[outragous76]

It makes me laugh how everytime time I hear a tory representative on the radio they cry 'but we got the most votes', yet they are whole heartedly against PR

The torys are really going about this the wrong way due to desperation.cameron should ditch lib dem and make a positive move for power. There is an awful lot of media weight behind him might just push him home