Anybody any idea who's going to form the next government ?...

It's not getting any better is it ? and I'm by nature optimistic...

i don't think either of those guys is in any doubt as to the criticality(??) of their talks, so one can only hope that common sense and skilful wording will prevail

I cannot imagine how can you have a government with GB at the table ?...a meeting with 20 ministers chaired by GB...putting motions through to undo the crackpot schemes that labour have taken 14 years to implement...he'll do everything he can to slow things down...house of lords...etc....plus tory secrets would have to be debated with him being present....unworkable : for some laws...

????????????
where was GB mentioned?
if there is a deal between the 2xC, then GB will be forced to pack his bags

what price brown resigning on monday?

i would hope heavy odds-on as if that does not happen, it means that there is no deal of any kind between 2xC

an interesting snippet i have just picked up ......

Predicting that talks on forming a government could take days, Mr Clegg said he would make the case for four priorities - fairer taxes, changes to the education system to boost the chances of poorer pupils, a new approach to the economy and "fundamental" political reform.

i don't think that too much should be read into "could take days", as that would be expected given the magnitude of the task ..... however if there is no chance of a deal to be done, then we'll know tomorrow or even earlier.

what i did like to see in the above, was the absence of dogma about PR - merely a sensible and realistic comment about the need for "fundamental political reform", which quite rightly was in last place

I doubt the above.

I see a pact between the Libs.Dems and Labour, with Gordon Brown remaining as premier with and undertaking to resign or dissolve parliament within a two to three year period.

This would allow time for economic recovery and reform of electoral system with introduction of PR , possibly reform of the house of lords, and financing of MPS and elections.

It would be madness for the Libs to accept anything less than PR. and Cameron is so desperate to be Prime minister, he may offer it them.

I still think Clegg is naive, but not naive enough to hold hands with Cameron.

How did Cameron get his party into such a mess. Think of the polls he had 18mths ago.

I would think the politicians are a little too mature to pay any real attention to the markets, or make their decisions based on them.

That is left to traders and punters who are excitable.

At least Gordon Brown has now at last vacated 10 Downing Street, to return to the family home in Scotland (BBC News). First positive news to date. Any chance of manning Hadrians Wall pronto? :o))

Libs grass roots are revolting.

Who won..?

I don't know where I got the idea of GB chairing a meeting with Tory ministers....but it just seemed possible with GB determined to stay on...he'd do anything to remain in power.

Gone home 'tae think again' :o)

NC is not as naive as you fred if you really think that the (world) markets are unimportant ...... though they are often perceived as little better than casinos, in the broader picture, they reflect with some degree accuracy where economies are heading, not least because they are of course a true reflection of sentiment .... and if you think that is not important, then you are even more naive than i thought.

with regard to political reform, i think there is now a broad consensus that something needs to be done ..... personally, i don't much care for PR, and as i posted earlier, i think the STV is a much better option.

whatever is done - and it will assuredly have to be - it is not something that can be achieved in a day or even a month, as all the ramifications have to be carefully thought through ..... i also firmly believe that it will have to be a x-party discussion and debate if it is not all to end in a fearful shambles

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MRSI - i don't understand post 130 - do you?

I havent found any consensus about changing the voting system

but I would favour the demise of socialism and the return of a strong Liberal party

maybe the Cons-Lib platform could be the start

Who did you ask Cam ?

lol

On the other hand there is a broad consensus (contained within 2 standard deviations)
that Gordon Brown should have admitted defeat on Friday and quit then

the dancing continues, which can be no bad thing .....

5.47pm: Danny Alexander, the Lib Dem leader's chief of staff, just came out and made an even shorter statement, which was remarkably similar to Hague's.
Alexander said they had discussed the economy, deficit reduction, the environment and civil liberties. He did not mention electoral reform or even "political reform".
Like Hague he said they intended to have further discussions in the next 24 hours.
"Any plan will have deficit reducaiton and a credible economic plan at its heart," Alexander said.

Under Pressure.