Afternoon:
15°c
Thank you and goodbye: Gordon Brown quits as PM
Joe Murphy, Paul Waugh and Nicholas Cecil11 May 2010
- Labour: Miliband favourite to be new leader
- Coalition: Vince Cable boosts Tories by saying he won’t block spending cuts
- No10: Tories offer Lib-Dems vote reform
- Blog: That Rainbow Coalition in full
- ES Comment: Lib-Dems in fairness should back the Tories
- Analysis: Last ace up Gordon Brown’s sleeve is his power to go to the Queen
Gordon Brown has announced his resignation as Prime Minister.
The Labour leader said it had been "a privilege to serve" and wished his successor well.
Mr Brown, his voice cracking with emotion, also said he was resigning immediately as Labour leader.
He then left Downing Street for Buckingham Palace holding hands with his wife Sarah and sons John and Fraser.
With Sarah standing by his side on the steps of No 10, he said: "My constitutional duty is to ensure that a government can be formed after last week's general election.
"I have informed the Queen's private secretary that it is my intention to tender my resignation to the Queen.
"If the Queen accepts, I shall advise her to invite the Leader of the Opposition to seek to form a government."
Mr Brown said: "I wish the next prime minister well as he makes the important choices for the future.
"Only those who have held the office of prime minister can understand the full weight of its responsibilities and its great capacity for good.
"I have been privileged to learn much about the very best in human nature and a fair amount too about its frailties - including my own."
His brief statement ended with the words: "Thank you and goodbye."
Earlier, Mr Brown's final desperate attempt to cling on to power with a Lib-Lab deal crumbled amid a rebellion on his own side and policy disagreements with Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.
This afternoon he retreated to No 10 to discuss his situation with senior ministers, friends and wife Sarah.
Mr Brown had planned to stay in power until the summer if the deal had worked, earning himself a place in history as the man who won a historic fourth term for Labour.
However, Labour MPs and ministers reacted with anger to the attempted deal, saying they would prefer to be in opposition than in government with the Lib-Dems.
A friend of the Prime Minister said: “The deal with Clegg was just not do-able.”
Talks with Mr Clegg's team took place this morning but lasted less than two hours. Mr Clegg then reopened talks with the Conservatives, amid speculation that a Lib-Con deal was imminent.
Soon after the Evening Standard broke the story that Mr Brown was going, the BBC reported that luggage was being packed into a Range Rover outside the back door to No 10, giving the impression of a removal under way.
Gossip then spread that No 10 staffers were changing from casual clothes into suits and ties for an important event, almost certainly a respectful farewell to their leader.
Senior party figures were crowded into No 10, including Lord Mandelson and Alastair Campbell who have worked closely with Mr Brown for two influential and stormy decades.
The scene appeared to be set for the first change of Government since 1997 when 18 years of Conservative rule under Margaret Thatcher and John Major came to an end.
Meanwhile the failure of the Lib-Lab talks was being blamed on several factors. Mr Clegg's team asked for reassurances on tax and spending issues that Labour felt were not possible to deliver. On voting reform, Labour offered a referendum on an AV-plus system of voting in the next parliament, a time scale that the third party felt was too distant to be bankable.
Labour's public turmoil had left Mr Clegg exposed and under massive pressure to make up his mind one way or the other. He was likened to a “harlot” by former home secretary David Blunkett and accused of “Robert Mugabe politics” by former Tory foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind.
Although Mr Cameron ordered his team not to join in the name-calling, the Conservative leader upped the pressure on Mr Clegg by insisting it was “decision time”. Leaving home this morning, he said: “It's now, I believe, decision time — decision time for the Liberal Democrats. And I hope they make the right decision to give this country the strong, stable government that it badly needs and it badly needs quickly.”
In today's developments:
A series of big-name Labour figures, including Health Secretary Andy Burnham and Mr Blunkett, said Mr Brown should admit Labour had lost.
The Labour leadership race gathered pace despite Mr Brown's edict against open campaigning, with Ed Miliband emerging as a dark horse.
Lib-Dem peers told Mr Clegg they thought only the Conservatives could deliver stability, while respected Treasury spokesman Vince Cable signalled he could work with Tory plans to cut spending this year.
Most Conservative MPs endorsed Mr Cameron's offer of policy concessions and a referendum on the alternative vote system for future elections, although the Right-wing Conservative Way Forward group urged him to break off the talks.
Labour were today said to have offered the Lib-Dems a referendum in the next parliament on full proportional representation, as well as the alternative vote system in this one.
But the Lib-Dem team were understood to be doubtful that a Labour leader could deliver on the pledges and dismayed that the Government was unwilling to give concessions on civil liberties issues.
Most Lib-Dem MPs contacted by the Standard favoured a pact with the Conservatives. Simon Hughes was a notable exception.
Mr Clegg has seen his squeaky clean image badly tarnished in the past 24 hours after he asked the Prime Minister for talks while appearing to be on the brink of a deal with Mr Cameron.
Sir Malcolm said that looked “duplicitous” and went on: “This is straight out of the Robert Mugabe school of politics. You lose and then cobble together some formula to keep power.”
Reader views (83)
margy-London
I love your conspiracy theories....to some people politics can be about ideas, policies and integrity, to others it is just party tribalism. so it is possible to admire people from all parties and strongly dislike others. When you really look at the policies that the three parties took into the election, in some areas Cameron was more left wing than Labour, in most areas the LibDems were more left wing than Labour. It's the new politics in the UK, and I think it is quite healthy....
- martin_clerkenwell, london, 12/05/2010 09:26
Report abuse
Gordon Brown, goodbye and good riddance!
- Warren Zimmerman, Biloxi, MS, USA, 12/05/2010 03:30
Report abuse
Melvyn Windebank - the pettiness goes on, I see. I suppose it's to be expected.
- Rogan, Irving, 11/05/2010 22:44
Report abuse
Oh well, ALL IS WELL WHEN IT ENDS WELL...
Now ,enough of Blábla, a deep breath and... there is a lot of work to be done!
Good luck and may THE FORCE BE WITH YOU DAVID!
- Helena Lisboa, Lisboa, ortugalP, 11/05/2010 21:48
Report abuse
@Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 11/05/2010 11:52
Melvyn, we all know you are a sore Labour loser, but trying to deny the fact that the Tories won all but 6% of the required seats to govern this country is just a little too far down the road to insanity...
They were the winners in this election, now grow up and accept it.
- Kris, London, 11/05/2010 13:00
Report abuse
"Sore Labour Loser?" you must be joking I have'nt had so much fun since 1 May 2007 when 18 years of Tory rule ended in one of the biggest landslides in history.
Labour has had 13 years in power and has won 3 elections in a row and most importently it may have lost the 4th but it ensured so did the Tories who now have to rely on others to survive.
Just think David Cameron who was born with a dinner table full of silver cutlery in his mouth will now become the "Oliver Twist PM" with his begging bowl to Nick Clegg saying "Please, Please Nick I need some more!".
Wonder if he checked that the bowl had not been changed by Gordon Brown for a collinder with holes ready to collect any Lib Dem MPs who fall through into the Iron Chancellors bucket?
Well vote Lib Dem get Tory so why did Nick not say this before the election it could have saved all this confusion!!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 11/05/2010 20:57
Report abuse
Some of the rather inappropriately gloating Tories on here should perhaps reflect that some of us Labour supporters are rather pleased at this outcome...
Enjoy your moment...it won't get any better than this.
- Ian Bartlett, Chesham, UK, 11/05/2010 20:43
Report abuse
Once again we move into the "I'm alright Jack" society.The man who must head his head in shame most is Nick Clegg we new what David Cameron stood for but Nick Clegg has clearly conned us into believing that he wanted a better and different society and he is clearly a liar.
- M Melbourne, Bedford, 11/05/2010 19:52
Report abuse
Chrism: "Clegg doesn't have a moral compass , he's an atheist". Had to laugh here. As a matter of fact, we (atheists) do have moral compass - we just don't have the need to have our morals set by fictional beings. 
- Legal Immigrant, City of London, 11/05/2010 19:46
Report abuse
IF THIS IS TEH FINAL NAIL IN MANDLESONS,CAMPBELL, BALLS AND BROWNS POLITICAL COFFINS THEN TODAY IS A GLORIOUS DAY TO CELEBRATE.
THE LIBERALS SHOULDN'T CELEBRATE THEIR BEHAVIOUR HAS DONE THEMSELVES NO GOOD AND THE PUBLIC WILL NOT FOREGT IT. THEY WILL BE WIPED OUR WHEN THE NEXT ELECTION IS CALLED!!
- Robert Marshall, London, 11/05/2010 18:36
Report abuse
What a sad state of affairs for the country to be in.
Time for Gordon Brown to show a little dignity and endure the unendurable, to quote a certain Japanese emperor who had to make his people understand they had lost, but that life would go on beyond that point. David Cameron COULD form either a viable minority government or a coalition with the LibDems and so get the country moving forward again. Mr Brown has to bite the bullet and 'advise the queen' that this is so, as is his duty. He must accept, at last, that what he wants for the country isn't what the country wants from him.
In my view Nick Clegg should be thanked for demonstrating what having PR would mean for the future. It might even shake up a few of his less pedantic followers to be honest with themselves and reconsider their views on the topic when, rightfully, there is a referendum on the matter. Political parties should be subordinate to the nation's needs, not the other way around.
- Rogan, Irving, 11/05/2010 18:33
Report abuse
Noooooooo, Thatcher's Love Children Return... hide your savings cos you're going to need them to pay for schools, police and healthcare. The CON is back ON 
- Bob Jones, London, 11/05/2010 17:58
Report abuse
So with PR or the AV system of voting we will end up with the farce of 20% or so of Lib/Dem voters holding the country to ransom at every election in the future and this is supposed to be fairer method.
- Graham, Kingsbridge,Devon, 11/05/2010 17:58
Report abuse
- James, London, 11/05/2010 16:47
Clegg doesn't have a moral compass , he's an atheist .Couldn't help wondering how it was he took part in Sunday's Cenotaph ceremony and mouthed the words.
- chrism, morbihan,france, 11/05/2010 17:52
Report abuse
"This afternoon he (the PM) retreated to No 10 to discuss his situation with senior ministers, friends and wife Sarah."
I hope there is someone to check that they don't make off with the silver. Gordon's already sold off all the gold! And I bet that Mandy has been eyeing up the curtains.
- D. Miner, London, UK, 11/05/2010 17:51
Report abuse
Good riddance to the worst Prime Minister ever to have set foot inside Downing Street.
It is duly noted that the UNELECTED Meddlespin and Campbell have been pulling all the strings.
SO MUCH FOR DEMOCRACY.
Get out Gormless U-Turn Bigot Bully Squatter Brown - don't forget to collect your £2,100,000.00 pension pot on the way out.
- Reuben Camara, Plot 1, Morecambe Compound, EUSSR, 11/05/2010 17:51
Report abuse
Terry,
why do you think Tories will attack "ordinary" people.. the only people who should worry is the work shy who and East European immigrants
Labor has proved incapable of creating real jobs, wrecked the country economically, taken bureaucracy to new heights, burdened policing, health and teaching profession with paperwork, licensed many aspects of our lives to make money, fed the work shy, broken families, lost control over crime, lied on EU referendum, burdened the country with uncontrolled immigration, made politics sleazy, lost the British stature and prestige in world affairs.. I can go on and on.. but wont even bother with a second paragraph.
No companies (or country) can survive or succeed like this.. Labor is the enemy of the middle class and has taxed us stealthily
The only thing they have done effectively is introduce class wars and poisoned peoples mind against Tories.. Many Tory politicians are business and successful in their own right.. they run successful companies.. They understand efficiency. I think they can create jobs and improve the economy which will benefit the country.. They will not drive away the wealtch creators..
Thank God the leader has stepped down (or kicked out) - he should be exiled to Corsica and never allowed to set foot on our blessed shores again. He has wrecked our country and through his antics yesterday proved how much he put self ahead of country
- Sunny, Ilford, UK, 11/05/2010 17:42
Report abuse
Just illustrates how stupid Brown is to not know he did not have a hope in hell.
- michael, London, UK, 11/05/2010 17:30
Report abuse
It was all the fault of BlairBrown and mandelspin/Campbell/Balls..they really were snakes..
Thrilled about the result ..and everyone can now rebulid..without the aforementioned!!
- kathy, london, UK, 11/05/2010 17:16
Report abuse
Good news about the Lib/Dems heaving on the reigns of the Tory administration,this will help ease the onslaught of the Torys attacks on ordinary working people,who will have to pay for the greed of the Banker's.
- Terry, London, 11/05/2010 17:13
Report abuse
Time to break out a bottle of something nice. Glass of water for the outgoing PM, though.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 11/05/2010 17:12
Report abuse
UK Citizens: Congrats on your recent election. I have been watching the pre-election and post election updates carefully... I bid you all the best of luck and prosperity. I hope that your election is a clear sign to the rest of the worlds politicians that the citizens are fed up with wasted spending, 'leaders' sitting on their duffs, and "change" that we didn't sign up for.
If Mr. Brown does indeed step down tonight, I fully intend on celebrating in my own home. Mr. Cameron and I wouldn't get along 100% on policy, but he is a huge step in the right direction for the UK.
All the best,
Chris
- Chris, Dracut, MA, USA, 11/05/2010 17:02
Report abuse
Finally he's gone. Forget PR, the most important thing is to pass a law stopping all these undemocratic and unelected liars like Campbell, Mandleson, Adonis et al getting involved in teh democratic process. Enjoy your civil war Labour. You deserve it. And what a way to treat your parliamentary party Gordon. Bye bye on behalf of all Bigots by the way.
- David S, Burgess Hill, 11/05/2010 16:53
Report abuse
Clegg’s actions show why the Con/Lib pact is a farce. The true Tories must be reeling, but Clegg if this was promotion for PR you lost it mate!
- James, London, 11/05/2010 16:47
Report abuse
You can confirm your new IMF job now Gordon,!!!!.
- Davey_bouy, Chertsey, 11/05/2010 16:41
Report abuse
HAHAHA! GOOD BYE SOCIALISTS!
- Steve, Somerset, England, 11/05/2010 16:40
Report abuse
TM, London, 11/05/2010 15:59 +1
The only party that has come out of this with any decency are the Conservatives.
Brown has shown they are willing to do anything to cling to power, fortunately there are still a few honourable Labour MPs such as Hoey.
It's a funny game isn't it? From a quick look it appears to me that those who voted UKIP have denied the Conservatives about a dozen seats (assuming the majority would have been Conservative voters) and given more bargaining power to the Libdems the party most in favour of Europe. So vote UKIP get Clegg!! The law of unintended consequence indeed.
IMHO proportional representation should be resisted and not brought in based on one hung election. The Libdems lost seats so obviously there was NO general upswell for PR. If we introduce PR then future elections are likely to result in much more of this horse trading carried on in secret and scramble to assemble a majority from several smaller parties holding undue influence. Just look at how the SNP have welcomed a hung result so they can squeeze more out of the public purse - no way is that in the interest of the whole country.
Why is it that we always hear about how new and better PR is? Sounds just like the Euro stuff about being left behind...
- tonyw, London, 11/05/2010 16:38
Report abuse
If this is true, it's excellent news, and just shows that some Labour MPs do have a sense of fair play. (wow that was hard to say as a Tory). Brown and his henchmen should never have tried to play that game, especially without consulting their party and executive. He should quit in shame.
- Kris, London, 11/05/2010 16:32
Report abuse
If there is never going to be PR, then what is the point in letting parties other than red/blue stand for election. The electorate might as well get informed that unless you vote for one of the 2 main parties, don't bother.
If this country cannot decide a main ruling party by an election, then that tells me that none of the parties are offering anything that appeals to the masses.
- Man on the street, UK, 11/05/2010 16:30
Report abuse
please remember the last 13 years - sleaze, dishonesty, disregard for the voters, brown and blair brought our country to its knees, look at the way brown has tried to cling to power, and who is doing the negotiating for labour MANDELSON AND CAMPBELL WHAT RIGHT HAVE THEY TO NEGOTIATE ANYTHING - THEY ARE NOT ELECTED
- cathy, southampton hampshire, 11/05/2010 16:27
Report abuse
- TM, London, 11/05/2010 15:59
TM, If we had green arrows on this site I'd be clicking it now, on your comment. Well said!
- John Bull, Woking, (Partially) Broken Britain, 11/05/2010 16:15
Report abuse
Nick Clegg is showing the world he is an opportunist - besides egotistic and power hungry. I so hope he is enjoying his 5 mins of fame.
For heavens sake, he is holding the ordinary electorate lives at stake as he is unable to take the bull by the horns and make a decision that is best for the people that pay his salary via their taxes. Heaven forbid if he was PM and had to make decisions every day. With every passing moment he reminds me of my 18 year old son whose brain cells have yet to wake up and register I keep him financially not the other way round.
Cameron, do us all a favour and tell Clegg and his teenage band wagon of 56 MP's where to sling their hooks, show them the way to the playground and get on with the job in hand and sort this Country out. Even give them the price of an ice cream on their way!!!!
- TM, London, 11/05/2010 15:59
Report abuse
martin_clerkenwell, london, 11/05/2010 13:57
Usual labour bunker tactics. Leave messages pretending to be a tory but defending Brown. Spin spin spin all day long from the looooosers!
Listening to the beeb and labour stooges makes me dizzy!!
There will be a lib/tory alliance by tomorrow and that will represent the majority of the voters....ie good democracy...a massive 362 seats in the commons. In addition it will be an extremely 'progressive' government.
Bye Gordy, bye Ali, bye Mandy....and good riddance. May you all find gainful employment elsewhere.
- Margy, London, 11/05/2010 14:33
Report abuse
Imagine if Nick's finger was on the trigger: do I, don't I, do I, don't I.........
The Libs have proved themselves to be truly pathetic but then they've never had any prospect of responsibility before, now we know why.
- Stephen C, London, 11/05/2010 14:24
Report abuse
Nick Clegg's behaviour over the last few days is an excellent demonstration of why PR won't in fact work. The reality is you would end up with a situation where small minority parties would hold a disproportionate influence over the government of the country. Yes we do need electoral reform but it probably needs to be far more sweeping. Perhaps in line with the US model where there are checks and balances between the executive, the courts and the legislature. Before these events I might have voted for PR now I would definitely be against it.
- Ian, London, 11/05/2010 14:21
Report abuse
@martin_clerkenwell, london, 11/05/2010 13:57
I agree with a lot of your comments, but cannot stomach that Brown is morally correct in staying on as PM in the way he is attempting. He has the legal right to stay of course, but to try and scupper the LibDem-Tory negotiations by attempting what is basically a coup backed by his nefarious henchmen is not the moral thing to do. It's certainly not in the best interests of this country.
- Kris, London, 11/05/2010 14:16
Report abuse
The disregard for the country's will is staggering. If this was the other way around, the so called 'working' classes would be rioting in the streets already. This Labour Government is doing all it can to destroy the country till it's dying breath with the traitorous Liberals as partners in crime.
- Lord Hingebottom, Hingebottom Bay, UK, 11/05/2010 14:15
Report abuse
Clegg has done himself and his party so very much damage over the past few days, even if an agreement is reached shortly. From hero to zero in the space of only 3 weeks or so.
- Phil Jones, London EU, 11/05/2010 14:09
Report abuse
scotty, London
I am sorry if you think my input as smug. My point is that Gordon Brown is still PM as that is the process, he cannot resign until there is an alternative that can form a Govt. Cameron could insist now that he can form a minority Govt, but clearly without support from other parties, he will fail to get through the first Queen's speech and we would have another election. Brown is doing nothing wrong either constitutionally or morally.....
FYI - my preferred outcome is a Lib/Tory pact, but we are where we are and the fact is that the LibDem party (led by but not controlled byClegg) is in a position of great power and more importantly is being directed by his party's activists. There is significant pressure to resolve this issue, however in Europe these situations sometimes take weeks. The pressure seems to be coming from the 24hr media, mainly because Adam Boulton needs the rest - he is clearly losing it after his inability to handle Campbell yesterday.
- martin_clerkenwell, london, 11/05/2010 13:57
Report abuse
Cleggie, do your business or get off the pot. Which of the two ugly sisters will you take to the Westminster ball?
- D. Miner, London, UK, 11/05/2010 13:54
Report abuse
If this is a taste of the type of post-election political horse trading that is being promoted by Nick Clegg and the LibDems, we don't want it. Selling yourself to the highest bidder cheapens an existing imperfect system that has proven itself over hundreds of years.
- D. Miner, London, UK, 11/05/2010 13:52
Report abuse
Thank you Mr Clegg for making the decision to emigrate that much easier. I'm an ordinary Briton fed up with paying for everyone else to have a life and having none of my own. If you do a deal with Labour as it seems likely is going to happen and go against what the majority have voted for then this country really has gone to the dogs. What did everyone expect when enough rubbish has been let in - did you think they were going to vote away their handouts?
- Lou, London, 11/05/2010 13:51
Report abuse
Who would have thought this election would result in a laugh a minute.Go have a look at the Conservative rag(sorry,Daily Mail) and wind them up.Thankfully we have the Evening Standard were professinal journalists are still employed and although they critizes Labour and Lib Dems,they also do not worship the Conservatives.
- dave, london, 11/05/2010 13:39
Report abuse
Why are we assuming Clegg knows what to do, he is like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar and has been blinded from the reality of what he is and where he is coming from.
His hand is nowhere near as strong as is being suggested and to say he is seeking a stable governmentis coswallop, he is seeking to feather his own nest and has shown by his actions the Liberals particularly talking with Labour and not telling the Tories that he can't be trusted for one second. And this guy wants a seat in cabinet.
The guy is a loser of a losing party, stop phaffing around Clegg and put the country first like you say or go to hell.
- Robert Marshall, London, 11/05/2010 13:21
Report abuse
Tanya makes an excellent point. The election was fought like never before on the personalities of the leaders - it hinged on those 3 TV debates. Labour's message was "no time for a novice, stick with a safe pair of hands", ie: Gordon. The LibDems' message was "vote for a change from the old parties".
And now it's quite possible those parties will use those votes to keep the old Labour party in, but with a new leader who did not participate in the debates and is likely to be anything but a safe pair of hands!
It is an absolute joke. If they think they can flog that to the electorate, they must be collectively insane. If I was Cameron, I'd be tempted to let them do it and take the consequences, but there will also be consequences for the country and the economy.
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent, 11/05/2010 13:11
Report abuse
Here we have it; the Lib Dems' electoral reforms in action for all to see! If they have their way this will happen every 4/5 years with the minority parties cast as kingmakers. Bargaining and deals being brokered on the basis of political ideology rather than what's best for the country.
It's pretty unlikely any single party would gain an overall majority under the system proposed by the Lib Dems and, now (conveniently), Labour. Even Tony Blair, in his landslide victory in 1997, only gained 40-odd% of the votes, so would've had to go to the minority parties cap in hand to get anything passed in parliament.
I hope people are enjoying this debacle because if the voting reforms are forced through we'll be seeing a lot more of it!
The least either coalition government can do is guarantee us a referendum on voting reforms so that we the electorate get to have our say, rather than the reforms simply being concocted by self-serving political parties trying to increase their own standing!
- Richard, Mile End, London, 11/05/2010 13:10
Report abuse
Clegg is showing himself up as the amateur he really is. This is despicable behaviour from the glibdems and they are not fit to govern. I just wish the next election would hurry up and give the Tories the majority they deserve.
- Elaine, Norwich, 11/05/2010 13:05
Report abuse
@Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 11/05/2010 11:52
Melvyn, we all know you are a sore Labour loser, but trying to deny the fact that the Tories won all but 6% of the required seats to govern this country is just a little too far down the road to insanity...
They were the winners in this election, now grow up and accept it.
- Kris, London, 11/05/2010 13:00
Report abuse
If anyone can tell me how a government of the progressives in hock to bribes to SNP and DUP and enforced by Scottish Labour MPs taking money out England is in anyway a democratic outcome - the strathcylde issue with bells on - I am guessing this will cause the break up of the UK and the sooner the better then Labour and Lib dems canb add a nations demise to the economic chaos this pigs in the trough farce has already generated...
- christian ball, London, UK, 11/05/2010 12:58
Report abuse
This dithering is only set to continue in a coalition government, be it a conservative or labour coalition. Now is the time for action not inaction. That labour and conservatives are continuing to pander to these liberals - who are clearly punching far above their weight - is laughable. Give them a sniff of power and they will only put spanners and hammers in the works, clogging up effective and the strong government, which is so necessary for these times. This type of system may work in Europe, where elections are far more commonplace and they are used to playing consensus - please everybody - politics, but not in the UK. Our system may not be ideal, but I don’t believe any system is. In its favour it has kept this country stable, compared with the rest of Europe, for centuries. Economically we are in a torrid state of affairs, which has nothing to do with the politics, but we need stability, and we are not getting that. From where I sit the liberals are playing a hugely selfish opportunistic game. Before long the rating agencies will downgrade us, and then we are on a slippery slope, I agree that the PIIGS may well be joined by a U!
- Ali, London, 11/05/2010 12:26
Report abuse
What is becoming clearer is the fact that we all lost the election.
- Hansel, London, 11/05/2010 12:24
Report abuse
For people mlike Scotty this Clegg and Brown dishonesty seems normal. We need an English Parliament andthe cry for it becomes louder as the DUP, SNP and PC impose cuts on England while they fatten up services in NI, Scotland and Wales. By the way Tories won a majority in England. 305 seats against 258. Tories did not lose it, Brown did and he is planning to be there for months. Is this the new politics of Clegg. English Parliament all the way.
Libdems are finished.
- James, Manchester, 11/05/2010 12:14
Report abuse
personally, the liberal democrats all '56' of them should continue doing what i,s best for them, not only electoral reform but hey ferrari and bently for all liberal democrat mp's, 60 inch flat screen and increase in pay. Labour will give it all. Cameron can then just wait it out until the next election. Labour is making a pigs ear out of our proud boast of 'good sportsmanship'
- jonathan, london, 11/05/2010 12:12
Report abuse
Is this what we want…….CONSTANT POLITICAL CHAOS?
Remember the British people have had PR type Govt that collapsed quickly.
PR means ….One section of our society being traded off against another where the English who are already paying a disproportionate amount of taxes will be called on to pay more.
Who do you hold to account? Parliament?
This is NOT progressive but RETROGRESSIVE government. If PR became a reality the British people would never be able to vote in a responsible government again.
It reminds me of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic just before it plunges to the depths.
Israel is cursed by such government & have had 32 in the past 60 years.
To make First Past the Post work, pass just law like Australia, everyone has to vote or pay a fine. People died for this right to vote!
One last thing. Europe has always been dominated not by beurocracy. The PR system works well for them. Frankly I’m sick of hearing about what other countries do.
Remember up until fairly recently Britain was the most successful country in the world. PR guarantees our faster decline.
- Jas, Camberley UK, 11/05/2010 12:12
Report abuse
scotty, london -
Cam did not win. The three of them lost. We should go back to the polls rather than allow this farce to continue. But the politicos better wake up. They failed to inspire the electorate.
- Tory Boy Liberal, Lambeth, 11/05/2010 12:08
Report abuse
Surely the only reality to come out of this disgraceful gerrymandering by Labour's unelected leaders - Lords Mandelson & Adonis - is that we need wholescale political reform to include an elected upper house and English devolution. England needs to assert its right to govern itself. Give the Scots, Welsh and Northern Ireland full legislative powers (including independence)and then the English might get a result we voted for and would be prepared to support. What Labour and the LibDems are proposing is a back room deal that will permanently disenfranchise the English electorate - the overwhelming majority of electors and (crucially)of taxpayers. England gave Labour and its spendthrift spin-meisters a resounding thumbs-down at the polls. If they try to cling on to power in such a dishonest and undemocratic deal, they will be kicked out at the next election (let's hope it's soon) and remain tarnished for decades. John Reid, David Blunkett and other Labour backbenchers seem to realise this, but then they appear to have a grasp of political reality that escapes those squatting at No 10. Roll on the revolution!
- London Lass, London, 11/05/2010 12:07
Report abuse
Decision time for Nick, decide for them Conservatives and allow them both to drop in a few months time, you will not need a campaign! No one will go near either of them! Not a decision maker on any level, not a role model for all.
Mind he doesn't come back asking to be PM!
- S, London, 11/05/2010 12:07
Report abuse
Clegg has no choice but to do a deal now....and do a deal on AV / STV / PR as his conduct this past 4 days means he will be totally marginalised next time we have an election...plenty of votes for Clegg's party because of who they arent rather than who they are. Their vote will crumble on the back of this
- PaddyWhacked, London, 11/05/2010 12:04
Report abuse
This whole process is making a mockery of the idea of the General Election. If it is a Lib/Lab coalition and Gordon Brown has resigned we are going to have a Prime Minister that we did not vote for and a compromised (on policies) coalition that we did not vote for.
Why is everyone pandering to the Liberals - if they can't make a decision about this there is no way you would want them on your team when trying to make all the cuts etc necessary to save the economy......
- Tanya, London, UK, 11/05/2010 12:03
Report abuse
Nick Clegg reminds me of a teen being given a powerful car that unfortunately he doesnt know how to handle.
Clearly Labour lost 100 seats and got far less of the vote and Brown is unloved.
Thjey need to get tyogether with Conservatives and not Ram failed Labour down our throats.
- Jas, Camberley UK, 11/05/2010 11:55
Report abuse
Melvyn Windebank,
I am not sure what the news service showed in canvey island, so perhaps you can share with us who they said won the highest number of votes and seats?
If cameron lost, then someone else won. We here in educated, civilisation have been fed different information - what have *YOU* heard? Who beat him?
- scotty, london, 11/05/2010 11:53
Report abuse
The Tories won fair and square - this is what we have to put up with in the Courts by the way, when they tell you its day you had better look out of the window to make sure that it is so LOL!!.
I agree David Cameron should go it alone esp seeing as the Lib Dems are unfaithful lot- the negotiations with the Tories has not concluded and they wonder off to someone else?! I have lost all respect for Labour, Gordon Brown and the Lib Dems they will both loose (labour and lib dem) if another election is called..where the Tories will take over Britain bcos of the other twos bad and undignified behavour!
Jilted JOhn got it right Gordon is a MORON!
- Lizzie, Thamesmead England, 11/05/2010 11:52
Report abuse
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 11/05/2010 11:18
Your comment is not true. Cameron WON the election with a 50 seat clear majority, but not enough to command an overall majority in the house. Spinning the truth will help nobody - especially the spineless left who just do not understand the meaning of fair play.
- Margy, London, 11/05/2010 11:27
Report abuse
Cameron may have got 50 seats more than Labour but he failed to reach the winning line in Parliament which is half the house plus 1 - So he LOST he failed to get a clear mandate to govern alone.
As Harold Wilson once said " A majority of 1 is still a majority" and Cameron failed to get that.
Of course he may still end up governing as a minority party but with that situation every vote counts and it would likely lead to another election and if that happened in the next few months and Lbour won then a certain Gordon Brown would then be our elected Prime Minister and so no need for a Labour Leadership contest...!!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 11/05/2010 11:52
Report abuse
Martin,
don't be so smug. the question is a LOT more open than you simplistically pretend. maybe you shouldn't rely on a 10 year old's intepretation.
his staying in power is broadly in line with the past practice that constitutional law broadly prescribes - but it is hardly unassailable. its not a right per se, its a minor issue subordinate to the bigger picture of forming government.
what's more he's PM only in name, he is utterly neutered right now. Also going by past practice, he may well have resigned by now, as of now.
its not about public pressure, as much as the nebulous tenor of constitutional practice.
- scotty, london, 11/05/2010 11:49
Report abuse
Ha Ha! None of you have guessed it yet, have you!
BLAIR WILL RETURN TO LEAD.... you heard it here first.
TTFN.
- John, Hong Kong, 11/05/2010 11:47
Report abuse
Stevie G, London:
Actually, the Tories got 8 seats in Wales compared to 26 won by Labour. This is still 8 too many. Back in 97 there wasn't a single Tory seat.
A Con-Lib alliance would be the most efficient (an immediate, uncontestable majority if all the MPs behave themselves and obey the Whip), but the least effective as there are too many 'ideaological' differences between the two.
- Tory Boy Liberal, Lambeth, 11/05/2010 11:46
Report abuse
I can see why the LibDems would instinctively be more comfortable in coalition with Labour. But the country voted for change, not for the rejected Labour party to be propped up in a weak coalition with LibDems and various sorts of nationalists. This coalition would have a wafer-thin majority, would be riven by internal dissent, and would be quite unable to take the hard financial decisions that are urgently necessary. When it collapsed, it is likely that the LibDems would be savaged in the next election and the Tories would gain an outright majority.
The LibDems must join with David Cameron, who has now agreed to let the electorate decide on electoral reform. By backing the pragmatic "one-nation" part of the Tory party, they would be able to block the right-wingers. If the Tory right chooses to destroy the coalition a a couple of years hence, then the LibDems will emerge with credit. By that time, the Labour party should have been able to elect a new leader and to jettison much damaging baggage from the past 13 years.
- Nigel, London, 11/05/2010 11:37
Report abuse
David Cameron should go it alone and in a few months time there should be a re-election. Simple as that.We are already the laughing stock of the world "Third World UK" and this just about puts the cap on it.
- WB ex pat, Frankfurt, Germany, 11/05/2010 11:33
Report abuse
The whole process of negotitations over the time since it was cler that no party had a working majority has just vividly illustrated the weakness inherent in PR. If we have to endure this sort of haggling by politicians every 5 years or so then PR seems very unattractive. The idea that a Lib/Lab pact can simply change the system without a full debate involving the electorate is totlaly outrageous and smacks of dictatorship. David Dimbleby quoting WH Auden's preferred system of government as "dictatorship tempered by assassination" begins to sound less extreme in this situation
- oldpitt, Norwich Norfolk, 11/05/2010 11:32
Report abuse
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 11/05/2010 11:18
Your comment is not true. Cameron WON the election with a 50 seat clear majority, but not enough to command an overall majority in the house. Spinning the truth will help nobody - especially the spineless left who just do not understand the meaning of fair play.
- Margy, London, 11/05/2010 11:27
Report abuse
Cameron should take the blame on allowing this charade to continue. This has given the public an insight on the sheer desperation to grab the keys to No10, playing with the Lib Dems is a sham & it took Gordon Brown resigning to show how desperate things are getting.
- James, London, 11/05/2010 11:23
Report abuse
Will someone please tell Mr Cameron that he LOST the election!!!
The Tories despite everything failed to get a parliamentary majority as did labour and all other parties so NO ONE won the election.
Mr Brown is in Downing street because the country has to have a Prime Minister and until another peson can prove that they have a majority he remains PM.
Unless a formal co-elition is formed we may have to wait until parliament returns and votes of confidence are held and if no one wins then we will have another election!!!
Of course things will be different as we would have seen how prime ministerial Gordon Brown is while the desparate tories have shown that they would sell their mother in laws in order to get power.
The fact is the only winner is the elephant that blocked the gates of Downing Street last Friday by stopping Cameron getting a majority and a victory parade.
Instead of Cameron getting a Tony Blair style victory parade he shows how unfit he is to be a prime minister and remember the Conservatives dont like leaders who fail to win so it will so be bye..bye.Cameron.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 11/05/2010 11:18
Report abuse
The decision should be a simple one if Clegg is truly looking out for what's best for the country - he should form the only strong coalition available, with the Tories, and work with them on cutting the deficit. There is little difference between the 2 parties on that all-important issue.
If on the other hand Clegg is simply whoring his 55 MPs to whichever party offers the best deal for the LibDems, he is a disgrace and he thoroughly deserves the hammering he will reap at the next election.
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent, 11/05/2010 11:10
Report abuse
Oh Dear, this is crazy!
I thought these kind of things were possible only in Portugal. Now i realize we are all human too human...
Wellcome to the PIIGGS team.
Anyone call David in my name saying : DONT OFFER ANYTHING ELSE , you have already ofered too much !!!
- Helena Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal, 11/05/2010 11:08
Report abuse
Be careful there, Nick. It's a fine line between not rushing into a hasty decision - and dithering.
- Marianne, SW France/London, 11/05/2010 11:05
Report abuse
Does England need Scotland anymore?
Why should we repeatedly hear Alex Salmon telling us what he and the SNP want when the Scots are only 9% of UK's population. Independence for England is what I want and then Gordon gloom & bust Brown, Lord Mandy and Alistair Campbell can go play coalition government in Scotland with Nick Clegg.
- Brian, Surrey, 11/05/2010 11:03
Report abuse
The Lib Dems are far more idealogically similar to Labour than the Conservatives and their instincts will be to go with their Left-wing stablemates. However, I would urge them not to do so. Regardless of what electoral system is in place at the next election, they will get a kicking from the electorate, at least in England and Wales: the make- up of most of their constituencies is significantly more Tory than left-wing.
- Stevie G, London SW11, 11/05/2010 11:00
Report abuse
After a brief spell in the ascendancy the Lib Dems are in danger of returning to form i.e. dithering and trying to please everyone; opposition is one thing responsibity is quite another, can they really hack it when it matters? If they are to stick to their original points of (a) making a decision in the national interest (b)ensuring there is stable government in this difficult time and (c) supporting the party with the strongest (largest) public mandate, there's only one choice; they can not have it all ways,life isn't like that. A coalition of two failed parties with an 'unelected' PM again would be completely unacceptable. Get on with it Nick or stand aside and let those that can do so.
- Graham, Surrey, 11/05/2010 10:57
Report abuse
It would be an unconscionable mistake for either Labour or the Tories to allow a duplicitous little s**t like Clegg to get anywhere near the levers of power.
- Maggie, London, UK, 11/05/2010 10:56
Report abuse
Cameron should have offered less, not more. The LD and Labour should have been left to run the country into the ground, Labour is perfect at that.
- Clive, Nantwich UK, 11/05/2010 10:54
Report abuse
Cameron won the election by a clear majority of 50 seats, although not enough to give him an overall majority in the house. Therefore what the hell are labour doing trying to negotiate?? They are the losers here and no amount of spinning by Campbell and Mandleson will change that.
Have the left ever heard of fair play? Why are they such bad losers; and why do they live in denial?
- Margy, London, 11/05/2010 10:51
Report abuse
I think the LibDems have a decision-making disorder - they clearly cannot make one. No doubt they will live-up to the accusations made against them during the election. In any event, if they prop-up a Labour government they will be seen as contemptible and detestable hypocrites. They will also be colluding in the further destruction of this country.
I had such hope yesterday of something good, now it just seems like the whole thing was a huge waste of time. I believe that if the politicians lie and betray us again, we will have every right to be very, very angry.
- Edward, Airstrip One, 11/05/2010 10:50
Report abuse
Jay
despite the constant explanation of the constitutional position of the PM in our Parliamentary system- you still don't understand??????
even my 10 year old gets it...
- martin_clerkenwell, london, 11/05/2010 10:46
Report abuse
I agree with David Cameron. It is decision time now. I don't understand how it has taken so long? More importantly, i think Nick Clegg has a responsibility to make a decision.
I still don't understand how Gordon Brown is PM when he has resigned?
- Jay, UK, 11/05/2010 10:23
Report abuse
