Interesting Links for 07-03-2015

• If the USA uses "Standard Time" only four months of the year then it's not very standard, is it?
  (tags: usa time )
• Lib Dems push through mandatory reporting of gender pay gaps
  (tags: pay equality libdem gender uk )
• Interesting to see someone doing something a bit different with an MMO
  (tags: games mmorpg kickstarter )
• What multicolored toothpaste looks like before it's squeezed from the tube
  (tags: toothpaste )

Why the hell are Labour going on about "The Largest Party" as if it matters?

Over here, Ed Miliband is complaining that SNP wins make it more likely that the Conservatives will be the largest party.

My question is - why on earth do I care who the largest party is?

The government is formed by whoever has the backing of a majority of MPs*. If the current Election Forecast predictions are correct, and the Conservatives have 286 to the 280 of Labour, that _doesn't matter at all_, because neither of them command a majority (326).

To command a majority is going to require coalitions. And doesn't require _any_ of the parties involved in the coalition to be the one that got the most MPs. It just requires the overall coalition to have more than half the House of Commons.

If Labour wants to be in power then they'd better stop scare-mongering and whining, and get on with actually selling themselves on their platform, and forming alliances for inevitable discussions on May 8th.



*Well, voting MPs, so subtract a few for Sinn Féin, who don't take their seats.