Keep Calm and Carry On

[andrewducker]

As I write this, there are 44 seats to announce and the Conservatives need 39 to get a majority. This seems somewhat unlikely, although I don't know exactly what areas are left, so I can't be sure.

However, even if we get a Tory government, it won't be the end of the world. No, I wouldn't vote for them. No, they aren't my idea of good government. But life would carry on, there are limits to what they can change in 4 years, and they're unlikely to roll back the minimum wage, halve the spending on the NHS or repeal the legislation allowing civil partnerships.

In short, the Tories are not demons from Hell, summoned to lay waste to Britain, but politicians who have different ideas about how to run the country - and would probably fit right into the Democrats in the USA. The level of panic I'm seeing seems to be more suitable for the former than the latter.

Now, if the BNP got in _then_ I'd be panicking.

Comments

[a-pawson.livejournal.com]

Yes, there do seem to be mostly safe seats left to declare. The current BBC prediction is

Tories 306
Labour 265
Lib Dems 52
Unionists 10
SDLP 3

Since it seems highly unlikely anyone would form an alliance with the nationalists or Sinn Fein that give us:

Tories + Unionists = 316
Labour + SDLP + Lib Dem = 320

Interesting, but could Clegg really support Brown? I suspect not, so the real question is can Cameron govern with a minority or somehow bring Clegg on side?

[robhu.livejournal.com]

From the Guardian half an hour ago: "Clegg just arrived at Lib Dem HQ and essentially said that the Conservatives should have the first shot at forming a new government. He said he stood by his comments during the campaign that the party with the most votes and most seats should be allowed the first bite at forming a government. "

[marrog.livejournal.com]

He also said however that electoral reform was the key principle at stake. I can't see the Cons going for that, and my bet is that the Lib Dems are hoping they won't.