Miliband Says No Labour/snp Coalition

[neilser]

Looks like he's getting rattled by this. Game on:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31906463

[killiefaetheferry]

Cool. No lose situation for the SNP. Still get to hold their feet to the fire on 'confidence and supply' but don't have to take any flak for being part of a potentially unpopular government.

Or it paves the way for a LAB/CON coalition which would hasten and guarantee a landslide Indyref 2

[ParisInAKilt]

Good

[Squirrelhumper]

Win/Win

[weekevie04]

Shot himself in the foot by coming out with this.

He and Labour MPs will be dogged with questions about supply/confidence now, probably in the debates - when he wants to appeal to middle English votes.

[Armchair Bob]

Nae luck Ed - the English are still going to vote Tory.

[Toepoke]

Nae luck Ed - the English are still going to vote Tory.

I assume he's hoping the Labour vote in Scotland will recover after this announcement though?...

[Scunnered]

Nae luck Ed - the English are still going to vote Tory.

All of them?

[scotlad]

I assume he's hoping the Labour vote in Scotland will recover after this announcement though?...

At the moment it looks like the only thing that will help it recover. We're into 'last roll of the dice' territory here.

Having said that, Ed didn't rule out a 'confidence and supply' relationship:

The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith noted that Mr Miliband had not ruled out a more informal arrangement whereby the SNP could offer a Labour minority government support on a vote-by-vote basis, known as "confidence and supply".

[killiefaetheferry]

Shot himself in the foot by coming out with this.

He and Labour MPs will be dogged with questions about supply/confidence now, probably in the debates - when he wants to appeal to middle English votes.

So eventually he might have to rule out confidence and supply to maintain the current polling results, increasing the likelihood of a close thing. Which in turn pushes us towards a LAB/CON govt if he has promised no co-operation with the SNP. Cause he wouldn't lie about that, of course.

[neilser]

Can't wait for this election - this will be payback for Thatcher and the subsequent New Labour con trick.

[scotlad]

So eventually he might have to rule out confidence and supply to maintain the current polling results, increasing the likelihood of a close thing. Which in turn pushes us towards a LAB/CON govt if he has promised no co-operation with the SNP. Cause he wouldn't lie about that, of course.

Before we even got to that point, it would present the SNP with the opportunity to say 'see, told you, there's no difference between Labour and the Tories'.

Labour are obviously hoping that enough people will be spooked by the prospect of Cameron returning to number 10 to turn out and vote for them insted of the SNP.

[Scunnered]

Before we even got to that point, it would present the SNP with the opportunity to say 'see, told you, there's no difference between Labour and the Tories'.

Labour are obviously hoping that enough people will be spooked by the prospect of Cameron returning to number 10 to turn out and vote for them insted of the SNP.

Here's hoping the people of North Ayrshire & Arran are more gullible than the average Scot

[Clyde1998]

Nicola Sturgeon: "He [Miliband] simply ruled out a formal coalition - something the SNP made clear was not our preference anyway."

[Armchair Bob]

All of them?

Naw - just as all Scots are not planning on voting SNP. I will be gob smacked though if Labour are the largest party by MP count come May 8.

[Och Aye]

And already we have Jim Murphy on UK national news saying vote SNP get a Tory government and he'll keep saying over and over and over till swithering voters fall back into line. Anyone remember them saying they weren't going to go down the negative campaigning route again?

[aaid]

And already we have Jim Murphy on UK national news saying vote SNP get a Tory government and he'll keep saying over and over and over till swithering voters fall back into line. Anyone remember them saying they weren't going to go down the negative campaigning route again?

Judging by the groans when Deputy Dug trotted this out on Question Time last week, I don't think people are buying that line.

[giblet]

The problem with the SNP strategy on the voting on confidence and supply is that Labour can play a game of brinkmanship with them in that effectively they can dare the SNP to vote against them in a minority government. The biggest damage to SNP could be that they will be seen as feeble (in not changing Labour policies) or Tartan Tories in voting with the Conservatives against a Labour motion.

Really concerned how the SNP get any traction on either strategy.

[Flure]

I posted this on Bookface yesterday.

"Speculation about a coalition between Labour and the SNP continues. Headlines say that "Labour refuse to rule out a coalition".

Does no-one ever read the news?

SNP have specifically ruled out a coalition with Labour - weeks ago.

That's - "ruled out a coalition"!

So, speculation about a coalition is futile.

What the SNP HAVE said is that they might consider a "confidence and supply" arrangement with Labour. A completely different thing from a coalition."

But this guy says it better today than me:-

Chris Cairns @cairnstoon

Miliband rules out compulsory Scottish country dancing lessons and other things no-one was proposing http://shr.gs/mJn6eiM

[Flure]

And already we have Jim Murphy on UK national news saying vote SNP get a Tory government and he'll keep saying over and over and over till swithering voters fall back into line. Anyone remember them saying they weren't going to go down the negative campaigning route again?

So how come if that's true - and if that's important - how come we returned 41 Labour MPs at the last GE - and got a Tory Government.

[adamntg]

A coalition as junior partner would've been a disaster for the SNP. Just look at the Lib Dems.

[phart]

I can't watch this play out to be honest. It's depressing, there is a country to run and everyone is running around like it's an American High School Prom, what you wearing? Who are you sitting beside, will you vote for me as queen if i do this or that.

Each paper has a preferred candidate and function as pretty much cheerleaders and actually lead the debate.

I think it was Oscar wilde who said

"In old days men had the rack. Now they have the Press. That is an improvement certainly. But still it is very bad, and wrong, and demoralizing. Somebody — was it Burke? — called journalism the fourth estate. That was true at the time no doubt. But at the present moment it is the only estate. It has eaten up the other three. The Lords Temporal say nothing, the Lords Spiritual have nothing to say, and the House of Commons has nothing to say and says it. We are dominated by Journalism"

[Colkitto]

Surely with Milliband ruling out a formal coalition the next question is "What if Labour + SNP had a majority of MP's after the election, would Labour rule out a pact?"

I think Milliband has fallen into a Tory trap officially ruling it out. The question for Labour is not going to go away just because he's ruled out a formal coalition.

[Flure]

Surely with Milliband ruling out a formal coalition the next question is "What if Labour + SNP had a majority of MP's after the election, would Labour rule out a pact?"

I think Milliband has fallen into a Tory trap officially ruling it out. The question for Labour is not going to go away just because he's ruled out a formal coalition.

Look.

The only thing that both the SNP (in January) and Labour (today) have ruled out is a formal coalition.

Neither party have ruled out less formal agreements that would allow Labour to form a government with SNP support issue by issue.

[irnbruman]

The media and the main political parties have influenced an opinion throughout England that the SNP are toxic and this is spilling into "jock bashing" whenever the chance prevails.

On the one had its annoying - but on the other hopefully it will show those in Scotland who voted NO just what disdain the Scots are held in as part of the UK.