The perfect storm in the making
April 21st, 2010Nick Clegg’s announcement this morning that he will make no accommodation with Labour while Gordon Brown remains leader is just the latest in this extraordinary confluence of radical scenarios which is the British election 2010. The most immediate issue is: how, if this were in fact the post-election scenario, could Labour elect a new leader for the purposes of negotiations confined within 12 days after 6 May? Presumably it would be said, faute de mieux, that the new PLP would be rapidly convened, allow one or two days for nominations, and then one or two days for the election, subject (which can hardly be omitted) to confirmation by Conference in September. It seems highly doubtful whether Clegg would countenance this. But how elese can it be done? (more…)
