The insiders give the Tories the edge

Tiberius

How many of the 32% were influenced by Labour's natural advantage in constituency boundaries, I wonder.

Fergus Pickering

Coalition? What coalition? I suggest a minority government. The Liberal Democrats can't be trusted farther than you can throw Nick Clegg itno a force ten gale. And NOBODY can go into coalition with the Labour Party, not even Cleggy. Political suicide, wouldn't you say?

Jessica

NO COALITION, SNP ARE DOING WELL OUT OF MINORITY GOVERNMENT AND SO SHOULD THE TORIES.

Stan, UK

Conservatives should not go into government with the Lib Dems, absolutely not. Labour as the government is preferable to a lib con coalition.

Danielle

I think the only way forward for the tories is a piece Iain Dale written on his blog, referring to a conservative-SNP 'relationship'. Yes SNP! Conservatives would then be free to agressively persue the England and Wales electorate as it does not seem likely that they will ever even win a seat in Scotland again, this will leave Labour fighting political wars on two fronts and hopefully marginalise the Lib Dems. I know this scenario goes against the whole conservative and unionist tradition but we on the centre right need to do some radical thinking if we are really serious about getting into power again and the fact is England is traditionally a centre right country but Scotland and to a large extent Wales are left wing. The Conservatives power base is in England and they need to be able to motivate and galvanise this without thinking about how its playing in Scotland.

Kirsty

If the Conservatives cannot achieve an outright majority at the next election by convincing the electorate that they have a better vision for Britain, with the state this government and this country is in economically and socially right now, then they are failures and dont deserve power.

Nicholas

I tend to agree with Danielle. That view is reinforced by hearing all the questions from Scottish MPs in todays PMQs. Is it really fair that they exert influence in two parliaments and vote on legislation exclusively affecting the English? I think not. Where is the devolved parliament/assembly that represents the English?

Nick Kaplan

As a British patriot it pains me to say that I agree completely with Danielle. I am in an absolute state of despair about Scottish politics and the state of the union. As Danielle rightly says Scotland is a particularly left-wing country and its votes and politics are holding England back. In 2005 the majority of English voters voted Conservative (although Labour did get more seats) the Labour majority was only sustained by the boost they got from Scotland. The last Question Time held in Scotland was a real eye-opener, with every bit of socialist nonsense spouted by George Galloway welcomed by a huge round of applause, particularly when he romanticised the murderous tyranny of Castro’s regime. A split in the union might actually do both countries the world of good. England could be left with a Conservative government who would govern competently, by which I mean would govern less, and without needing to prop up the over-indulgent Scottish state (which employs over 30% of Scots and keeps many more on benefits), the English could see a reduction in taxes. What’s more, given a few years without England’s financial support, the Scott’s would soon be forced to realise the impossibility of both their socialist and separatist politics, it would not be long before the Scots came crawling back to England/ Britain willing to accept a more right-wing economic agenda and perhaps a Conservative government.

Nick Kaplan

As a British patriot it pains me to say that I agree completely with Danielle. I am in an absolute state of despair about Scottish politics and the state of the union. As Danielle rightly says Scotland is a particularly left-wing country and its votes and politics are holding England back. In 2005 the majority of English voters voted Conservative (although Labour did get more seats) the Labour majority was only sustained by the boost they got from Scotland. The last Question Time held in Scotland was a real eye-opener, with every bit of socialist nonsense spouted by George Galloway welcomed by a huge round of applause, particularly when he romanticised the murderous tyranny of Castro’s regime. A split in the union might actually do both countries the world of good. England could be left with a Conservative government who would govern competently, by which I mean would govern less, and without needing to prop up the over-indulgent Scottish state (which employs over 30% of Scots and keeps many more on benefits), the English could see a reduction in taxes. What’s more, given a few years without England’s financial support, the Scott’s would soon be forced to realise the impossibility of both their socialist and separatist politics, it would not be long before the Scots came crawling back to England/ Britain willing to accept a more right-wing economic agenda and perhaps a Conservative government.

Fergus Pickering

Do you know, that SNP stuff is quite clever and convincing and I'd never thought of it. When I lived in Edinburgh in the 190s and 60s there were plenty of conservatives. Three or ocasionally four of the seven Edinburgh seats were conservative. Where have all the voters gone? Gone to the SNP every one. But then the SNP is essentially a backward looking and romantic party. Like Churchillian conservatives and more like Margaret Thatcher than you might think. Thatch a romantic? Yes, I think so.

Carol Ann

I think Danielle is onto something and I hope Conservative high command is reading this blog.

Matthew

I bet Scotland would'nt remain socialist for long if they had to finance it themselves.

Don, CHESHIRE

Danielle is spot on and I think even SNP might be coming round to the idea that doing business with the Tories is the only way to achieve their objective (Independent Scotland).

Robert Jones

Just because Westminster insiders think the conservatives will win the next election they should not take it for granted and go lazy, after all since when have Westminster insiders been in touch with public opinion.

JAMES24

The reason I think the Conservatives may not win the next election is because they are not very good opposition. Labour are fantastic when in opposition (18 years to perfect their skills) just rubbish in government. Its about time Cameron and co really took the fight to Labour and become ruthless at expoloiting this governments weakness and unpopularity as new labour did under Blair 1994-1997.

Jeff

If the next election results in a hung parliment surely this will mean Conservatives have won a majority of SEATS as well as votes in England but will have made no progress in the rest of the union where Labour will have remained strong. The comment from Danielle re SNP therefore makes perfect sense.

Conservative voter

The next election is going to be one hell of a battle because Labour are not going to let power go without a fight and along with their allies in the left wing media I think they will sink to new lows with their negative politics. I do wonder if the Cameroons and the political centre right have the stomach for it.

Joanne Williams

Danielle what a great piece! Can we get you a job at CCHQ advising Cameron.

Left wing Spectator fan

Danielle's propostition would effectively result in the Conservatives becoming the English National Party in all but name, could be a stroke of genius but could equally go spectacularly wrong!

NO TO COALITION WITH LIB DEMS

As a conservative I would perfer a coalition with the SNP rather than the Lib Dems. I live in England and therefore SNP policies dont really apply to me whereas left wing lib dem policies are too much to bear. Anyway I quite like Alex Salmond, he has great political skill and has managed something the tories have not, ousting Labour.

Boris supporter

If the next general election turns out to be as tight as everyone is predicting this surely means the Liberals will be squeezed and will either remain static or lose seats, so they will have no credible authority of being in the business of coalition building.

tory supporter

The tories owe Scotland nothing. Scotland is the Labour heartland and England (especially the south) is the tories.

Disgusted

A conservative party that is now overwhelmingly eurosceptic (as is the country) must not contemplate coalition government with a party that promised a referendum on the EU constitution then abstained, which resulted in the people not being given a say.

Shaun, Devon,UK

By far the hardest task the tories face is actually winning that first election because once they've got back in power I reckon they will be home and dry and guaranteed at least two to three terms of government. They just need to force Labour into oppostion, even if its on a tiny majority. Once Labour are in opposition they will go into meltdown, Toynbee said as much in a column she wrote a couple of weeks ago.

Tess

Where are social conservatives meant to go with a supposed Liberal and Conservative coalition? I would rather Labour be the outright majority party as Brown seems to at least be personally and morally more conservative than Cameron and Clegg.

Diversity

Hmmm. But a Conservative plus New Labour coalition is likely to have a potential massive majority. It could afford to lose the Labour left rump. It could find a lot of agreement on practical policy. It might last, even if it starts out as a temporary measure. And alot of people here seem agreed that the Liberals are the party which is most to be shunned.