This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament


9:32 am - May 4th 2010

by Sunder Katwala    


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Despite accusations of Conservative complacency in the run up to Thursday’s General Election, a great deal of effort has gone into what happens if the result is not a clear cut one but results in a Hung Parliament with the Tories some way short of an overall majority.

Here is what has now emerged as the Tory plan:

• Declare victory anyway.
• Have the party’s media allies strain every sinew to make that a self-fulfilling prophecy.
• Insist on being given the keys to number 10 without having to talk substantively to any other party first – to avoid a coalition or any substantive policy concessions.
• Make a partisan challenge to the civil service in seeking to overturn any existing constitutional convention or practice that might conceivably get in the way, or even slow this down a little.
• Threaten to drag the Monarchy into political controversy for partisan advantage, by challenging the conventions designed precisely to avoid this.
• Hold out against electoral reform, whatever the election result.
• Threaten apocalyptic political and financial meltdown if anybody disagrees.

The key objective of this strategy is to use the vociferous campaigning of the press – no doubt amplifying interventions from friends in the City – to argue that any negotiations between parties would be democratically illegitimate, without first putting the Conservatives into power, even (or especially) if Labour and the Liberal Democrats could between them muster a majority of both votes and Commons seats.

See David Cameron’s interview with Monday’s Independent – in which the Tory leader says “there is convention and there is practice and they are not always quite the same thing”.

And now we have a more explicit outlining of an emerging new Tory constitutional doctrine in an extraordinary Guardian report on Tuesday – based on anonymous briefings from “senior shadow Cabinet members” – that the Conservatives intend to mount a partisan attack on existing constitutional conventions, and the Cabinet Secretary’s protocols for handling a hung Parliament, even though a primary motivation for these has been to protect the Monarchy from being dragged into party political controversy.

The Guardian reports that:

Senior shadow ministers are making it clear that Cameron, who intends to lead a minority government if the Tories fail to win a parliamentary majority, is prepared to ignore the rules. These are designed to allow for a week of discussions between the party leaders on forming a coalition.

This is an audacious attempt to rewrite, during election week, the established constitutional conventions for partisan gain.

It relies on a lack of public knowledge in the first hung Parliament for 35 years; a populist media challenge to established rules which could be portrayed as fusty and old fashioned; and Whitehall’s fear of offending a party which would be favourite to emerge in government anyway.

And it could well provide an apt occasion on which to reapply the title of Chris Mullin’s previous work of political fiction: the Tories appear to be advocating a very British coup, against the conventions and practices of our unwritten constitution at least.

Yet there are several fundamental contradictions and weaknesses in the partisan case which senior Conservatives are making for overturning existing understandings of our (uncodified) constitution so as to assume power before any substantial inter-party political negotiations take place.

First, it is surely quite unprecedented for a man who wants to be Prime Minister on Friday morning to have his senior frontbench colleagues launch a major – and anonymous – briefing effort to challenge the impartial Cabinet Secretary and the constitutional conventions 72 hours before the Election. The Cabinet Office guidelines were published in February, when the Cabinet Secretary gave evidence about them to a cross-party Commons Select Committee.

If the Leader of the Opposition wanted to challenge the referee over the rules, he had ample opportunity to do so publicly and formally well before the election campaign began. (This is particularly surprising, given that the offside rule is applied more strictly at Eton than elsewhere).

Secondly, Shadow Cabinet sources surely wreck their own case when they complain of a fear that so-called “new rules” would allow the Prime Minister to follow the precedent of the actions of the Conservative Prime Minister in the last hung parliament 35 years ago.

The Tories fear Brown will use the new rules to follow the example of Edward Heath, who tried to hang on after the February 1974 election to broker a deal with the Liberal party. Heath, who won the most votes but secured four fewer seats than Labour, resigned four days after the election, after the talks broke down.

This much weakens the Tory claim: it demonstrates that these so called “new rules” were in the main an attempt to set out clearly what the existing constitutional conventions have long been understood to be. (Indeed David Cameron told The Independent he had studied these during his PPE course at Oxford in the 1980s, which again rather explodes the absurd claim that they have been invented by Sir Gus O’Donnell since Christmas).

The Conservative proposal is to remove the power from Parliament – perhaps intending to place the constitutional power to call the election in the hands of their good friends, Rupert Murdoch and Paul Dacre instead.

There will be an enormous effort – shared between the Tory leadership and their press allies – to drive and frame the broadcast news “narrative”. Anybody who thinks that the right-wing newspapers have behaved in a hyperpartisan during the campaign itself may well find, by the morning after May 6th, that they ain’t seen nothing yet.

———-
A longer version is over at Next Left

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About the author
Sunder Katwala is a regular contributor to Liberal Conspiracy. He is the director of British Future, a think-tank addressing identity and integration, migration and opportunity. He was formerly secretary-general of the Fabian Society.
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Reader comments


1. Paul

Your suggestion that the City may be in cahoots with the Tories to allow them to seize the keys to No. 10 is strengthened somewhat by the decision to open the bond markets at 1am on Friday morning to allow traders to sell heavily if it’s looking like a hung parliament, thus allowing the Tories to stake the claim that only they can keep the markets steady. See http://tinyurl.com/2wablu6

2. Sunder Katwala

Paul

Thanks,. The 1am bond market point is an important one.

Financial instability got us into this mess – now the proposal is to open the bond markets at 1am, before we even have many of the declarations, so they can respond in real terms to specific constituencies. Its going to feel like Betfair as the Battersea, Birmingham Edgbaston and other results in.

Information
* What are the precedents for this? Did anything like it happen in 1992?
* Has something similar been done for other major political events (eg US elections)
* Are there other precedents of the uk Liffe opening out of hours in the last few years?

An Ft story here
http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2010/05/04/218206/a-british-bond-market-all-nighter/

3. blanco

This is precisely why we need to ditch the monarchy and go for a full-on reform of our political system: not many other advanced democracies would be at the mercy of a party that actually LOST the election (the 2000 US election notwithstanding)

4. Gaf the Horse

Now I’m very scared …. Let me know when we march on and storm Parliament in the event of this happening will you please?

5. Letters From A Tory

@1 Paul and 2 Sunder:

Hilarious, absolutely hilarious. Are you actually suggesting that international traders are in secret coalition with the Conservatives?

Sadly for your little conspiracy theory, it’s a lot more simple than that. The international markets will panic if they see Labour or Lib Dems in charge, given that the markets understand that sorting out our financial disaster cannot wait until 2011 (please refer to Greece, Ireland, Spain and Portugal for a short lersson in what happens if countries do not deal with their debt crisis before it gets out of control). The bond markets have every reason to panic, given that Labour and the Lib Dems have barely even acknowledged the scale of the catastrophe waiting for us, let alone signalled their intention to deal with it.

6. Paul

Sunder @2: I think we need a hashtag

#torycoup ?

7. Klaus Westwood

I think you miss the point. The thing about a convention is that it is just that – not a law. Of course conventions can be challenged, although their should be the strongest of cases if they are to be ignored. And when this happens a new convention is often created.

Furthermore, UK consitutional conventions are often unclear in extent and scope, hence why the Cabinet Secretary has tried to issue guidance in this instance. But it is no more than that. You say the Tories are trying to rewrite an established constitutional convention. They are at liberty to do so, but here we do not even have an established convention. The last time we had a hung Parliament it took four days for a Government to be formed, and even that was considered too long. The new rules you talk of are not those allowing Brown to remain in power, but a provision for him to do so for a matter of weeks rather than days. In ths regard you have failed to distinguish between interpretation of convention and guidance.

Weeks of negotiations over who should form the next Government would cause huge uncertainty and instability, and if such a provision formed a consitiutional convention (which it doesn’t), I would argue that any political party would be honour bound to overturn it.

8. Paul

Letter from a Tory @5: So the bond traders can’t bottle up the panic till 8am when normal trading starts (might be 7am) and when results are better known?

Yes, Sunder and I are making suppositions, but they may be reasonable ones. Why do you think it’s opening at 1am?

9. Sunny H

There is a plan for a demo on Saturday, more details soon.

And don’t forget the demo today at 1pm!!

10. Planeshift

“international traders are in secret coalition with the Conservatives? ”

It’s known as class interest.

11. Tim J

• Declare victory anyway.

Well, duh. If the Tories win most seats and most votes they will, obviously, declare themselves to have won.

• Have the party’s media allies strain every sinew to make that a self-fulfilling prophecy.

See above. Saying that the party with most seats and votes has won the election would be a statement of the fucking obvious.

• Insist on being given the keys to number 10 without having to talk substantively to any other party first – to avoid a coalition or any substantive policy concessions.

Well, that’s the game isn’t it? There’s no compulsion on any party to have a coalition – or to make policy concessions.

• Make a partisan challenge to the civil service in seeking to overturn any existing constitutional convention or practice that might conceivably get in the way, or even slow this down a little.

How? The only power the Conservatives have here is the power of public pressure. They can’t physically manhandle Brown out of No.10 and down to the Palace. All they can do is what Wilson did in ’74 – claim victory and wait for the PM to face up to reality.

• Threaten to drag the Monarchy into political controversy for partisan advantage, by challenging the conventions designed precisely to avoid this.

BS. Nonsense. And nowhere in either your piece, or in the two articles you link to do you say how this is to be done.

• Hold out against electoral reform, whatever the election result.

Oh noes! How did you discover this dastardly plan? Was it perhaps, in their manifesto?

• Threaten apocalyptic political and financial meltdown if anybody disagrees.

Rather like you’re threatening constituional meltdown here?

even (or especially) if Labour and the Liberal Democrats could between them muster a majority of both votes and Commons seats.

Any idea of when it was that a party last won an absolute majority of votes? 1931. Was Atlee’s landslide in 1945 illegitimate as a result?

Come on Sunder, this whole article is frothing nonsense blown out of one fact. If the Conservatives win most seats and most votes, as Thorpe said to Heath in 74, ‘it may not be clear who was won this election – it is very clear who has lost it.’ In those circumstances, the Tories would be vocally opposed to Brown staying in power for two weeks trying to cobble a deal together.

You may disagree with this, and think that if Labour finish third in the popular vote, but the Tories are short of a majority, Brown will have retained a clear mandate to govern. People who disagree with you are not necessarily revving up their tanks’ engines to mount a coup. Calm down.

12. Mike Killingworth

This is why there won’t be a hung Parliament.

I take no pleasure in recalling that in earlier posts here I foresaw Tory dirty tricks in the last few days of the campaign (although admittedly not these dirty tricks). Obviously there is collusion between the Tory media and the markets: “£ FALLS THROUGH FLOOR AS BROWN AND CLEGG CHEAT YOU” – which do you think, the Sun or the Mail come Friday morning? Why not both?

Remember too that 10% of the voters make up their mind in the polling booth – most of these will panic into voting Tory. Hence my suggestion that one should add 2% to whatever the polls say the Tory vote is. Applying Smithson’s Law (the poll that is right is the one that is most favourable to the Tories – in this case ComRes) we have Com 39% Lab 28% LD 25% which gives, according to Anthony Wells, rounded, Con 320 Lab 230 LD 65. (Baxter is much the same). The LDs have peaked too soon – they pick up one or two more of the so-called “student” seats but that’s it.

13. Tim J

Yes, Sunder and I are making suppositions, but they may be reasonable ones. Why do you think it’s opening at 1am?

To prevent an enormous, potentially catastrophic slump if it opens at its usual time in the morning. Since massively market-moving events will be happening overnight, it makes sense for the market to track them as they happen, rather than desperately second-guess them and then over-react on opening.

Alternatively it’s a global conspiracy powered by the Illuminati and the Bilderberg Group. Two Jewish speculators, one riding on Shergar and the other on the Loch Ness Monster, will ride up Threadneedle Street and take possession of the Bank of England in the name of their sinister Tory lizard overlords. Before detonating the second Tower. Quick, take to the streets!

Sheesh.

14. the a&e charge nurse

[5] “Are you actually suggesting that international traders are in secret coalition with the Conservatives?” – no, LFAT, their support is hardly secret, is it?

The moneymen long for a new Thatcher, even to the extent that they are prepared to support a couple of gormless public school toffs like Osborne & Cameron?

15. Chuck

I don’t see how this is all that surprising. Any of the parties that found itself as the biggest party would fight for the keys to No. 10 and demand to be the first to be allowed to.

The guardian article isn’t that sensational, what action are the Tories going to take? – they can’t actually do anything. the article states “Senior Tories believe Cameron will require political momentum if he wins the largest number of votes but falls short of an outright majority.”… Political momentum… I don’t see why there should be all this fear over the threat of somebody invoking political momentum. What are they going to do, lean on the queen?

Also the Cabinet Secretary’s guidelines were laid down to deal with abuses of power by the possible outgoing prime minister… who would still remain prime minister until coalition wranglings had been resolved. (from the source linked in the article):

“This is not a power grab,” O’Donnell said. Ministers would still act if there were a terrorist incident or uncontentious issues. But he added: “What it is trying to guard against is where … a government had gone into an election and come out of it with [many fewer] seats than another party, and it was looking as if that other party was most likely to govern in a stable way. But the prime minister would still be the prime minister and might decide to do something quite major. I would be quite uncomfortable with that. This convention could stop that.”

16. Sunder Katwala

Anybody who thinks there are not very clearly established constitutional conventions might try reading any of the following:

– The Cabinet Secretary’s published chapter on constitutional practice and precedents.
– Hennessy’s The Prime Minister, which sets out the detail of what happened in 1974 – particularly the negotiations between the civil service, the palace and the parties – including how this drew on earlier precedents, and how the advice was updated internally ahead of the 1992 and even the 1997 elections
– The Analysis programme Hennessey made in 1991 which contains previous Cabinet Secretaries talking in detail about the different cases and scenarios, and shows very clearly which conventions are understood to apply with regard to the prerogative of (i) choosing a PM (ii) allowing a dissolution. (the tricky cases are in the latter).

Of course, the Tories can try to argue that the convention is wrong and should operate differently – but let us at least look at what they are doing and why, and ask too why they have decided this last night.

They are either displaying their own ignorance or lack of interest in the constitution they claim to cherish – or relying on everybody elses. They are smearing the Cabinet Secretary in suggesting (as an unnamed frontbencher does) that his guidelines are influenced by his having worked with Brown. That is an intimidation strategy. Anybody comparing the advice this time with the previous protocols can see that.

It is also clear that the claim made to The Guardian that this would mean the civil service playing too great a role to keep the politicians out of it is total bullshit – it is purely a strategy to get into no 10 before beginning and collapsing negotiations with Nick Clegg.

17. Sunny H

it makes sense for the market to track them as they happen, rather than desperately second-guess them and then over-react on opening.

Rubbish – it makes more sense for the markets to respond when all the events have happened rather than jump up and down massively as the results come in

18. Sunder Katwala

Of course this would become about the Monarchy’s role. Any short circuiting of the curent processes of Parliamentary negotiation involves calling on the sovereign to act and step in. That point is made by ex-cabinet secretaries Armstrong and Charteris in the Hennessey book and programme.

This could well have the tone of the attacks on the Monarchy (in the guise of wishing to save it) over the lowering of the Royal Standard in the week after Diana’s death.

But this can also be done disingenuously. The Mail will attack Brown and the civil service, and will blame both for politicising the Monarchy, for acting according to the agreed rules. They will argue that the Queen ought to be persuading Brown to go (and claim this is happening behind the scenees), and argue that her role has therefore been unfortunately politicised.

What would be great is if any historian who has done work on this can dig out what the Mail said in 1974.

19. Planeshift

“Since massively market-moving events will be happening overnight,”

Its usually obvious what is going to happen by 1am, as by then the results are starting to roll in so one can look at these results plus the exit polls and make fairly accurate predictions as to seats. So even a 1am start would risk an over-reaction

“it makes sense for the market to track them as they happen, rather than desperately second-guess them and then over-react on opening.”

If this was the case it would simply be more logical not to close the markets.

The whole “markets are going to panic” meme is a subtle tory threat to mask the fact they have completely fucked up the last 6 months. Any remotely competent opposition, in the situation we are in, would be looking at a 3 figure landslide. That we are looking at a hung parliament demonstrates just how un-conservative the nation really is, and how disliked the tories still are. So the tories and tory press are panicking and thus have to resort to threats of the “nice economy here – shame if anything were to happen to it” type. They did it in 92, and they are trying the same again. That they appear to be trying to bully the nation into accepeting a minority tory government without first trying to gain support to make a majority really doesn’t surprise me

20. Tim J

Rubbish – it makes more sense for the markets to respond when all the events have happened rather than jump up and down massively as the results come in

You’re missing the point. Markets reduce volatility. As information comes in, the markets will adjust – it will avoid the situation where the markets open at 7am and go ballistic.

Funnily enough, as far as headlines are concerned, this way is ‘better’ news for you chaps. The headline you are presumably keen to avoid is ‘markets plunge by x% on opening to news of Hung Parliament’. Well, this will avoid that happening. I know you have ‘conspiracy’ in the title, but I thought that was supposed to be ironic.

21. Tim J

Any remotely competent opposition, in the situation we are in, would be looking at a 3 figure landslide.

For the Tories to get a majority of one would require their best electoral result (in terms of swing) since 1931. In other words, to get a bare majority they need to win by a landslide.

Cameron was originally working to a two-election plan. It’s only the astonishing degree of Labour incompetence that has enabled the Tories to think bigger.

22. Planeshift

“The headline you are presumably keen to avoid is ‘markets plunge by x% on opening to news of Hung Parliament”

In the event of a hung parliament, we’re going to get those headlines, and other hysterical rubbish, from the tory press anyway -probably regardless of what actually happens in the markets. No doubt it will be part of the campaign to get Cameron into government.

23. cjcjc

Poor babies.
The press supports Cameron just as it supported Blair.
Resist electoral reform you say?
You mean like Labour did until it was about to lose?
How very dare they!

24. Sunder Katwala

One point of clarification

If the Conservatives had 310 seats (so Labour perhaps 220-230), I am pretty sure Brown would go straight to the Palace on Friday and Cameron will be in the same day. He would then have to manage the (small) risk of ending up calling an election because he is unable to secure the confidence of the Commons or a budget. If he wanted to (following Home’s approach within his party in 1963), he could choose to accept office

I do not think these Tory briefings are aimed at that type of straightforward scenario, where no plasuible non-Tory combination could have a majority of seats.

I think the Tory briefings are directed at eg Tory 280, Labour 270, LibDems 80 scenario, where Tory minority, Tory-LibDem and LibDem-Labour majorities are all potentially viable in the Commons. These are precisely the situation for which the current rules have been developed – and the Tory attempt to regard negotiations as illegitimate in a Parliament in which no party has a majority and where no party would probably have secured more than 35% of the vote would clearly have no basis in British constitutional theory or practice.

Whether people agree or not with what I take the Tory strategy to be (and what they are briefing that it is), I can’t see the harm in people being better informed about what the existing constitutional rules and conventions are, to the extent that there have been efforts to formalise these.

25. Mike Killingworth

[19]

That we are looking at a hung parliament demonstrates just how un-conservative the nation really is, and how disliked the tories still are.

Are they that disliked? If, I as suggested earlier on this thread, they get 39% of the popular vote it is quite possible that Tory+UKIP+BNP in England will top 50%. In fact, I hereby predict that those three parties together will get a majority of English votes – which puts the kybosh on the other half of your sentence, unless by “nation” you meant Scotland or Wales.

26. Mike Killingworth

[24] Sunder, unless Clegg is prepared to support Labour by going into co-alition with them (which can be established by Saturday morning at the very latest) there is no problem. Cameron goes to the Palace and forms a minority government.

The problem comes down the road. Let’s say that early next year Clegg tables a “no confidence” vote and the new Labour leader decides to support it. Is Cameron then entitled to ask for a General Election? Presumably so, Callaghan got one in May 1979 (although admittedly that was a bit different – the Parliament had only months to run anyway and Thatcher would have had to ask for a dissolution anyway, as Campbell-Bannerman did in 1905).

Anyway, I don’t believe your numbers for a minute. Drowning and straws come to mind. Deep in your heart, I think you believe mine :lol:

27. Tom Freeman

Cameron says: “In 1974 it was clear the Conservatives had lost and therefore they were out of office.”

In that election, the Tories won more votes but fewer seats than Labour. Is that the principle he’ll be using?

28. Tim Worstall

“The key objective of this strategy is to use the vociferous campaigning of the press – no doubt amplifying interventions from friends in the City – to argue that any negotiations between parties would be democratically illegitimate, without first putting the Conservatives into power, even (or especially) if Labour and the Liberal Democrats could between them muster a majority of both votes and Commons seats. ”

Wait, really? You mean that politicians will do everything in their power to gain power?

Seriously?

Do we get film at 11 on this?

29. Martin Wisse

What this reminds me off is the way in which the Republicans grabbed power in 2000, when “voting irregularities” meant it wasn’t clear who had won in Florida, Bush or Gore and the party immediately launched a media campaign to convince the public that a) Bush had won and b) it was more important to get a result quickly than the right result. At the same time they launched court cases against the recounts in Florida, utlimately of course ending up at the Supreme Court, stacked with Bush sr./Reagan appointees which appointed Bush as the winner and halted the recounts completely, though these were making it clear Gore had actually won…

The Bush administrations are also famous for ignoring welle stablished rules and conduct when it suited them. If what’s being reported is true, the Tories have learned well from their Republican allies: confuse, spread muck, grab power.

30. Planeshift

Mike,

I suspect a lot of BNP voters dislike the tories and wouldn’t want to be associated with them – and vice versa. But my general point is that in the situation we are in, an opposition party should be expecting a landslide. They have an economy that’s been in one of the worst recessions in memory, one of the most incompetent labour leaderships since 1983, the support of the murdoch press, the city seemingly threatening warfare if the tories don’t get in, and several bosses of major employers publically backing them in the press. Virtually all circumstances are ideal for them.

Yet they are still polling in the low 30s.

31. Chris Brooke

“There’s a lot wrong with the British constitution, but one of its virtues is that things get made up as we go along. There’s something absolutely bonkers about lefties – of all people – getting all precious about the ways in which the Cabinet Secretary’s memo about the proper procedures in the event of a hung parliament might not be followed to the letter, or worrying that – my goodness! – the Queen might be drawn into political controversy. How undignified!”

More over here:

http://virtualstoa.net/2010/05/04/a-very-british-coup/

32. Stuart White

Like Chris I wonder if the fundamental issue here is really about conventions and Tory disrespect for them.

The fundamental objection to the Tory strategy is surely one of basic democratic principle. You don’t automatically get to be the government just because you are the largest party in the Commons and/or get the largest share of the popular vote. Certainly not when there is a possibility of a coalition between two other parties who together command a majority of seats and of the popular vote.

If the conventions matter, then I suspect it is because, and mainly to the extent that, in this situation they serve to protect the possibility of the coalitional outcome which has more democratic legitimacy. (This is quite distinct from the Brian Barder argument that we should cling to the conventions because they make possible a minority Labour government which, in my view, would entirely lack democratic legitimacy.)

Put it this way: as and when the crowds form for the demo on Saturday, what will be the basic slogan or chant? ‘Respect the conventions’? Or: ‘Respect democracy?’

33. Sunder Katwala

Stuart @31

it is a well made point – of course “respect democracy” is the argument for pluralist reformers who support PR. The conventions point is, however, relevant for three reasons.

(i) I would anticipate the Tory party and press banging dustbin lids and claiming it was undemocratic and unprecedented to follow the established practice. It is worth it being clear that this is nonsense.

(ii) The protecting the Monarchy from politics point has probably been given excessive weight by the British establishment. Nevertheless, it does matter for those who want to maintain a constitutional monarchy, which is the position of every major party and a solid public majority. it is also worth pointing out that the points made by the Fabian Monarchy Commission would apply to any type of Head of State in a British parliamentary democracy (eg constitutional monarch; elected President; eg Speaker of Commons fulfilling political prerogatives of head of state, etc): the question is still how far the rules should depend on personal choices or preferences, and how far the aim should be (as the O’Donnell rules move towards) having some established practices, which place the onus clearly on Parliament. Here your two calls come together.

(iii) constitutional conservatives do enormously weaken their own position with what now appears to be a habit of calling for ad hoc new rules (or in this case, challenging existing rules with no idea of what the new rules should be). This case highlights the weaknesses rather than the virtues of flexibility.

For example, we had cameron one week ago proposing the idea that a new law should demand General Elections within 6 months of a new Prime Minister. He has found something in the unwritten constitution he doesn’t like – and wants that sorted – but he won’t consider a written constittution, which would surely be a great task for a Big Society tocome together and sort out.

34. sally

Tim Jerk

“Well, duh. If the Tories win most seats and most votes they will, obviously, declare themselves to have won.”

Just another example of Tim Jerks tory arrogance. So if the tories are the biggest party they have one . Funny, at the last election when Blair got an overall majority of 70 the tory press pushed the line that he had in fact been defeated.

Once again with the tories it is my way or the high way. Every day we see the Conservatives copying the GW Bush play book. This is just what he did in 2000. A close election that he had to rely on the court to put him in the white house then rely on his media friends to intimidate everybody else that he was entitled to govern how he liked no matter how extreme. Opposition politicians were told that it was un American and even traitorous not to support Bush.

I think the tories are going to be a very frightening proposition. But then brown shirts always are.

35. sally

Tim Jerk living in his usual fantasy land

” It’s only the astonishing degree of Labour incompetence that has enabled the Tories to think bigger.”

Yes, I mean the tories only have almost every major circulation newspaper depicting Dave as the second coming of Jesus, and Brown and Clegg as Lucifer. The tories have more money than all the other parties put together, including Ashcroft’s millions in the marginal’s. We have just had the biggest recession in decades and yet the tories need two elections to win? You want to take your tory glasses off mate.

36. Tim J

constitutional conservatives do enormously weaken their own position with what now appears to be a habit of calling for ad hoc new rules (or in this case, challenging existing rules with no idea of what the new rules should be). This case highlights the weaknesses rather than the virtues of flexibility

Except that the main complaint from the Tories (in the Guardian’s unsourced piece) is not that the PM has the right to try to arrange a coalition in a hung Parliament – it is that there is an unprecedented gap between the election and the recall of Parliament. What the Tories seem (and it is, as I say, an unsourced piece) to be saying is that they would be very unhappy if they are the clear victors on the night, and a defeated Brown takes a full fortnight trying to cling onto power. Would you be happy with that result?

We have just had the biggest recession in decades and yet the tories need two elections to win? You want to take your tory glasses off mate.

Ah Sally. For the Tories to get a majority of 1, they need to win an additional 124 seats. The most additional seats ever won in one election by the Tories (not counting 1931 when they were the ‘National Government’) was 154 in 1924. If the Tories win a majority on Thursday, that will have been their second best ever performance in an election. For them to get a 60-70 majority a la 2005 would require their best ever performance in electoral history. Whichever way you slice it, that would be one hell of an achievement.

37. Thalia

Sunder,

Thanks for this – I was outraged to read both Cameron’s comments and the follow-up insinuations by unnamed sources. Basically this does amount to a kind of plan for a putsch and a decent media would be far more appalled by what is being suggested. It is essentially an attempt to get out of any coalition negotiations by simply declaring themselves the winner and then attempting to depict it as troublemaking if the other parties don’t accept it. I can’t imagine the Queen being very impressed at being dragged into it int this way.

Also, what barefaced hypocrisy to be all for FPTP as long as it suits them, but then throwing their toys out of the pram if it doesn’t deliver the resullt they want. They’ve lost the argument but they still can’t bear to lose the election.

38. gwenhwyfaer

What the Tories seem (and it is, as I say, an unsourced piece) to be saying is that they would be very unhappy if they are the clear victors on the night, and a defeated Brown takes a full fortnight trying to cling onto power. Would you be happy with that result?

Why the rush? Surely it’s better to allow as much time as is necessary for events to take their course, without cutting a swathe through the constitution as you go? What could the Tories possibly do in those two weeks – when Parliament won’t even be in session, let’s not forget – when they aren’t even having their much-vaunted emergency budget until July?

39. the a&e charge nurse

It couldn’t happen here, could it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSEOd1W3fZA

40. Francis Deutsch

Impossible:
1) Friday morning GB will still be the only direct adviser to HM
2) If DC manages to go behind him (see George V and the Lords crises) a united opposition can table a No Confidence vote, which a minority government cannot win. It then has a very short time (1 week?) to table a second confidence vote or to resign and/or to seek a dissolution and have another general election

41. Watchman

Scaremonger Sunder? Not like you – normally you are much more thoughtful. Of course the Conservatives are emphasising their chances of forming a government even in a hung parliament – people like positivity, as has been repeatedly proven.

Furthermore, I can’t see people taking very well to the Liberal Democrats supporting a Labour government (not that that would work, since there is still liberal elements in the Liberal Democrats, notably Nick Clegg) if as seems likely less than a quarter of the population votes for Labour. And the Liberal Democrats know this, and know that most people have a problem with Labour as a government, not just Gordon Brown as prime minister. So I tend to discount the idea of the ‘Lib-Lab’ pact so fondly fantasised about around here, as it would be politically suicidal for the Liberal Democrats (‘we’re a new direction… oh hang on, we’re supporting the very unpopular previous government’)

Anyway, even if Mr Cameron was recognised as head of a minority government, if he loses a vote of confidence, the Queen does not have to disolve parliament if the Liberal-Democrats say they will support a Labour prime minister…

42. Valerie

This is such a transparent Labour scare tactic to frighten Lib Dem voters into voting Labour. As it’s looking unlikely that the Tories are going to get a majority, they need to get people worried about a Tory minority government taking power. There’s probably some Tory connivance, too, since it’s in the interests of both sides to put the screw on the Lib Dems. Don’t fall for it!

43. Charlieman

At 01:00 on Friday, 33 seats will have declared a result according to the estimates based on past performance and current planning. Enough seats to calculate a standard deviation, I suppose, but any other predictions are going to be as reliable as Mystic Meg. Even if you apply the data to exit polls.

44. Derek Wall

Don’t forget cynical marriage to the Ulster Unionists to hover up more MPs, although even with DUP corruption, UUP may fail to take unionist seats.

Environmental crisis + continuining crisis of finance capitalism seem to be being ignored in this General Election.

And if you want to do something positive get down to Brighton Pavilion and Birmingham Hall Green, volunteers still needed to elect Caroline Lucas and Salma Yaqoob.

45. Sunder Katwala

Watchman @41
– I don’t know about scaremongering. I didn’t choose the LC version of the headline.

– The piece sets out what two Tory frontbenchers tell The Guardian their view of the constitutional conventions and rules are, and sets out a strategy/power play which some respondents here (like Tim Worstall) have said “well, obviously that’s what they would/should do” … while others regard

– It is not 1974. The intensity of the media agenda will make it easier to insist on very rapid movements: my view is that the Conservatives believe they can make that work in their favour if they need to, between 1am and midday on Friday.

Valerie @42
– There is no attack on the LibDems here and nothing in particular in the article which need change anybody on LC’s mind about voting Labour, LibDem, Green: certainly several LibDems have engaged with, retweeted or blogged about the post, and that is the first time I heard that theory about it.

Mike
– I am not making a prediction. I was simply suggesting that these sort of considerations would make little difference if the Tories have 310-326 seats, but could well be very crucial (and sharply contested) in the uncertainty zone where they had anything under 280, and/or if a Lab-LD total seats was at 326 or over 315, so that there was clearly a potentially viable non-Tory combination (whether or not it takes shape in the end). They will do something slightly different (in this broad spirit) if they had most votes but not most seats. The issue then might be less challenging GB’s the timing/right to attempt to negotiate, but on insisting that any Lab-LD arrangement would not be legitimate or viable.

46. Richard W

2. Sunder Katwala

Paul

‘ Thanks,. The 1am bond market point is an important one.

Financial instability got us into this mess – now the proposal is to open the bond markets at 1am, before we even have many of the declarations, so they can respond in real terms to specific constituencies. Its going to feel like Betfair as the Battersea, Birmingham Edgbaston and other results in.

Information
* What are the precedents for this? Did anything like it happen in 1992?

* Are there other precedents of the uk Liffe opening out of hours in the last few years? ‘

Opening at 1.00am is unprecedented. It was some traders that asked LIFFE to open so there is not really anything that can be read into the out of hours opening. The secondary gilts market is not open, it is the gilts futures market, sterling interest rate derivatives and trading FTSE 100 futures contracts.

Personally I think it is much ado about nothing. These will be thinly traded markets and in thinly traded markets moves are exaggerated. The gilt market is forward looking and since the polls have been indicating a hung parliament for some time it is already pretty much priced in. Moreover, gilt yields have been falling for weeks so the market is completely unperturbed by a hung parliament. What will spook the gilt market in the event of a hung parliament is if the politicians all start fighting with each other in the following weeks. The real action will be in the FX , which is always open 24 hours. Again most scenarios are already in the sterling price. However, there will still be big overreactions. Let’s hope the Tories don’t win because I’m short sterling.

47. Galen10

Doesn’t it strike anyone else as strange the way ALL the 3 main parties are reacting to the potential post election hung parliament situation?

We have a Labour party which veers between encouraging tactical voting to keep the Tories out on the one hand, and accusing Clegg of arrogance on the other for trying to play king-maker.

The LD’s begin by saying it’s all in the hands of the people, and they won’t try to dictate things, then hinting they might do just that, and then backing off in fright when it didn’t seem to go down too well.

Then we have the Tories predicting the sky will fall if we don’t give them a majority, also accusing the LD’s of arrogance, and casting about desperately for any way to stop a Lab/LD coalition depriving them of power.

Don’t they all get it yet? If the result IS hung, aren’t they the ones displaying monstrous arrogance? It’s not some form of false consciousness on the part of the electorate, it’s a damning indictment of the current system. They need to stop the crocodile tears and deal with it.

There are a myriad of possible scenarios post election, but it seems to many that there is a growing appetite for a radical change in the system. THAT is why those in Labour and the Tories who oppose change are running scared, and no doubt why some like Hain and Balls yesterday are already positioning themselves for the inevitable.

48. John77

Sunder,
Are you raving?
The Guardian article to which you refersays that the Tory contact objects to a CHANGE proposed by Gus O’Donnell that delays the opening of Parliament by a week.
They are not trying to over-ride constitutional convention but to maintain it.
You are equating this to a putsch.
Also how come that you, of all people, have been briefed on secret Tory plans?


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. House Of Twits

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  2. Rose Darling

    RT @TiggerTherese: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 #ge10 #ukelec …

  3. Roger Gall

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  4. Paul Cotterill

    http://bit.ly/dhrtYl http://tinyurl.com/2wablu6 Think we're going to need a hashtag #torycoup

  5. Si Evans

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  6. Si Evans

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  7. Brendan

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  8. Brendan

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  9. Dylan

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  10. Chris Baldwin

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  11. Tim Hardy

    Tories scorn democracy. Please RT via @sunny_hundal @libcon: How the Tories plan to seize power http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  12. Tim Hardy

    Tories scorn democracy. Please RT via @sunny_hundal @libcon: How the Tories plan to seize power http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  13. Joe Cassels

    @eddieizzard Read this. http://bit.ly/9lAlLO Now substitute the word Tory for Dalek.

  14. helpmeinvestig8

    RT @sunny_hundal: RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  15. Secular Gay

    RT @chickyog http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #torycoup #ge2010 ….."Declare victory anyway"? hmm Burma anyone?

  16. Tom Heath

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  17. Chris Mou

    @ellyoracle Have you seen this craziness? http://bit.ly/chS3P3 Think Bush 2000! #torycoup

  18. Chris Mou

    @ellyoracle Have you seen this craziness? http://bit.ly/chS3P3 Think Bush 2000! #torycoup

  19. Andrew Gillard

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  20. Catherine O'Connor

    RT@helpmeinvestig8 RT @sunny_hundal: RT @libcon – how the Tories will ignore the rules and seize power http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  21. Kristofer Keane

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  22. Antony Johnston

    How the Tories plan to seize power in a hung Parliament: http://bit.ly/dhrtYl /via @tom_watson @libcon

  23. Nick Smale

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  24. Tim Nolan

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  25. Elly W

    @chrismou Fuck me! Er – nazi tactics at all? http://bit.ly/chS3P3 jeeeeeeeezus, that'd better not happen… #torycoup

  26. Tim Hardy

    @stephmog The MSM largely ignored #PhilippaStroud – will they ignore more frightening #torycoup plans? http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  27. Tim Hardy

    @stephmog The MSM largely ignored #PhilippaStroud – will they ignore more frightening #torycoup plans? http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  28. Hamish Allan

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  29. Dean Naidoo

    RT @journochat: RT@helpmeinvestig8 RT @sunny_hundal: RT @libcon – how the Tories will ignore the rules and seize power http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  30. Political Cream

    RT @mydavidcameron: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #torycoup #ge2010

  31. Geoff de Burca

    RT @chickyog: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 << Bush 2000 …

  32. James Herron

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  33. Vicki Butler

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  34. Em Inkles

    RT @ikkleste: Hung parliament = tory coup? Be-aware, spread the word, don't let them try and pull it.
    http://is.gd/bTrOM #torycoup #hungparliament

  35. Joe Cassels

    This is what all parties agreed should happen if parliament is hung http://bit.ly/dBEXcE This is what Tories will do http://bit.ly/9lAlLO

  36. mike priddy

    @karmadillo I guess you've seen this http://is.gd/bTsT3

  37. Sheryl Odlum

    RT @hang_em: RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament – we must stop them http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ToryC …

  38. Helen Lambert

    RT @hang_em: RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament – we must stop them http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ToryCoup #hangem

  39. richdavidson

    RT @tim_hardy: @stephmog The MSM largely ignored #PhilippaStroud – will they ignore more frightening #torycoup plans? http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  40. James Oldfield

    RT @tim_hardy: @stephmog The MSM largely ignored #PhilippaStroud – will they ignore more frightening #torycoup plans? http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  41. Bryn Gerard

    RT @RobinBrown78: RT lots of people: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  42. Rich Johnson

    How Conservatives plan to grab power: http://bit.ly/dhrtYl (via @ruthkennedy). Scary.

  43. Louise Dore

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  44. Louise Dore

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  45. Heather Cracknell

    example of conspiracy theory: "This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament" http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 – let's see Fri

  46. Les_Dubh

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  47. Mr Moz

    RT @avaragado: Tories planning a coup if they don't like the result. Invitation to *overthrow* the government? http://bit.ly/aCA5UB #to …

  48. tzunder

    Liberal Conspiracy » This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/aQxMeM

  49. Simon Proven

    RT @avaragado: Tories planning a coup if they don't like the result. Invitation to *overthrow* the government? http://bit.ly/aCA5UB #torycoup

  50. Rich Holman

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right (via @tom_watson)

  51. Laura Francis

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/cPRCRD Disgraceful!

  52. Aral Balkan

    RT @laurakfrancis: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/cPRCRD Disgraceful! #ge2010

  53. Lee Griffin

    RT @avaragado: Tories planning a coup if they don't like the result. Invitation to *overthrow* the government? http://bit.ly/aCA5UB #to …

  54. Bryn Thomas

    RT @avaragado: Tories planning a coup if they don't like the result. Invitation to *overthrow* the government? http://bit.ly/aCA5UB #to …

  55. Laura Evans

    RT @avaragado: Tories planning a coup if they don't like the result. Invitation to *overthrow* the government? http://bit.ly/aCA5UB #to …

  56. Richard Moy

    RT @richjohnson: How Conservatives plan to grab power if not given an electoral mandate http://bit.ly/dhrtYl (via @ruthkennedy). Discuss?

  57. Gary McArthur

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/bSYihR. Be afraid, be very afraid…

  58. MK Green Party

    A very British Coup??? http://bit.ly/9lAlLO

  59. Talkswindon

    A #Torycoup ? – Tories plan to seize power regardless of Thursdays election results ??? http://tinyurl.com/35nsjs6

  60. Emma Jackson Stuart

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  61. Anne Hurtado

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/bSYihR #imvotinglabour

  62. Sam Williams

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl if this is true, compare how Bush took power

  63. Tony Williams

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  64. Andy Enrique Mesa

    The Tories respect the UK constitution & our voting system…but not if they lose http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #GE2010

  65. Vanessa Hearnden

    scary stuff
    http://bit.ly/aDUzTU would the Tories really try to claim victory even if it's against the rules…

  66. Leonard Anderson

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right (via @tom_watson)

  67. kevinrye

    RT @libcon http://bit.ly/cPRCRD This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament #hangem #tories

  68. ? Perry

    RT @AndyMesa: The Tories respect the UK constitution & our voting system…but not if they lose http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #GE2010

  69. Liberal Conspiracy

    This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  70. Therese

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 #ge10 #ukelection #torycoup

  71. Andrew Tindall

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  72. tom_watson

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  73. Andy Sutherland

    RT @TiggerTherese: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 #ge10 #ukelection #torycoup

  74. Elrik Merlin

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  75. Lizzy Pain

    RT @TiggerTherese: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 #ge10 #ukelec …

  76. Patrick Hadfield

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl >that sounds like a coup, not an election!

  77. Joe Cassels

    Revealed: Tory plan to seize power in a hung parliament http://bit.ly/9lAlLO. This could get very nasty. #voteantitory

  78. Tim Ireland

    Beware the self-fulfilling prophecy http://bit.ly/dhrtYl Tories and tabloid scum excel at conjured mandates. #ge2010

  79. Ashley Norris

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-

  80. Dominic Campbell

    Important read RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  81. Lee Griffin

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  82. Rebecca Hanley

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  83. Matt Flaherty

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  84. Matt Flaherty

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  85. Matt Flaherty

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  86. diana smith

    RT @dominiccampbell: Important read RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  87. diana smith

    RT @dominiccampbell: Important read RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  88. diana smith

    RT @dominiccampbell: Important read RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  89. Rachel Smith

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  90. Rachel Smith

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  91. Rachel Smith

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  92. Justin McKeating

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 << Bush 2000 anyone?

  93. Justin McKeating

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 << Bush 2000 anyone?

  94. Justin McKeating

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 << Bush 2000 anyone?

  95. Joe Cassels

    Read this. http://bit.ly/9lAlLO Now substitute the word Tory for Dalek.

  96. Joe Cassels

    Read this. http://bit.ly/9lAlLO Now substitute the word Tory for Dalek.

  97. Joe Cassels

    Read this. http://bit.ly/9lAlLO Now substitute the word Tory for Dalek.

  98. David Lewis

    Are the Tories trying to rewrite established constitutional conventions for their own gain? http://bit.ly/aYnUHP

  99. David Lewis

    Are the Tories trying to rewrite established constitutional conventions for their own gain? http://bit.ly/aYnUHP

  100. David Lewis

    Are the Tories trying to rewrite established constitutional conventions for their own gain? http://bit.ly/aYnUHP

  101. sunny hundal

    Erm – we need a counter-strategy people! RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  102. sunny hundal

    Erm – we need a counter-strategy people! RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  103. sunny hundal

    Erm – we need a counter-strategy people! RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  104. Robert Steadman

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  105. Robert Steadman

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  106. Robert Steadman

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  107. Paul Cotterill

    http://bit.ly/dhrtYl http://tinyurl.com/2wablu6 Think we're going to need a hashtag #torycoup

  108. Paul Cotterill

    http://bit.ly/dhrtYl http://tinyurl.com/2wablu6 Think we're going to need a hashtag #torycoup

  109. paulhodgson

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl < may be right /via @tom_watson #torycoup

  110. Martin Togher

    RT @libcon http://bit.ly/cPRCRD interesting, how the Tories may act if they are the largest party but don't have a majority

  111. Martin Togher

    RT @libcon http://bit.ly/cPRCRD interesting, how the Tories may act if they are the largest party but don't have a majority

  112. Monica Speight

    RT @dominiccampbell: Important read RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  113. Monica Speight

    RT @dominiccampbell: Important read RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  114. Daniel Gray

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  115. Daniel Gray

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  116. Chris Mou

    RT @sunny_hundal: Erm – we need a counter-strategy people! RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  117. Chris Mou

    RT @sunny_hundal: Erm – we need a counter-strategy people! RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  118. Gordon Rae

    RT @dominiccampbell: Important read RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  119. Gordon Rae

    RT @dominiccampbell: Important read RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  120. Joseph Simpson

    RT @dominiccampbell: RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  121. Joseph Simpson

    RT @dominiccampbell: RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  122. Therese

    RT @chickyog RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 << Bush 2000 anyone?

  123. Therese

    RT @chickyog RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 << Bush 2000 anyone?

  124. artist-illustrator

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right #ge2010

  125. artist-illustrator

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right #ge2010

  126. John Heath

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  127. John Heath

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  128. Harry Neary

    Shocking stuff RT @deiknuo: Are the Tories trying to rewrite established constitutional conventions for their own gain? http://bit.ly/aYnUHP

  129. Harry Neary

    Shocking stuff RT @deiknuo: Are the Tories trying to rewrite established constitutional conventions for their own gain? http://bit.ly/aYnUHP

  130. Harry Neary

    Shocking stuff RT @deiknuo: Are the Tories trying to rewrite established constitutional conventions for their own gain? http://bit.ly/aYnUHP

  131. Harry Neary

    Shocking stuff RT @deiknuo: Are the Tories trying to rewrite established constitutional conventions for their own gain? http://bit.ly/aYnUHP

  132. Flim Goblin

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  133. Flim Goblin

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  134. Flim Goblin

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  135. Flim Goblin

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  136. jochristiesmith

    RT @chickyog This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 << Bush 2000 anyone?

  137. jochristiesmith

    RT @chickyog This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 << Bush 2000 anyone?

  138. jochristiesmith

    RT @chickyog This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 << Bush 2000 anyone?

  139. jochristiesmith

    RT @chickyog This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 << Bush 2000 anyone?

  140. kate

    RT @sunny_hundal: Erm – we need a counter-strategy people! RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  141. kate

    RT @sunny_hundal: Erm – we need a counter-strategy people! RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  142. kate

    RT @sunny_hundal: Erm – we need a counter-strategy people! RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  143. kate

    RT @sunny_hundal: Erm – we need a counter-strategy people! RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  144. Tweets that mention Liberal Conspiracy » This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament -- Topsy.com

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by tom_watson, Tim Ireland, Tim Ireland, Justin McKeating, Dominic Campbell and others. Dominic Campbell said: Important read RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 […]

  145. Peter Edwards

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  146. Peter Edwards

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  147. Peter Edwards

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  148. Peter Edwards

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  149. Dylan

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  150. Dylan

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  151. Dylan

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  152. Chris Baldwin

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  153. Chris Baldwin

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  154. Chris Paul

    RT @sunny_hundal: Erm – we need a counter-strategy people! RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  155. CathElliott

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/bSYihR

  156. Sheryl Odlum

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010 #againstcameron #hangem

  157. simon.mills

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl Could get messy!

  158. Justin McKeating

    http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #torycoup #ge2010

  159. martincampbell

    @tom_watson Surprised you are dignifying this fictitious nonsense with a RT Tom – doesn't reflect well – http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  160. Jamie Potter

    Written constitution please, ffs. RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  161. Tim Hardy

    Stop the #torycoup Please RT via @sunny_hundal @libcon: How the Tories plan to seize power http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  162. Hannah Mudge

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/bSYihR

  163. Val Stevenson

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <- Change you can believe in.

  164. David Bingham

    RT @tim_hardy: Stop the #torycoup Please RT via @sunny_hundal @libcon: How the Tories plan to seize power http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  165. Vote For A Change

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  166. Robin Brown

    RT lots of people: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  167. Ben Jones

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  168. Nick Kaijaks

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl /ht @jamiepotter

  169. Nick Kaijaks

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl /ht @jamiepotter

  170. mike currie

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  171. mike currie

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  172. lydia harris

    RT @boudledidge: RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/bSYihR

  173. lydia harris

    RT @boudledidge: RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/bSYihR

  174. Michael Hanley

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  175. Hank Spears

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  176. Genji Monogatari

    An unsubstantiated but very interesting scenario in the event of a hung parliament: http://bit.ly/aDUzTU #ukelection #ge2010

  177. Lee Griffin

    We watched Bush force a "win" in the US, are we willing to see it in the UK w/ the Tories? http://j.mp/dhrtYl #Torycoup

  178. James Hargrave

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  179. Stuart Brown

    RT @jamesgraham: RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #torycoup

  180. Ged Robinson

    RT @Niaccurshi: We watched Bush force a "win" in the US, are we willing to see it in the UK w/ the Tories? http://j.mp/dhrtYl #Torycoup

  181. Jono Warren

    Are the Tories planning A Very British Coup? http://bit.ly/9lAlLO #GE2010 via @libcon

  182. Elizabeth dennis

    RT @Niaccurshi: We watched Bush force a "win" in the US, are we willing to see it in the UK w/ the Tories? http://j.mp/dhrtYl #Torycoup

  183. MyDavidCameron

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  184. Andy Sutherland

    RT @gedrobinson: RT @Niaccurshi: We watched Bush force a "win" in the US, are we willing to see it in the UK w/ the Tories? http://j.mp/dhrtYl #Torycoup

  185. Donovan Clarkson

    RT @mydavidcameron: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  186. John West

    RT @mydavidcameron: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  187. unslugged

    Shocking disrespect for the people's votes > RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  188. O.W.J. Burnham

    Tories trample constitution: http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/05/04/this-is-how-the-tories-plan-to-seize-power-in-a-hung-parliament/

  189. susannah tarbush

    Fabian Soc gen sec Sunder Katwala on conservatives "plan to seize power in a hung parliament", sparks talk of #torycoup http://bit.ly/aDUzTU

  190. Angel LaLand

    RT @mydavidcameron: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  191. Adam Jennison

    RT @johnwards RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  192. Ruth Kennedy

    Evidence of underhand plans to seize power in event of hung parliament?? http://bit.ly/dhrtYl (via @tom_watson)

  193. Sunder Katwala

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  194. stuartamdouglas

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/bSYihR

  195. Bill Perrett

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/bSYihR

  196. Gate Keeper

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  197. Peter Raymond

    RT @mydavidcameron: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  198. Liam Barrington-Bush

    Tories planning to change rules of a hung Parliament to push themselves into power on Thursday? http://bit.ly/9lAlLO #ge10 (via @Tom_Watson)

  199. AndyG

    RT @mydavidcameron: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  200. John Church

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  201. John Church

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  202. Mark Clapham

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/bSYihR

  203. Mark Clapham

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/bSYihR

  204. #torycoup going viral? « Though Cowards Flinch

    […] getting out on the doorstep now, but I’ve been having a small and this morning on connecting Sunder’s revelations about the Tories’ constitutional-swerving plans for what to do if they’re […]

  205. Richard King

    RT @BickerRecord: http://bit.ly/dhrtYl http://tinyurl.com/2wablu6 Think we're going to need a hashtag #torycoup

  206. Richard King

    RT @BickerRecord: http://bit.ly/dhrtYl http://tinyurl.com/2wablu6 Think we're going to need a hashtag #torycoup

  207. Graham Binns

    RT @antonyjohnston: How the Tories plan to seize power in a hung Parliament: http://bit.ly/dhrtYl /via @tom_watson @libcon

  208. Graham Binns

    RT @antonyjohnston: How the Tories plan to seize power in a hung Parliament: http://bit.ly/dhrtYl /via @tom_watson @libcon

  209. Madison Bird

    Very sceptical about the validity of this piece but it's worth a read anyway: http://bit.ly/9lAlLO #torycoup #ge2010

  210. Madison Bird

    Very sceptical about the validity of this piece but it's worth a read anyway: http://bit.ly/9lAlLO #torycoup #ge2010

  211. Michael Studman

    Will there be a #torycoup ? http://bit.ly/8YHdrc

  212. Steph Ashley

    RT @tim_hardy: @stephmog The MSM largely ignored #PhilippaStroud – will they ignore more frightening #torycoup plans? http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  213. Paul Cotterill

    @commentisfree It's got to be Sunder's piece on #torycoup http://tinyurl.com/35nsjs6 You'll feel left behind if you don't.

  214. mike

    Important read RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  215. Kim Lofthouse

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  216. OneRedSock

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  217. Becca Hutson

    So, the Tories are staging a COUP?!http://liberalconspiracy.org/2010/05/04/this-is-how-the-tories-plan-to-seize-power-in-a-hung-parliament/

  218. Louise Johnson

    This post from @libcon is the only thing that's yet that scared me about a hung parliament: http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  219. Louise Johnson

    This post from @libcon is the only thing that's yet scared me about a hung parliament: http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  220. schlagerLout

    RT @chickyog @libcon @itinerantgeoff This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  221. Lolwhites

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/cPRCRD

  222. James

    RT @bloggerheads: Beware the self-fulfilling prophecy http://bit.ly/dhrtYl Tories and tabloid scum excel at conjured mandates. #ge2010

  223. majestic whine

    Torys literally planning a coup? http://bit.ly/8YHdrc Putting the boot into what is left of our democracy #ge2010 #ThingsYouDontDo

  224. David O'Leary

    RT @libcon How the Tories and their media allies plan a very British coup (or a UK 'Bush 2000') http://bit.ly/cPRCRD #ge10 #ImvotingLabour

  225. When The Hurly-Burly’s Done… « @Number 71

    […] left-wing bloggers begin to push the line that the Cameroon’s are planning a coup (e.g. Sunder Katwala, Though Cowards Flinch); then Manish Sood, the Labour candidate for Norfolk north-west calls his […]

  226. Steven Edge

    Hung parliament = tory coup? Be-aware, spread the word, don't let them try and pull it.
    http://is.gd/bTrOM #torycoup #hungparliament

  227. The coming Tory coup | Prog Gold

    […] Liberal Conspiracy has the lowdown on how the Tories plan to sieze power in a hung parliament: […]

  228. Thomas Swingler

    RT @sunny_hundal: Erm – we need a counter-strategy people! RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  229. Kate Bosman

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  230. Tom Sheppard

    I'm Reading: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament: Despite accusations of Conservative … http://bit.ly/cYjIQK

  231. Will Panduro Vazquez

    http://tinyurl.com/35nsjs6 surely they won't get away with this?

  232. Thomas O Smith

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  233. JoanneLeon

    RT @Niaccurshi: We watched Bush force a "win" in the US, are we willing to see it in the UK w/ the Tories? http://j.mp/dhrtYl #Torycoup

  234. Sam Shone

    This is very worrying, mainly 'cause i can c it happening RT @libcon: how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parl http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  235. John Wards

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  236. Banbury Constituency

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  237. Chris Lewis

    RT@libcon http://bit.ly/cPRCRD

    This is flipping scary if true…

  238. Peter Williams

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  239. Hang 'em

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament – we must stop them http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ToryCoup #hangem

  240. Felix Cohen

    RT @dominiccampbell: Important read RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #ge2010

  241. Andrew

    Let's hope this backfires RT @lady_tanedra: RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a hung Parliament http://bit.ly/bSYihR

  242. Nick Drew

    RT @libcon http://bit.ly/cPRCRD

  243. David Smith

    Tories planning a coup if they don't like the result. Invitation to *overthrow* the government? http://bit.ly/aCA5UB #torycoup

  244. James Oldfield

    RT @avaragado: Tories planning a coup if they don't like the result. Invitation to *overthrow* the government? http://bit.ly/aCA5UB #to …

  245. Mark Morton

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  246. thehooleys

    RT @avaragado: Tories planning a coup if they don't like the result. Invitation to *overthrow* the government? http://bit.ly/aCA5UB #torycoup

  247. Planetary Group

    RT @weheartmusic: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament – http://bit.ly/cOo9sY (via @LibCon)

  248. Ronnie Brown

    RT @Niaccurshi: We watched Bush force a "win" in the US, are we willing to see it in the UK w/ the Tories? http://j.mp/dhrtYl #Torycoup

  249. Andrew Collingwood

    RT @thedharmablues: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament – http://bit.ly/cOo9sY (via @LibCon)

  250. Aral Balkan

    RT @laurakfrancis: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/cPRCRD Disgraceful! #ge2010

  251. Graeme Sutherland

    RT @aral: RT @laurakfrancis: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/cPRCRD Disgraceful! #ge2010

  252. Simon Young

    Still thinking of voting for Dave? Read these articles first: http://bit.ly/aGuGfo http://bit.ly/8YHdrc #torycoup

  253. Ivan Pope

    RT @aral: RT @laurakfrancis: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/cPRCRD Disgraceful!

  254. Mark Curry

    RT @avaragado: Tories planning a coup if they don't like the result. Invitation to *overthrow* the government? http://bit.ly/aCA5UB #torycoup

  255. Graeme Sutherland

    if the tories try to sieze power doing this: http://bit.ly/cPRCRD then we'd better hone our social media tools to fight back.

  256. Cai Wingfield

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  257. Tim Holmes

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  258. Sarah Beckett

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/aCA5UB

  259. James Ogley

    http://is.gd/bTBN5 How the Tories plan to steal Number 10 if not given a mandate. (H/T @revdrich) Don't let Cameron near it! #ge2010

  260. samedney

    RT @avaragado: Tories planning a coup if they don't like the result. Invitation to *overthrow* the government? http://bit.ly/aCA5UB #torycoup

  261. Katrina Deacon

    A very British Coup??? http://lnk.ms/8f7TK

  262. Paul Pearson

    RT @tom_watson: RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right

  263. Andrea Gill

    RT @AndyMesa: The Tories respect the UK constitution & our voting system…but not if they lose http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #GE2010

  264. lance piper

    RT @libcon This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl <-this may be right (via @tom_watson)

  265. Jane Lambert

    RT @AndyMesa: The Tories respect the UK constitution & our voting system…but not if they lose http://bit.ly/dhrtYl #GE2010

  266. TenPercent

    This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament < Hmm, even without this looks like a Toffs coup http://bit.ly/9lAlLO

  267. A “Balanced” Parliament : Lawyers, Guns & Money

    […] one rather large stumbling block to all of this.  Liberal Conspiracy argues that the Conservatives have a plan for a hung Parliament, and I grimly suspect that this analysis is spot […]

  268. Ryan Bestford

    This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament – http://bit.ly/cOo9sY (via @LibCon)

  269. Nautilus in Red

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  270. Jeremy Rowe

    The Tory plan to ignore the electorate: http://bit.ly/9lAlLO #ge10 #ge2010 #ukelection #nastyparty

  271. LISA WALTERS

    RT @CllrJeremyRowe: The Tory plan to ignore the electorate: http://bit.ly/9lAlLO #ge10 #ge2010 #ukelection #nastyparty

  272. Gareth Colwell

    RT @libcon A Tory Coup in the offing? http://bit.ly/cPRCRD

  273. Ann Danylkiw

    Why/How the Tories will NOT REFORM electoral system in Britain http://is.gd/bVj7A & http://is.gd/bVj8j #ge2010 #imvotingconservative

  274. Jeremy Rowe

    The Tory plan to ignore the electorate: http://bit.ly/9lAlLO #ge10 #ge2010 #ukelection #nastyparty

  275. Amor Vincit Omnia » Blog Archive » Wolf in sheep’s clothing

    […] have the majority vote or not – full details on this can be found in Sunder Katwala’s article for Liberal Conspiracy – which as well as being a rather terrifying prospect for many is also […]

  276. Kevin Dykes

    RT @libcon http://bit.ly/cPRCRD trying to read the future here, interesting analysis.

  277. James Anthony

    In the light of very recent polls, this piece becomes even more pertinent. Tory "win" similar to Bush's in US: http://bit.ly/b31MFp #ge2010

  278. NORBET

    RT @libcon http://bit.ly/cPRCRD

  279. Joe Kanuritch

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/bSYihR

  280. Jonathan Dalton

    I wouldn't be surprised… RT: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  281. Alex Naysmith

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  282. Rupert

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  283. Daryl Smith

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  284. Daniel Campion

    Tory coup d'etat? http://bit.ly/aDUzTU

  285. Simon Rohrer

    RT @dancampion: Tory coup d'etat? http://bit.ly/aDUzTU

  286. TenPercent

    I wonder if any GOP Florida 2000 vets are advising Cameron, given the 'Tory Hung coup' speculation http://bit.ly/9lAlLO

  287. Prophet 451 aka Ebon

    This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://is.gd/bXrEz

  288. Prophet 451 aka Ebon

    @fivethirtyeight This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://is.gd/bXrEz

  289. Maya Forstater

    @johnnybennett did u see this? http://bit.ly/c8Ksgb scary

  290. Liberal Conspiracy » Majority Government – or tabloid rule?

    […] us. And that would be the most lethal and corrupt of lies – making minorities of majorities and majorities of minorities, and leaving us saddled with a weak and nasty Tabloid Government. […]

  291. Stewart Kirk

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  292. Andy Sutherland

    RT @libcon: This is how the Tories plan to seize power in a Hung Parliament http://bit.ly/dhrtYl

  293. Adam Ogden

    Then couple it up with this prediction of what Tories/Murdoch would do in this situation from last week http://bit.ly/9iOhGJ





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