Alex Salmond: Threat to Block Cameron.

Alex Salmond has said that the SNP will block a Tory minority government if it holds the balance of power at Westminster in May. Several things have to happen first. Mr. Salmond has himself to be elected, the Scot nats have to meet the expectation of their winning between 40 and 50 seats (many academics and commentators believe 30 is nearer the mark) and Labour has to lose to the Tories in England. If all that fell into place and Cameron, although the leader of the largest party, could not get enough support from whatever collection of minor parties manage to win seats, including the Lib Dems, to get his Queen’s speech through, then yes it would work Salmond’s way. If Labour went along with the plan, which at present they say they will not. They could abstain in a Queen’s speech vote, intending to bring down the government at the height of its unpopularity in the midst of its next episode of slash and burn.

This is what happens when you have a voting system that allows not only lots of parties in, but lots of MPs on minority votes. If the Tories had not campaigned against AV they would under the transferrable vote almost certainly achieve a majority on their own. So it is all their own fault. Thus for them to complain today that Salmond’s threat is somehow defying the democratic will of the people is to talk complete and utter piffle.

Comments are closed.