Would The Snp Do A Deal With The Tories?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30623652

[ludwig]

The SNP will do a deal with anyone if they think it'll benefit the SNP in the long term - and why shouldn't they? Their goal is to maximise Scottish devlotion with the ultimate goal of independence, so they should pursue anything that furthers those aims.

I still think that Labour secretly don't want to win the election - the prospect of Ed Miliband as PM in a coalition with the SNP must seem worse than another four years in opposition with a new leader.

[DTCwordfan]

At heart, Salmond is a left-wing socialist, maybe a champagne one, Madame Caviar is too - look at their policies which are all spend, spend, spend and their attitude to the nuclear deterrent. Their natural ally is the Labour party.

As to the election, as things stand at the moment, it really comes down to what gaffes Farage's stormtroopers make between now and election day (and remember they have a lot of the loony-wing of the Tories....with the likes of Refuse and Hamilton, need I say more. S, if they do, Cameron could squeeze home and his first port of call, if needed, would be the Unionists and then the Libs.

[ludwig]

// Their natural ally is the Labour party. //

On the contrary DTC, the Labour party is their natural rival. Tories are non existent in Scotland, which means they can virtually write off Scotland as a source of seats and effectively not worry about it.

The others have to battle it out though, Labour needs all the Scottish seats it can get, and their competition for them is the SNP.

[DTCwordfan]

so Ed the Shred will not join up Labour with SNP or vica versa, Ludwig, out of principle....is that what you are saying? I don't think that holds and both will do a deal.....

[BlackadderV]

Imagine the scenario the day after the election. Tory/SNP seats are enough to create a majority. Tories offer SNP immediate devo max with a guarantee of a new referendum on independence. Can't see any party turning their nose up at that. There are no principles in politics.

[DTCwordfan]

Whoever said that it was likely that there would be 2 elections this year....well maybe that's increasing perceptive. I wonder what odds Betfred will give me on that?

[BlackadderV]

I dona't know the terms of the Fixed parliaments Act, but I believe that to hold an election before the five year term is up there has to be something like a two-thirds majority in parliament to vote in favour. This was one of the most stupid pieces of legislation introduced by Cameron; it deprives both the PM of the day from maintaining the political momentum, as well as depriving the sovereign form his/her constitutional right.

[jno]

surely the question is the wrong way round? Would the Tories do a deal with the SNP? It can be taken for granted (because it's already happened once) that a minority party will enter a coalition with anyone that will give it a taste of power. But just who would the majority party be prepared to deal with (or not)?

[BlackadderV]

jno is correct. It was a mistake for Cameron to go into coalition. If he could not arrange a confidence and supply vote, a bit like the Lib/lab pact of the 70s, he should have remained in opposition until the time came for him to pick up the pieces.

[Ellipsis]

I can't see the SNP pushing for a second referendum, certainly not while the price of oil remains as low as it has become in the few months since the last one!

[ludwig]

// so Ed the Shred will not join up Labour with SNP or vica versa, Ludwig, out of principle....is that what you are saying? //

No, I'm just saying that the SNP are not a natural ally to Labour, despite the fact that they're both left wing in theory.

I think when it comes down to it, anyone will do a deal with anyone else if they think it's going to be to their advantage, but a Labour/SNP alliance wouldn't be at all comfortable.

[murraymints]

never will the wee yin get intae bed wi the tories !

[Farriercm]

Cameron First Leader,----------------------Of an opposition Party. since world ,
war one , ------------------that says it all.

[factor-fiction]

>"Cameron First Leader,----------------------Of an opposition Party. since world ,
war one , ------------------that says it all."

Says what? I don't understand the point you are trying to make

[ladyalex]

In my opinion if the SNP did get into an alliance with the Tories they would massively lose support in Scotland, exactly as the Liberals have lost support everywhere after their alliance with Cameron et al.
The SNP are completely aware of this and have no desire for power over the whole of the UK. They only want power in Scotland. What happens in the rest of the UK is of. no interest to them except as it affects Scotland.
I could see them getting into a 'confidence and supply ' arrangement with the Labour party as their political ideologies are similar.
I actually don't think people should ignore the Green party. They may well gain some more MPs and then there would be much more room for alliances and 'arrangements'.
I fear we live in interesting times, as the Chinese would say.