Clegg's going to sell this to his lot as a foot in the door.

Clegg will probably try, but if he can't get some real concessions from the Conservatives, I don't think it will amount to anything. The Lib Dems run a big risk of looking like suckers if they don't get some major offices and some of their platform into the new government.

A Labour/Lib Dem alliance is more natural, but I don't think it can be made to work given the way the vote came out. They would either be a minority government, which the Conservatives could wreck in short order, or a many way alliance. A government made up of half a dozen parties is not going to last unless it has a strong leader to hold it together, and there doesn't seem to be one right now.

It is a nasty situation all around, the British have really voted themselves into a near deadlock situation. The only thing I would really be willing to say is that no matter what government goes in, another round of elections will happen shortly.

Jay