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What if there's a 'hung-parliament'?

If as of this summer there is no Party that wins an overall majority, then I hope that national politicians will - if this happens - show a little of the maturity that many of us local Councillors have of necessity developed concerning this phenomenon, in recent years. The number of Councils in no overall control is, I believe, at an all-time high. Certainly, since Norwich went no overall control a few years ago, coinciding with the rise of the Green Party here, there has I think been a significant improvement in behaviour in the Council chamber. Parties have grown used to working with one another. Not just barracking each other. We have had a Labour minority administration for a few years now, here in Norwich; it has been on balance an OK experience for all concerned, I think. If national politicians are serious about doing politics differently, then they too will learn to live in a 'balanced Parliament' (the term 'hung [Council/Parliament]' is SOOO 20th century...).
 

Comments

Anonymous said…
Rupert!! It won't be a balanced parliament because that would require 2 parties; or 2 wings; to have more or less identical number of seats. If a parliament is, for example, 330 Con, 270 Lab, 60 LD, 20 Others then that is "Hung"
3 January 2010 at 18:01
Anonymous said…
The term 'hung parliament' is so 19th century. A consensual parliament is better than a steamroller government.
3 January 2010 at 22:19
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