Farewell Gordon Brown

So Gordon Brown went to the palace today to tender his resignation and advise the Queen to summon David Cameron.

The details of the last extraordinary 24 hours are still murky, but I understand that the Labour team slowly realised that the LibDems were not really serious about coalition talks, they were merely talking to put pressure on the Conservatives (with good effect). As soon as Gord realised this, he did the proper thing and advised the Queen that he couldn't form a majority and to call Cameron. The LibDems are reported to be "annoyed" by his timing, but they would surely strung everyone out till the end of the week playing one side against the other, the constitution be damned.

Nick Clegg has been on our TV screens practically every day since the election, but Cameron has stayed away. So his speech at Downing Street was the first real view we got of him since the debates. My first thought was that he is nowhere near as fluent a speaker as Clegg. This coalition should be very interesting indeed, as one party in the coalition always obliterates the other. On paper the Cons should obliterate the LibDems - but they've been played like violins by Clegg (who also played us by getting Gord to make his statement yesterday). Clegg is going to be a huge presence in the new government, and may eclipse Cameron.

I feel rather relieved that Labour is not in coalition with the Yellow Peril, we are well out of it. I'm also relieved that the Cons have caved to LibDem demands for a deal for at least three years. The British public always like to give people a fair go, so if Cameron went for another election this autumn, chances are he would win. In three or four years time the novelty will have worn off, and the implications of the Con-Dem'd govt will be clearer and Labour has a good chance of being returned to government.