That's what they said in 2010 - Labour were not being agreeable in coalition talks.

The best thing for the Lib Dems now would be to withdraw from any coalition. It will be easier for them to do that if Labour run a minority government with SNP support; then they can become the 'left wing' opposition.

Tassium, what excuse do they have - the very good one that they put it to the vote of their party, and they didn't agree. I don't really see where there is a pressure for the LDs to team up with the Tories - who, exactly is going to stop voting for them if they don't? And how, would they lose votes if they didn't?

Pretty much this.

I'm beginning to think that the pollster's calculations are all wrong and they are understating the Tories and overstating Labour. The Tories have delivered most of what they promised five years ago, the economy's looking great and within the last week a good 80% of Fleet Street are backing them to return to Downing Street.

But.....why don't the current polls reflect these facts?

Polls are now clearly being used to influence public opinion. In some ways they have taken the place of national newspapers in terms of influence.

No wonder polls are the tool of choice of the rich and of political parties.

They must be banned, perhaps within 6 months of an election at least.

It's going to be absolute chaos, we just don't know what the end outcome will be from all the chaos.

Looking at the Ashcroft poll I can't see the Greens getting 7% nationally. But once again another poll that shows it's going to be neck and neck unless there is a late swing on polling day when people go the ballot boxes, have a deep think and change their mind.

Ashcroft poll is out BTW:

Ashcroft National Poll, 1-3 May: CON 32%, LAB 30%, LDEM 11%, UKIP 12%, GRN 7%.

LDs only one behind UKIP, Greens on 7%, both Labour and the Tories scoring quite low vote shares, and the Con lead down by 4, from 6 to 2 percentage points.

This would be a disaster for the Conservatives of course.

The nearer they are to the magic 325 number the more likely they are to want to go it alone.

Such a government would be a re-run of the 92-97 one.... only it'll be worse, as there will be no excuse to get out of the EU referendum, you'll have the SNP shouting from the rooftops and would probably get another referendum, and the Tory 'bastards' are far more vitriolic than they were 20 years ago.

They'd end up dependent on the DUP again, who are far less acquiescent than the UUP were in the 90s, and the Right of the Tory Party would be out for blood every week.

Is that really what Tory supporters want?

So what would they want ?

The ability to be able to snipe on the sidelines ?

I said it was obvious when Clegg started listing these red lines that they didn't want to coalition with the Tories. This is without factoring in the triple lock system and Menzie Campbell may have well just said yesterday on BBC news the Lib Dems would prefer Labour this time. He came within a wisper of saying it.

The only reason talks stalled in 2010 between Labour and the Lib Dems is because Brown got sick of waiting and felt Clegg was using him to get a better deal from the Tories so conceded defeat. There is a great documentary on Youtube charting the five days in May 2010.

That many don't feel the second-placed party forming a government would be legitimate isn't surprising; most polling shows this. Furthermore, the public doesn't like coalitions, let alone liking a coalition of what they'll see as losers - despite it happening in Europe. That said, all Ashcroft is doing here is taking quotes out - he's not quantifying people's positions in percentage terms, which would at least give us a whole picture. As it is, I think it's less politically costly for Labour to simply let a Conservative minority government inevitably destroy itself, rather than risk trying for a minority government in which they'll be severely politically limited. Right now, no party is really going to be able to implement anywhere near their full programme looking at how the arithmetic is shaping up to being.

I find it bizarre that so many people don't actually understand the "swing" factor. People genuinely are voting UKIP because they think they will form a Government. Yet to form a Government they would need bigger swings throughout the entire UK than the SNP are achieving in Scotland alone. If they are going to be unhappy about the outcome then they only have themselves to blame. If they are saying they are going to be upset that Labour may govern through dealmongering, then the alternative is to vote Tory isn't it?

Of course, not all will be unhappy but it seems odd that those who vote Tory or UKIP expecting Tory or UKIP are grumbling unnecessarily. They have the opportunity to vote wisely. No use crying once you've cast your vote.

I agree with you about polls. Not necessarily about banning them, but just ONE collective poll each Sunday because this years polls are just dull and unexciting. I do think they are merely trying to encourage voters of their party of preference to vote.

The ability to regroup and revive their dismal political fortunes.

Given the way the Tories are likely to go in minority, or wafer-thin majority, absolutely.

The Tories will be tearing themselves to pieces a la 1995, and the LDs will be able to say -- quite correctly -- that this is what the 2010-15 government would have been like without their tempering influence.

If we go back to May 2012, Labour were on 42% and the Tories on 32%. Three years later and Labour has dropped 10 points but none of those lost points have come the way of the Tories. I find that odd.

BIB: Damn good question!

What do I want? You know? I haven't got the foggiest. I can tell you what I don't want. I don't want Ed Balls as Chancellor. That prospect is the most terrifying thing of all. I am happy to accept the outcome if Labour can form some kind of majority. But Balls is a liability. But, what do I want regarding the Tories?

I want them to ditch the 1922 Committee and modernise. I'd like them to try and recruit younger and more "real" candidates. They do have some sound policies but some of their party members are so Dickensian in their views that it makes me feel embarrassed to hear their views sometimes. That said, of course I would have liked them in Government, but whoever is in Government this time around is likely not going to be popular come the next election. It would certainly be easier for The Tories to be in opposition and get their house in order. Whether they will or not, is a completely different ball game!

How about banning any Polling Company from posting results in the 30 days prior to election day if they fail to provide a forecast for the 2015 GE that is acceptably accurate

Agree about Ed Balls but is it given that he gets the job if Labour get in and could the Lib Dems say that for our support Balls doesn't become Chancellor

there would still remain a majority of House (aka representing the wishes of the electorate) who would not share the Tory vision, and would probably oppose the Queen's Speech. The best that Cameron could hope for would be many abstentions.

They seem to have gone to the smaller parties (UKIP, Green) and the Nationalist (SNP etc)

I just think there's way too many polls this time around. Of course the polls are reflecting public opinion, but public opinion may well be affected by election fatigue. They no longer seem relevant, and if they are proved wrong, that point will be shown as fact!

You could also say that those who did not vote Tory/those who are represented by parties other than Tory, represent the majority.

And after all, with the current FPTP system, or PR, the country will have to get used to coalitions, minority governments and multi-party alliances forming the majortity. it;s pretty much commonplace on the continent

Don't forget that FPTP relies only upon seats won in the House, not votes cast. Until that changes, the reality is that vote share is pretty much irrelevant (except for those who wish to argue the toss about legitimacy)..

So, you don't share the opinion that this hung parliament era is just a periodical blip and that come 2020 a majority single Government will return?

If we compare our parliament to Europe, how similar are they? What are the party leanings? Left or right or both? Because if we did have to get used to European style Governments, then all parties are going to have to grow testicles and work with parties you might not like. But it will take several years or decades for that to happen because the LibDem supporters are still throwing their toys out of the pram that they joined a Tory coalition.

A pity that some news organisation does not inform them of the accepted processes that are in place, and the requirements of the Fixed Parliament Act.

And something else, I cannot understand this oft-repeated idea that the electorate can somehow speak with one voice when casting their vote in a General Election (implying that they vote with a single mind, as a single entity). They don't

The left wing media are making it perfectly clear its the party who can command a majority by any means that is the largest party and is therefor expected to form a government. As per the constitution.

Its the right wing media who aren't saying any of this because it doesn't suit their agenda.