General Election (5)

Well the voting is over and the result is in. Or perhaps not quite in.

My feeling? My over-riding feeling is one of great disappointment. What happened to all the voters who, according to the polls, were going to vote Lib Dem? I suspect that the younger voters, who were more likely to vote Lib Dem, simply did not bother to vote.

I feel a bit like I do being a supporter of the Scotland football team. Lots of hope and expectation - always dashed at the last minute.

But of course the election is not over. We do not know who will be Prime Minister. And despite the disappointing result, Nick Clegg has a vital, yet hugely difficult decision to make. Coalition with the Tories? Which would prop up a party with which the Lib Dems have huge policy disagreements. A informal agreement with the Tories? Which is a bit wishy-washy. A coalition with Labour. Which would prop up a defeated party. Frankly, all of those have huge risks.

In my view, the opportunity given to Nick Clegg to press for voting reform is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And he must make this a precondition of any pact. The whole country would gain if voting reform comes about. But promises on this must be cast-iron ones. If Clegg can deliver voting reform, he will make the political process meaningful again.

If he has the courage to walk away from any Tory offer that does not contain voting reform - real reform not just a Constitutional Commission on the issue - he will face concerted approbation from the right-wing media. He needs to recognise that and ignore it.

So I wish Nick Clegg strength and courage over the next few days. The stakes are high. A Tory government with the power to decide the date of the next election, would almost certainly win a full majority on the first-past-the-post system. Let us do our best now to ensure that will not happen.

I want to continue to be able to wear the T-shirt saying 'I agree with Nick'