Hung Parliament

As discussions and negotiations carry on in to the early hours, we know that by Monday, one way or another, we must have a newly elected Government. Continued uncertainty will place us in a perilous position when the markets trade again on Monday.

I was certainly wrong with regard to my last entry - that I did not anticipate a hung parliament. And like many, I could not quite accept at first that the EXIT Polls might in fact be accurately forcasting the outcome.

I am, however, pleased that we have the opportunity now to turn a potentially nagative situation into a very positive way forward for the life and governance of the United Kingdom, namely, bringing into government, people of undoubted ability in the Liberal Democrats.

New Labour in Government has achieved much in the last 13 years. Nevertheless it is time to change. We have a great democracy and with strong cross party government we will be better able to cope with the ravages of the measures that must now be taken to deal with the national deficit and which will hit every single one of us.

Deep down we all know that for a while it is going to get worse before it gets better.

But we are up to the challenge.

With the right people in place, good leadership will permeate throughout the Union, and who knows, we may even be able to hold the Union together notwithstanding desperate attempts by a certain northern gentleman wanting to break his country away.

And whilst we are at it, let us never again see the debacle of lines of voters turned away and denied their right to cast their vote. There is no excuse for it. The Electoral Commission must act to put in place a system befitting to 21st Century Politics and not rely upon 19th Century Voting practices.

Let us look with confidence to the future.

Kenneth T Webb
The Editor
Liverpool CityLife
Sat 8 May 2010