Another fine mess you’ve got me into….

For years I have listened to British commentators excuse their unfair and unrepresentative electoral system on the grounds of the ‘strong government’ that it facilitated. That argument has always been most loudly promulgated from the ‘Right’.

This time it has delivered a result that is anything but strong.

The Lab/LibDem combination is not sufficient on its own and would be beholden to either the DUP or a Celtic ‘combo’ of SDLP/Plaid Cymru/ SNP.  I presume both principals would rather not do business with SinnFein.

The Cons/LibDem combination is a marriage of advantage with little in common between the parties and Mr. Cameron’s party, historically, the most wedded to the existing electoral system.

All of which would be academic were they sailing in sunnier climes but everyone knows that some seriously hard decisions must be taken and cutbacks imposed on the British public as soon as the next Cabinet is formed.

The LibDem’s will not be thanked by the electorate if they bring down a Government in a fit of pique. Whatever deal they strike they must stick at it long enough to bring a referendum before that electorate who are resistant to change for changes sake and who will not be disposed to reward a party they see as imposing cuts and bringing hard times. But they will be punished by their supporters if they do get a referendum on electoral reform.

A poisoned chalice of decisions awaits the beneficiaries of the great British publics taste for indecision.