Suspicious minds

I’ve a feeling all these negotiations will start to get ever edgier today.

It’s reaching that point in the courtship when the suitors get tired of bringing flowers and choccies and instead grab their prize by her enlaced arm and demand “what do you want from me woman?”

But even if a Tory or Labour party leader manages to come to some sort of arrangement with the Lib Dems, I’m getting the impression they may not be able to take their MPs with them.

Chris Williamson, the new Labour MP for Derby North (above), told me last night that he found the Lib Dems “untrustworthy” as a party.

“What’s clear from their desire to form an alliance with the Conservatives is that they are not the face of progressive change,” he said.

Of course he said a Labour influenced government would be better than the Tories, but it hardly points to the possibility of a harmonious progressive alliance.

Meanwhile on the Tory side I’ve spoken to several MPs who’d prefer Cameron to stop meaningfully negotiating with the Lib Dems, sit back, hold his nerve and let the Lib/Lab pact fail on its own.

They’re sure it would, and as long as it was made to look as though they had tried to negotiate with the Lib Dems they could then run a minority Government from the moral high ground.

They could even have another election which they’re sure they’d win because they think people would be dismayed with the way the Lib/Lab coalition has tried to “betray” the election result.

There is also the matter of money, surely only the Tories could afford another election.

Some of this is born out of a fear that the Alternative Vote system, which might come about if Cameron teams up with the Lib Dems, could rob the Tories of seats.

The thing is there must also be a gaggle of Tory MPs who are unwilling to go down the minority Government/election route because they have only just won their seats with small majorities.

Another fraught day ahead.