Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg to be deputy PM (Lib Dems will get 5 Cabinet posts)

[Turborama]

Source: Reuters

Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, will become deputy prime minister in the new coalition government, Prime Minister David Cameron's office said on Tuesday.

"Her Majesty The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Nick Clegg as Deputy Prime Minister," a spokesman for Cameron said in a statement.

"It has been agreed that five Cabinet posts will be filled by Liberal Democrats, including the appointment of Nick Clegg."

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE64A6AH20100511

---

The details of the deal are starting to come out. Sky News' Joey Jones was just saying that an elected House of Lords is on the cards.

[Cant trust em]

1. Doesn't it seem weird that labor gets the 2nd most votes...

but the coalition is between conservatives and the LibDems?

[mmonk]

2. The Liberal Democrats hold the cards.

It is a coalition based government because the conservatives did not get enough of a majority.

[polichick]

3. It does seem weird - complicated doings over there! nt

[Jennicut]

5. Parlimentary Govts do this a lot though, don't they?

Form coalitions. I guess this one is strange because they seem on opposite ends of the spectrum.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. Too much tribal hatred between Labour and Tories for them to form a coalition

It's bad enough now, with some people saying "I'm Labour at heart, but I voted Lib Dem to keep out a Tory in my constituency - how can Clegg make a deal with him?". If the Labour leadership tried to form a coalition with the Tories, they'd be torn apart by their membership (and vice versa).

[Pirate Smile]

6. Didn't Kadima get the most votes in Israel and Bibi's Likud made a government with the RW wacko

parties? In that one, the #1 vote "getter" ended up with nothing.

This is how it works in parliamentary systems.

[marshall]

8. A coalition is between cooperative parties

Those who won't cooperate can't be given benefit of the coalition.

[RDANGELO]

7. It won't last long.

This is like a coalition between the Republicans and the Green Party.

[NWHarkness]

9. And that won't last long?

In the US, the Greens have been helping elect republicans for decades.