Laurence's Blog

Coalition horse trading seems rather novel for Britain. What might we see? A full Tory-Lib Dem coalition seems unlikely - it would surely mean electoral suicide for the Lib Dems for little in return.

A minority Tory administration with Liberal acquiescence remains a possibility, but only a Labour-Lib Dem coalition could bring about electoral reform. That would require support from at least Plaid Cymru (Labour coalition partners in Wales), the SDLP and Sylvia Hermon (the Labour-leaning ex-Ulster Unionist who left her party after it allied with the Tories) from Northern Ireland, and Caroline Lucas the new Green Party MP.

That would make 323, a bare majority of 2 after excluding the Speaker and the 5 Sein Fein MPs (who do not take up their seats.) Will we have a government by Monday? Would anyone outside the bond markets care?

Walking with my Dad up Shining Tor last weekend I was shocked to find that the steps have been replaced with a gate. Far less aesthetically pleasing than before!

The NIESR is calling the end of the recession, but is this more than a 'dead cat bounce' brought about by restocking following months of running down inventories? The empty poster sites all over the tube are not encouraging.

Home is a state of mind as well as a place. Perhaps it was only by leaving that I could realise what I had left. I'm glad to have had the opportunity to live and work in London and then Norway, but after 20 months away it is a relief to be back in Manchester.

I shall be very glad when my current project is out the way. I'm still getting to grips with permanent employment, project management and multiple projects competing for attention. As a contractor you usually only have one project at a time to worry about. When that finishes you have a break until the next one comes along.

The Latitude Festival was good, but it took me a couple of days to unwind before I could really enjoy it and do more than wander around dazed.