The Cliffhanger III

Will Scotland be thrown in?

Alan Fisher

London, Sunday

For most of us who have covered and followed UK politics, this is uncharted territory. We are unused to the hurried talks, detailed discussions and the hard bargaining of coalition building. We see the one-in one-out process of UK elections, where the loser leaves and the winner walks in immediately. And perhaps that is driving the expectation that a deal should be done quickly.
     It's unseasonably cold in London and the pavement outside the Cabinet Office is hardly a tourist attraction. The building is drab and grey and uninteresting. Yet dozens are here, standing quietly, watching and waiting. Quite what they expect, I'm not sure, and I don't think they do either. But this is history in the making and I can understand why they want to be close to that.
     The Liberal Democrats are first to arrive. Their cars stop a short distance from the front door, giving them a walk in front of the cameras. They say nothing. Their boss Nick Clegg isn't here, but at his home several miles away. He has spoken by phone to Gordon Brown. A timely reminder to the Conservatives that if the Lib Dems didn't get what they wanted, they could always walk down the street and talk to Labour.
     The Conservatives are keen to speak. William Hague, in his flat Yorkshire vowels, tells us they want a 'new, stable and legitimate government'. They talk in themes rather than in the detail of what they'll offer. It's suggested to me they could be given three cabinet places: home secretary, chief secretary to the treasury and transport with perhaps even Scotland thrown in.
     Seven hours later, they emerge. Conservatives first, the Liberal Democrats a few minutes behind. Their statements are very similar. They tell us what they've agreed. It's no major surprise: cutting Britain's budget deficit and economic stability should be at the core of any new government. They inform us of areas they have covered. It's a long list but missing is the issue which could create a breakthrough or a breakdown – voting reform. It is the key Lib Dem demand, yet the Conservatives aren't interested. PR creates the prospect of the Tories never ruling on their own again. The mere idea sends shivers down the spines of senior party figures.
     There will be more discussions in the coming hours. But there's no guarantee that in 24 hours we'll be any clearer on who will be in a position to form a government or if Number 10 will have a new resident. It's not just the journalists who are in uncharted territory.

Alan Fisher is an Al Jazeera correspondent