These days all political parties are coalitions and the problem for Labour, it seems to me, is that its two wings have ruptered. The old-fashioned, mass, unionised 'working class' have more or less disappeared (thanks to 'that woman'!) and what remains is a property-owning, lower middle-class and a feckless under-class. Labour under Blair made a determined effort to represent the new 'working class' but Brown has bent all his efforts to support the under-class. The means he chose was to create an army of (consequently grateful Labour voters!)state employees whose whole justification relied on maintaining, if not increasing this under-class which, it is worth noting, do not, by and large, vote. Throw in the Islamification of many of our main cities and - bingo! - you have the recipe for the current and forthcoming annihilation of Labour and the rise of the BNP.

The inevitable fight between the hard and soft Left within Labour will be stupendous and frankly I have no idea who will win. If the hard-cases win then Labour will become a fringe party run by ex-students and octogenarian former Marxists. If the softies win they will need to merge with the LibDems (again!) to form a proper Social Democrat party.

In the meantime, of course, the way is clear for Cameron to be really radical in sorts of directions. Alas, I'm not convinced he has it in him.

I agree with much of your analysis about the success of UKIP and the Nazis not being reflected at a British General Election - our people are too sane for that - but neither, as a panacea to Labour's ills, are we going to get the kind of radical socialism I know you would favour. We are not, I believe, going to go back to the Labour Party of old and, yes, it is clear that Labour needs to push its good sound policies with more conviction -and there are some - but that does come down to leadership.

You seem to be among the 'keep Gordon in place' school and whether this is because he is as left as we are likely to get in a party of largely Social Democrats, I really don't believe it's enough. From the day he took office, he has dithered and the image that comes across is of someone who, outside his financial area of expertise, is indecisive.

I know it is said that the rash of desertions are all Blairites wreaking revenge but I honestly don't think it's as simple as that. Gordon Brown is clearly a divisive figure - and that's always been known - and he seems to have been unable to do the one thing leaders have to do - rise above past cliques and rifts and harmonise the party.

Regardless of who is at fault in resigning when they resigned, Brown is clearly not a man who is going to increase 'team spirit' in the Labour Party when it is most needed. Frankly I think the party needs a new leader, regardless of his/her hue or dogma but someone around whom the party can unite and face a general election with at least some renewed fighting spirit. I don't believe Brown can ever achieve that, and if he stays in place, a dispirited and unhappy party will simply go down the tubes next year.

Well, labour may have been slack on alleviating working class poverty, but there is never an excuse to vote for a fascist party, especially in a country with free healthcare, minimum wage, unemployment benefits etc.

The Media (especially the Torygraph and Daily Mail)has been incredibly irresponsible in not only abusing the expenses scandal in the run up to this election, but in general scapegoating migrant workers and minority faiths for the problems of this country.

Brian, you raise some interesting points. But they were all things that the PLP knew about 2 years ago when they elected him unopposed.

Although constitutionally there is no reason why a new Leader would have to hold a speedy general election, the pressure to do so would be enormous, and failure to do so will lead to the same old indecisive allegations. An early election could well prove a bigger disaster than waiting in the hope of an upturn in the economy and the mood. So I think we've got what we've got.

My view, anyway is that we need stronger policies, not different faces.

I agree, Bob.

The changing of the guard in the run in to a General Election plays intom the hands of desperation. The Blairite attempted coup has so far failed and anti Blairites soiled themselves with collaboration tactics.

We are where we are. We have taken a massive hit regarding duck islands and moat cleaning, even though Tories appear to have escaped the gallows.

Labour is the focal point of all blame and even for a Global economic crisis but not it seems, any forensic blame for our cures.
The Tories wanted to collapse the banking system, they should be invited to explain what next?

Labour will need a good manifesto within the next 12 Months and not necessarily a new Leader.

Nationalising Norther Rock was a policy.
The Conservatives, in a time of National crisis,ran away.

We must exploit their market theories to be unbalanced.

"UKIP in particular are unlikely to retain their share of the vote."

Indeed. And where do you expect the bulk of that vote to go?

In addition, the likelihood is that under FPTP, the main challengers in each seat will benefit from tactical voting at the expense of the incumbent government.

David, I suspect they will split. The Tories will get the majority, the BNP will get some, and the traditional Labour voters who were sending a message about Europe but can't stomach the Tories or the BNP will probably go back to Labour. Where did their 14% go to between 2004 and 2005?

Overall I'm not sure a 34% turnout tells us very much about the outcome of a general election though.