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Originally Posted by Jack_

But they won't be refusing to work with each other per se, it's just Miliband has called the SNP's bluff and effectively challenged them to vote down a Labour Queen's Speech and risk the Tories getting back in. If the smaller parties on the left align and agree amongst themselves to vote down a Tory budget and vote up a Labour one (which I hope the SNP will do if they have any sense, and what I think Ed is counting on) then that's not any kind of formal or informal deal, just an anti-Tory sentiment among the majority of MPs in the Commons and that they will do anything to prevent them getting back in. And if that's the way it works out, I see nothing illegitimate about that. I think that was Owen's point

But that presumably still gives the Tories the first chance at creating a government? I don't see how, with no formal deal or coalition, Miliband could put forward a Queen's Speech before Cameron does if its the Conservatives with the most seats. If that Queen's Speech then gets voted down that'll be a different matter. I suppose it probably would but there's no guarantee depending on how the seats do end up, what sweeteners might be included, what behind-the-scenes discussions may be had, and how much traction the worry of the alternative might raise. I also don't think the SNP and Labour could work as harmoniously as a lot of people think. Any sort of issue-by-issue alliance could prove very uneasy and could be at risk of imploding if they find themselves at stand-off enough times, and both Miliband and Sturgeon seem quite prepared for stand-off, Ed banking that the SNP won't risk anything that could help the Tories but Sturgeon has also said the SNP would be prepared to vote down a Labour budget if necessary.