Those who are still hoping beyond hope for a Labour-led “rainbow coalition” to challenge the Conservatives’ attempts to form a government should probably give up the dream now.
Some optimistic souls had suggested that Labour could reach a majority by joining forces with MPs from the Social Democratic Labour Party, the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party. But, in an interview for the New Statesman’s post-election issue, Caroline Lucas — the Green leader and the newly elected MP for Brighton Pavilion — has confirmed that her party won’t be forming an alliance any time soon, though she didn’t rule out support completely.
As Lucas told me:
I think we would rule out a formal coalition, but we’re very interested in talking about ways we might co-operate.
But now that the Greens have a presence at Westminster, they seem to have their sights set on more ambitious goals:
It’s only one seat — but it’s the first seat. It was only 24 years between the first Labour MP and the first Labour government.
Read the full interview in the next issue of the New Statesman, out on Wednesday.
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