Where are Labour’s manners?

For all the feverish political activity in Westiminster today – and beyond the occasional voting reform protest – there’s a strange, impermeable calm to the situation.  Everything is going on behind closed doors, and everyone is remaining relatively tight-lipped.  Signs are, we may have to wait a couple of days before any light breaks through the fog of discussion and counter-discussion.  

One thing, though, is already becoming increasingly clear: 13 years of tribalism haven’t done Labour much good when it comes to cross-party negotiations.  There are, of course, the rumours that Gordon Brown had an – ahem – “unconstructive” meeting with Clegg last night.  But I more have in mind their reaction to Alex Salmond’s overtures earlier today.  The SNP leader made noises to Sky about a “progressive consensus,” rather than a Lib-Con coalition.  And how did Labour respond?  By saying that this was a “desperate attempt by Alex Salmond to make himself look relevant”.