Thread by @docrussjackson

Did you know that following the 2010 General Election, the @SNP signalled its willingness to join @UKLabour & the @LibDems in government as part of a rainbow coalition?

Support among Brown's Cabinet colleagues was strong - but backbench prat John Mann urged Brown to step down!

John Mann argued that Brown's continued leadership 'ruled out the credibility of a Lib/Lab pact'.

But formal talks began between @UKLabour & the @LibDems, with Labour's negotiating team consisting of Peter Mandelson, Harriet Harman, Andrew Adonis, Ed Miliband & Ed Balls. 😱😱😱

With @UKLabour now attempting to form its own coalition Govt, the @Conservatives promised the @LibDems a referendum on changing to the alternative vote (AV) system, so Labour said that it would introduce AV then hold a referendum on it.

Here's GE2017 with voting reform:

Angus Robertson, the @SNP's leader in the House of Commons suggested its MPs would be willing to join @Labour, the @LibDems, @Plaid_Cymru & MPs from other smaller parties to form a rainbow coalition.

On 10 May 2010, a meeting to discuss this scenario was held.

But @UKLabour's Douglas Alexander said he could not foresee a situation in which Labour could enter into Govt with the @SNP because the two parties had "fundamental differences", & he claimed no senior Labour officials had been approached by the SNP.

The rest is history.