My coalition cabinet

I hate conceding defeat and I'm not doing so in what I'm going to say in this post, but, my level of optimism for a Labour majority is somewhat waning. So, as a realist, I understand that a Hung Parliament is on the horizon and equally, so is a coalition government. It is widely thought that the only possible combination in such a case would be a coalition between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. In speculation to that, I have decided to lay out who I think would hold the main cabinet positions if the coalition went ahead, drawing from the best talents in the two parties. The rules on appointments during a coalition are unclear, so I have done this clearly on my own opinion.

Cabinet as follows:

Prime Minister: Gordon Brown (Lab)
First Secretary of State/Deputy PM: Nick Clegg (LD)
Chancellor of the Exchequer: Vince Cable (LD)
Home Secretary: Jon Cruddas (Lab)
Foreign Secretary: David Miliband (Lab)
Transport Secretary: Lord Andrew Adonis (Lab)
Leader of the House of Commons: David Heath (LD)
Health Secretary: Alan Johnson (Lab)
Business Secretary: Lord Peter Mandelson (Lab)
Int. Development Secretary: Douglas Alexander (Lab)
Environment Secretary: Chris Huhne (LD)
School and Children Secretary: Ed Davey (LD)
Chief Secretary to the Treasury: Ed Balls (Lab)
Culture Secretary: Ben Bradshaw (Lab)
Olympics Minister: Tessa Jowell
Work and Pensions Secretary and Minister for Equality: Harriet Harman (Lab)
Communities Secretary: Julia Goldsworthy (LD)
Energy Secretary: Ed Miliband (Lab)

11 Labour, 6 Liberal Democrat

I believe this draws on the very best of the two parties while attempting to keep a coalition balance between the two parties. It is crucial, I think, to keep the Miliband brothers in the Cabinet due to their potential in Government. Obviously, Nick Clegg would have to be included in some capacity to avoid national discontent but I feel he does have a talent and connects well with people as does his Lib Dem deputy, Vince Cable. Gordon Brown is the only contender I feel for Prime Minster, Britain needs stability and substantial leadership and with the current reservations over the success of a Hung Parliament, Brown is a given. I am always baffled as to why Jon Cruddas has not been in the Cabinet up to now, he is an excellent candidate and had he won the Labour deputy leadership contest in 2007, things for the party may not be as bad as they are. Ben Bradshaw and Andrew Adonis have done fantastic jobs in their respective posts and should stay. In addition to that, the last thing the Olympics needs at this stage is a change in government minister, so Jowell should stay also.

Although I will only be hoping for a Labour majority come May 6th, I would settle for this cabinet.