Leading Article: Paddy for PM?

Paddy Ashdown has been fantasising (in the nicest possible way) about hung parliaments. What might happen if (joy of joys, so far as Paddy is concerned) Tony Blair or John Major have to sidle silkily up alongside the Lib Dems and solicit their coalition support?

Paddy's answer, in our interview with him today, is rather curious: why, he wonders, should the Queen get to choose the Prime Minister? Why not get the House of Commons to choose the new PM, on (presumably) a free vote?

Well, just think for a minute, Paddy. If the Commons is left to choose between Mr Major, Mr Blair and yours truly, it's a fair bet yours truly won't get a look in. But if the Queen had a free choice - well, now, she just might decide to favour a member of the officer class, mightn't she?