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You wait decades to join one coalition and then two come along at once.

Peter Hain has called for a Labour/Liberal Democrat coalition government that could include a "wider arrangement" taking in and the .

Mr Hain said the coalition itself would be formed between and the but the nationalists could be part of a deal to deliver stable government.

Asked what happens next after the inconclusive election result, he said: "I remain Secretary of State for Wales and the Prime Minister remains Prime Minister so long as there's no alternative government formed.

"I would like to see a partnership government. There's clearly a majority in parliament to drive through the fundamental political reforms that are needed to rebuild trust between voters and politicians and also to make sure that the economic recovery is sustained and that we don't have the deep and savage cuts that the planned.

"Now Labour and the Liberal Democrats agree on all of that and I suspect others, including possibly nationalists and independents would do as well so it will be a clear opportunity to form a partnership progressive government rather than a reactionary Tory one."

Not that he's suggesting Plaid Cymru would be offered ministerial posts at Westminster - not that they would take them.

He added: "The partnership government needs to be formed between Labour and the Liberal Democrats - we agree on a wide agenda which the Tories are implacably opposed to.

"Other parties could be part of a wider arrangement to make sure there's a stable government with a sufficiently clear majority to be able to carry these policies through and for Britain over a period of four years to be governed both effectively and with stability."

I'm not sure that the maths of any wider arrangement will add up to "a sufficiently clear majority" even with nationalist support but it's an intriguing thought.

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