Paddy Power have put up a market on who will be the Deputy Prime Minister after the General Election.

Given the recent pronouncements of Nick Clegg ruling out the Lib Dems joining a Lab/SNP coalition and Vince Cable saying he could stomach another coalition with the Tories (though he would like George Osborne’s job) it might not be wise to back them, particularly based on projections/forecasts the numbers for a Con/Lib Dem coalition don’t look possible.

Tim Farron might be worth backing, on current polling, Nick Clegg is on course to lose his seat, and there might be vacancy for Lib Dem leader in twelve days time, as Tim Farron is favourite to succeed Clegg, he is perceived to be more left wing than Nick Clegg, and he hasn’t ruled out a coalition with Labour in the way Nick Clegg has.

Harriet Harman may also worth be backing, she’s Labour’s Deputy Leader, although Gordon Brown didn’t make her Deputy Prime Minister, Ed Miliband might just. The Shadow Cabinet is on course to lose two members, the Shadow Foreign Secretary and the Shadow Scotland Secretary if the Nats realise their polling potential, so Ed might have more room for patronage.

I’m ruling out any SNP person becoming Deputy Prime Minister, because I don’t think Ed would offer them the position, based on his comments this morning, nor would the SNP formally join his government were he to offer.

TSE