We’re heading for a hung parliament, it seems.  We made our peace with that fact a little while back. I don’t think many of us mind. Dare I say it, I’m quite excited for more collaboration, regardless of the parties involved. The last one seemed alright, even if it got a bit bitter towards the end.

BluKip, LabSNP or Catnip: I don’t mind. Give me a rainbow or some heinous right-wing monstrosity – just give me a government. It may not be what I personally vote for but, once again, it will be good to see larger numbers of voters feeling like their votes are being put to good use. Once again, we will look at the government, assuming a coalition, and see some vestige of something (possibly) a majority of us have voted for.

Nobody is going to get exactly what they voted for, of course. There will be bitter, bitter compromise, maybe a week of limbo, some backroom shenanigans and MPs running around corridors between old buildings in order to get the deal, but that’s fine. It gives BBC News 24 something to report anyway.

The result? We’ll have a couple new referenda, maybe one on trident, maybe one on the EU, maybe one on some new kind of voting system. There'll be some unmentionables, which we’ll probably ignore until another election, but the rest will be common ground. Because there is common ground between the parties.

It won’t be perfect. But it will be democracy. As a population of massive diversity, this seems like the best way. Unless you are Ed Miliband.

Ed’s having none of it. Instead of correcting the Tory election campaign message “Vote Labour, get SNP” to “Vote Labour and SNP, get Labour and SNP”, Miliband has shut out the one UK party who has inspired anyone in this campaign beyond the standard party faithful. We’re in a new politics, and the Labour leader’s refusal to accept this makes him look surprisingly out-moded compared to the Tories and the Lib Dems.

So I say this: If we give you the numbers Ed, work the numbers. I know you might want a majority, but tough. We, the electorate didn’t feel you deserved that this time round. Sorry. Maybe you wanted the Lib Dems? Again, if that’s not an option, tough. Make a bloody government. Particularly when your coalition partners, if they are the SNP, have repeatedly stressed the productive, progressive role they want to play in Parliament. They’re not monsters, Ed. They’re just Scots.

But do make a government. One that can actually vote through legislation. Not one that’s going to alienate those north of the border for a political generation. Not one that’s impotent. Not one that’s weak. Put your party after your country.

And what if they do stitch you up? Well that’s terrible. You’ll just have to trust the Scottish electorate to hold them accountable.

@Joewhitwell