Neither he nor Thorpe would be able to sell it to their respective parties, and most of the Conservative Party would revolt, especially the right. Besides even between them they could not form a majority government in the Commons. While like 2010 the result was inconclusive, it was clear who lost: Heath.
It will still be a minority Government unless Heath can also bring in the SNP or the Ulster Unionists (the former might sit better with the Liberals).
Such a coalition would be a nightmare and Labour would surely win the next election and go into coalition with the Liberals or maybe the Nationalists if the Liberals suffer the same way that they are now for going into coaliiton with the Tories.
It will still be a minority Government unless Heath can also bring in the SNP or the Ulster Unionists (the former might sit better with the Liberals).
Such a coalition would be a nightmare and Labour would surely win the next election and go into coalition with the Liberals or maybe the Nationalists if the Liberals suffer the same way that they are now for going into coaliiton with the Tories.
But then Heath runs into the same problem that Callaghan did in 1979: he could cobble something together until the Parliament expired in the summer of 1975 (no way it lasts that long) but at what cost? The entire party would revolt and strongly pressure him to resign, especially the backbenches. Despite the inconclusive outcome, Heath had clearly lost the election, just as Brown did 7 months ago.
How does that prevent a rebellion within the Conservative Party that will see Heath deposed or overthrown by a massive pressure campaign? Thatcher, among others, makes clear in her memoirs that she would not have accepted. Would Heath be so stupid so as to want 4 more years in No 10 at the expense of Conservative majority governments going the way of the dodo and permanent Lib-Lab pacts? I don't think so, and the party wouldn't let him be that stupid.
How does that prevent a rebellion within the Conservative Party that will see Heath deposed or overthrown by a massive pressure campaign? Thatcher, among others, makes clear in her memoirs that she would not have accepted. Would Heath be so stupid so as to want 4 more years in No 10 at the expense of Conservative majority governments going the way of the dodo and permanent Lib-Lab pacts? I don't think so, and the party wouldn't let him be that stupid.