UK election thread

[Darth InSidious]

An American's guide to the British election: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-sto...e-british-vote/

LOL, the "special relationship" only exists when America wants something from the UK. If Obama is "anti-Atlanticist" it's because he needs to be associated with a dour Scots incompetent like Brown (and by proxy his pack of useless, quangocratic twatterati) like he needs a hole in the head. And the loony-wing of the Republicans would latch onto any association with the monarchy that they deemed too cordial; just look at the attempt at rabble-rousing because he bowed to the Japanese emperor.

[Monte Carlo]

That Daily Beast article is retarded.

 

Anyway, the final polls before The Poll all show the same thing: Lib Dem has the same percent of the vote as Labour. I'm guessing that means a hung parliament with the Tories forming government and the Lib Dems holding the balance of power, which is what I personally wanted so that there is a reversal on the erosion of freedoms in the UK (because it might just give Rudd food for though).

 

http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/

 

Troll. I bow to your superior knowledge of UK politics.

[Monte Carlo]

That Daily Beast article is retarded.

 

Anyway, the final polls before The Poll all show the same thing: Lib Dem has the same percent of the vote as Labour. I'm guessing that means a hung parliament with the Tories forming government and the Lib Dems holding the balance of power, which is what I personally wanted so that there is a reversal on the erosion of freedoms in the UK (because it might just give Rudd food for though).

 

A cursory knowledge of our politics would reveal that the Tories will stick pins in their eyes before they do a deal with the Lib Dems. They would rather run with a minority government for a year, then go back to the polls for another GE. As it's looking this morning, the Tories might do it, or rely on the Ulster Unionists to make up the (small) difference. I expect another GE in the next 18 months in any case.

[Walsingham]

I think the biggest single thing which is undermining politics at present is MPs themselves, and the single biggest reason they are so crap is that the majority have never done a proper job. I mean, what a shower of ****ing arseholes we've got running, even at cabinet level. And by the sound of things, it covers all parties.

 

I think the thing I'd really like to see today is people voting for people, not parties. Have a look at the candidates, choose the person who seems most clued up and moral. Bugger party politics.

 

FWIIW I think I may vote UKIP. Because no sodding British politics will make any difference unless we claw back sovereignty. I admit I was very worried about them being racist to begin with, but I've been grilling UKIP people and all of them seem to regard immigration as a problem only because of stretched resources, not because they have the slightest issue with foreigners. Which I hardly feel is racist unless my friends who work for a charity which helps immigrants are racist for feeling the same way (with a different solution).

[Humodour]

That Daily Beast article is retarded.

 

Anyway, the final polls before The Poll all show the same thing: Lib Dem has the same percent of the vote as Labour. I'm guessing that means a hung parliament with the Tories forming government and the Lib Dems holding the balance of power, which is what I personally wanted so that there is a reversal on the erosion of freedoms in the UK (because it might just give Rudd food for though).

 

A cursory knowledge of our politics would reveal that the Tories will stick pins in their eyes before they do a deal with the Lib Dems. They would rather run with a minority government for a year, then go back to the polls for another GE. As it's looking this morning, the Tories might do it, or rely on the Ulster Unionists to make up the (small) difference. I expect another GE in the next 18 months in any case.

 

Yeah, that's what the Labour government in Tasmania said about hung parliament with the Greens. Look how that turned out. It's all bluster to try and minimise the third-party vote. Politicians will almost never pass up the chance to form government, and judging by how hard Cameron has been campaigning, he certainly isn't about to buck that trend.

 

Why would you call me a troll simply for linking to a poll aggregation and pointing out an observation many mainstream political analysts on both sides of the political spectrum in the UK have made themselves? Seriously, where is that going to get you?

[Moose]

I think the real point is the other two parties wouldn't form up with the tories.

 

I've watched a lot of the debates, and it's pretty evident labour and the liberals have shook hands.

[Walsingham]

Actually I've changed my mind. Although I may change it again. UKIP can't get in in my seat and there is no way in Hell I am putting up with another five years of ****ing Gordon Brown. To think that 6 years ago I had a big argument with someone who clearly knew better that he was quite sound.

[Humodour]

You guys count votes and release live tallies of counting progress after polling closes right?

 

I.e. will we know the probable election result in 12 hours time?

[Moose]

Actually I've changed my mind. Although I may change it again. UKIP can't get in in my seat and there is no way in Hell I am putting up with another five years of ****ing Gordon Brown. To think that 6 years ago I had a big argument with someone who clearly knew better that he was quite sound.

 

Given a hung parliament means more Gordon Brown you'd have to vote conservatives, but I just can't do it. Maybe if their cabinet weren't all twats. It just doesn't feel democratic voting for them. I don't want them. At all.

[Humodour]

See if you had preferential voting, you could vote for the third party of your choice and preference Labour last (or just Conservatives second) so that you could guarantee your vote wouldn't help Labour win.

 

:D

[Walsingham]

Actually I've changed my mind. Although I may change it again. UKIP can't get in in my seat and there is no way in Hell I am putting up with another five years of ****ing Gordon Brown. To think that 6 years ago I had a big argument with someone who clearly knew better that he was quite sound.

 

Given a hung parliament means more Gordon Brown you'd have to vote conservatives, but I just can't do it. Maybe if their cabinet weren't all twats. It just doesn't feel democratic voting for them. I don't want them. At all.

 

Come on, Moose. I reckon you're the same as me. We were both raised to hate the Tories, but if they have the policies we want, and it's the only way to stop political armageddon then we HAVE to vote Tory.

 

I still haven't been because I'm struggling to make myself do it, tho.

[RPGmasterBoo]

Do yourself a favor and vote for BNP

[Moose]

I just can't do it. For the next 5 years every time I see a cabinet member I'd have in the front of my mind "they're there because of you". At least with labour I can gain some inner peace knowing I didn't vote for them.

 

And apart from inheritance tax I don't really see them as being that much greater over labour.

 

They won't pull out of the EU - hence whatever they say they can not and will not control immigration. Even the Torys support Turkey joining, but that's going off topic.

 

Although voting UKIP won't put them into power, it will make the smallest difference in that at least we won't be forgotten. They'll know there's a growing number of people that think they're not getting the important issues right. Surely in the long term that's more important than throwing Brown out?

 

I think it's just a case of me being idealistic, and you being pragmatic. I'd be selling my soul voting any other sort of way though.

Edited May 6, 2010 by Moose

[Walsingham]

Pssibly. Although has I say I've been talking to my local UKIP party - to reassure myself they weren't racist - and they have said categorically that the candidate locally is crap. If we weren't a potential swing seat I'd vote UKIP, but I'm going to go for it. I've already scheduled a chat with the Tory party for after the election, where I intend to make the case for euroskepticism.

[Humodour]

Do yourself a favor and vote for BNP

 

*facepalm*

[Moose]

Do yourself a favor and vote for BNP

 

But according to one of their candidates the election was in April, so I'm afraid it's too late to vote for them now. Oh well.

[Nightshape]

Do yourself a favor and vote for BNP

 

But according to one of their candidates the election was in April, so I'm afraid it's too late to vote for them now. Oh well.

 

I think he won

[Wrath of Dagon]

And the loony-wing of the Republicans would latch onto any association with the monarchy that they deemed too cordial; just look at the attempt at rabble-rousing because he bowed to the Japanese emperor.

An American president bowing to a foreign potentate and cordial relations are not the same thing. If anything Americans are a bit too fond of the British monarchy.

[Monte Carlo]

You guys count votes and release live tallies of counting progress after polling closes right?

 

I.e. will we know the probable election result in 12 hours time?

 

Depends. There are several key seats, watch those fall one way or the other and the result is a given. Look at my example earlier about Tooting, will be called at about 0100 GMT. That needs a uniform swing of about 6.5% and will mean that the Tories are almost certain to win. OTOH, if it's really close the definitive result might not be out until Friday lunchtime.

 

Look at the swing. Anything near 10% (this is, BTW, almost unprecedented for the Tories) will mean definite victory. 7-9 is good for them, anything less is a drift into hung parliament territory.

 

Like I said, I'm staying up to see if Ed Balls gets his just desserts.

[Moose]

Oh he so will, the pillock gets booed wherever he goes.

[Killian Kalthorne]

To bad we can do a world wide version of the EU. A singular currency and economic model for the whole planet. Remove the pretense of borders and allow anyone to move and work freely would definitely be a step in the right direction.

[Monte Carlo]

The thing I resented in the polling booth this morning is the irrelevance of my vote. Where I live is so overwhelmingly Blue, there's no point pi**ing in the wind. Like Wals, my pencil hovered fleetingly over the UKIP box but I resisted. They're not ready for my vote. Yet.

 

I want the Tories to win anyway, least worst option and all that.

 

Despite my virtual irrelevance, I still prefer our way of doing it. Coalitions are nasty stitch-ups between professional politicians who will always be in office. Look at Israel, some far right nutjob gets a key government post for the sake of coalition building when his party gets less than 3% of the popular vote? No thanks.

 

Cheers

MC

[Monte Carlo]

To bad we can do a world wide version of the EU. A singular currency and economic model for the whole planet. Remove the pretense of borders and allow anyone to move and work freely would definitely be a step in the right direction.

 

World governments! Yay. No doubt they'll have a nice uniform and camps for those who disagree.

[Moose]

Wasn't it H.G Wells that said a world government was the only thing that could save the world?

 

Mind you he was a Victorian.

Edited May 6, 2010 by Moose

[Wrath of Dagon]

And a commie.