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rusty1983
Joined: 30 Jan 2007
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 Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 3:06 pm Post subject: UK ELECTION |
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Goes to show you how important we are on a world stage nowadays, searching on here for some banter about the UK election and there is not one thread!
Two weeks before the American election and the whole world was going Obama-mad!
Despite this, it is shaping up to be the most exciting for years. It looked set to be another boring 'which of the lesser bunch of knobheads' would win fight between Labour and the Conservatives, but this time they finally decided to hold live televised debates.
Queue the traditional joke-of-third-party Liberal Democrat's leader Nick Clegg putting on a showstopping performance, annihilating both his opponents and blowing the whole thing wide open!
Now it is the talk of the nation, with people thinking the unthinkable. There are facebook campaigns and everything.
Well basically there wont be a Liberal Democrat win, but what does look likely is that Labour will lose their majority whilst the Tories will fail to win it for themselves, leading to a hung parliament. The Lib Dems then get to choose who to get into bed with and under what conditions. This might include a change in PM and even complete electoral reform.
Just thought Id get the ball rolling if anybody wanted to talk about it here, I've followed British Politics since I was a teenager and finally it's exciting! |
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stilicho25
Joined: 05 Apr 2010
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| Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't really see how any of these parties would change the basic situation in England. All 3 of them seem to have similiar policies. I guess the Libs don't like the Afghan thing, but at this point, who does? It should be interesting if they win, as they seem to be pro immigration. I bet that strengthens the BNP in the same way the health debate got the tea party rolling. Not to suggest that the tea partiers are in any way similiar to the BNP. Despite the bad press I have always found them normal peeps. I can't say the same for BNP types. |
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Welsh Canadian
Joined: 03 Mar 2010
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| Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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Anyone but Gordon Brown. I am getting my parents to vote Cons.
I used to vote Lib Dem. I liked Charles Kennedy.
I would vote for them again this time but I think the cons will get into power this time. |
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rusty1983
Joined: 30 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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| stilicho25 wrote: |
| I don't really see how any of these parties would change the basic situation in England. All 3 of them seem to have similiar policies. I guess the Libs don't like the Afghan thing, but at this point, who does? It should be interesting if they win, as they seem to be pro immigration. I bet that strengthens the BNP in the same way the health debate got the tea party rolling. Not to suggest that the tea partiers are in any way similiar to the BNP. Despite the bad press I have always found them normal peeps. I can't say the same for BNP types. |
Well the Lib Dem leader talks a bit like Obama, giving it the whole "we can still be a world force without being horrible murderous b*st*rds" spiel. Their policies are, surprisingly, more liberal than the other two. He wants an immigration amnesty for those already here, whereas the other 2 want to deport the 900,000 illegal immigrants on our shores. The most memorable quote for me was "How can you deport 900,000 people when you dont know where they live?" which seems to be a more sensible point of view.
They are also a little less pro-do whatever America tells us to do and more pro-Europe.
Also, like Obama, they want to start scrapping the nuclear defense systems we have and various other similar policies.
So on paper they could change things rather a lot. Although in reality, as you say and as Obama is finding out, it's easy to say these things....... |
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rusty1983
Joined: 30 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Welsh Canadian wrote: |
Anyone but Gordon Brown. I am getting my parents to vote Cons.
I used to vote Lib Dem. I liked Charles Kennedy.
I would vote for them again this time but I think the cons will get into power this time. |
Charles Kennedy was a decent bloke aye. A pisshead but a good guy. Conservatives need to steal 116 seats from Labour to get into power, whilst Labour only need to lose 24 seats to lose their majority. Remember the electoral system here is anything but sensible.
The more prominent David Cameron becomes the more people seem to realise he is a massive twa!, so disregarding all the jiggery-pokery from the right-wing press and the pathetic negative campaigning I dont think he has it in him to wrestle away 116 seats. Whereas Gordon Brown has started both his debates with 'Im sh!t at public speaking so please listen closely to my facts and figures' which isnt going to win you any friends on a TV debate. Im sure theyll lose enough.
My money is on a hung parliament! |
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goniff
Joined: 31 Dec 2007
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 3:27 pm Post subject: |
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I give it (the coalition) three to six months...
then a fresh election and maybe Labour back (Millibrand)
Gordon Brown really blew it by not calling an election a couple of years ago! |
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caniff
Joined: 03 Feb 2004
Location: All over the map
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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| goniff wrote: |
I give it (the coalition) three to six months...
then a fresh election and maybe Labour back (Millibrand)
Gordon Brown really blew it by not calling an election a couple of years ago! |
Your username is very similar to mine. If you tell me why you chose yours then I'll do the same.
(Keep in mind that I was first.) |
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goniff
Joined: 31 Dec 2007
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 3:57 pm Post subject: |
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to "caniff"
well I'm Jewish
and it's a Yiddish word
kind of describes me
OK? |
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highdials5
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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| goniff wrote: |
I give it (the coalition) three to six months...
then a fresh election and maybe Labour back (Millibrand)
Gordon Brown really blew it by not calling an election a couple of years ago! |
Why would the Conservatives/Lib Dems call an election?
They'll be in for 5 years. |
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goniff
Joined: 31 Dec 2007
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| Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 5:52 am Post subject: |
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there will be a vote of confidence and they will lose...
that's how it happens
in my mind it's a really fragile alliance... |
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goniff
Joined: 31 Dec 2007
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| Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 6:58 am Post subject: |
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well "Caniff"
I'm still waiting...
What's the matter...
Cat got your tongue? |
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.38 Special
Joined: 08 Jul 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 9:27 am Post subject: |
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| Pardon a yankee for popping in, but I thought the election was through and Parliament got hung? Or are you folks considering the aftermath? |
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rusty1983
Joined: 30 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 10:00 am Post subject: |
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| .38 Special wrote: |
| Pardon a yankee for popping in, but I thought the election was through and Parliament got hung? Or are you folks considering the aftermath? |
The parliament got hung, but the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have formed a coalition, giving them the seats needed to form a government! |
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.38 Special
Joined: 08 Jul 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 12:30 pm Post subject: |
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Seems strange -- you'd think the Conservatives would be more inclined to align with Labour... unless I am misleading myself with an Americanized understanding of the polarity of Conservative and Liberal.
Here's a quick question from the uninitiated: Had they not formed a coalition government, would they truly be unable to govern? Wouldn't they be forced to break party lines and allow individual representatives vote independently? Hardly seems like a bad outcome for the British people, eh? |
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rusty1983
Joined: 30 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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| .38 Special wrote: |
Seems strange -- you'd think the Conservatives would be more inclined to align with Labour... unless I am misleading myself with an Americanized understanding of the polarity of Conservative and Liberal.
Here's a quick question from the uninitiated: Had they not formed a coalition government, would they truly be unable to govern? Wouldn't they be forced to break party lines and allow individual representatives vote independently? Hardly seems like a bad outcome for the British people, eh? |
It was somewhat surprising yes but Gordon Brown managed to scupper the attempts to form a LibLab coalition. Besides, Im not sure they wouldve had enough seats anyway, in the latter stages before the ConLib formation they were desperately trying to form a 'Rainbow Coalition' with lots of minor parties. The sad thing is that the LibDems arent that left, and the Tories arent that right, so apart from on certain issues there isnt an enormous difference between the 3 main parties.
The way it works (as you probably know) is that they debate new legislation in the House of Commons then vote on it to see if it becomes law. Therefore, if the Tories had not formed a coalition they would have serious troubles getting anything through parliament as Lib Dems and Labour could just vote them down. It would be chaos and there would have to be a re-election.
It is a bit pathetic that David Cameron is the PM now, especially in these circumstances as he managed to throw away one of the most certain outcomes in history by not winning a majority.
The Conservative are notorious here though and generally anybody north of Birmingham hates their guts. In this sense it is good that they can at least be slightly moderated by the LibDems. Im willing to give it a chance! |
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