UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possible

[Haggis and tatties]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

Why is it a "u-turn" to hold a referndum about the electoral system anyway, isn't that sort of the minimum position? If the people of the UK want PR who does Cameron think he is to deny them? And if they don't then what is he afraid of?

They do, and Cameron is acutely aware that it would be the death of conservative government in Britain. He is stuck in a very sticky situation - refuse, and he'll likely be unable to form a workable deal with Nick, the Lib Dems will turn to Labour and possibly push through a referendum anyway. Agree, and the referendum passes and he's shot his own party in the foot long term for this short term gain.

This could prove to be an historic election for this very reason.

The Cons are definitely in a bit of a pickle, give the Lib dem's what they want and win now, but pay big time later.....its turning into a plot from a episode of The Thick of It..

 

[cultcross]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

Something to cheer you all up:



"Haven't you got a city to run?"

Ah, Boris. Whatever else happens in British politics, we'll always have Boris.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

Why is it a "u-turn" to hold a referndum about the electoral system anyway, isn't that sort of the minimum position? If the people of the UK want PR who does Cameron think he is to deny them? And if they don't then what is he afraid of?

They do, and Cameron is acutely aware that it would be the death of conservative government in Britain. He is stuck in a very sticky situation - refuse, and he'll likely be unable to form a workable deal with Nick, the Lib Dems will turn to Labour and possibly push through a referendum anyway. Agree, and the referendum passes and he's shot his own party in the foot long term for this short term gain.

This could prove to be an historic election for this very reason.

The Cons are definitely in a bit of a pickle, give the Lib dem's what they want and win now, but pay big time later.....its turning into a plot from a episode of The Thick of It..

That would presuppose that they actually deliver PR and don't manage to make a deal by promising it but never quite getting round to it, like the referendum on electoral reform that Blair promised as part of the 1997 manifesto and we're still waiting for...

 

[cultcross]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

We had that, but only Tony got to vote. He reformed referenda, you see. Saves money.

 

[captcalhoun]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

there was a referendum. it was one man, one vote. tony was the man and he had the vote.

 

[Orac Zen]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

At least in the US and England voting is not compulsory. Here in Australia you have to or you get fined.

Always thought that kinda sucked.

That is the dumbest thing I have heard heard.

It's also wrong. Voting is not compulsory in Australia. People enrolled to vote must attend a polling place, have their name crossed off the roll, and collect ballot papers. That's it. People are not compelled to actually vote.

It still seems ridiculous, I suppose, but if it wasn't done that way the voter turnout here would probably be about 10 percent.

Do you at least get a 'none of the above' option?

Since one isn't obliged to use the ballot paper to vote I suppose that would be a possible use for it.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

I can hardly believe it myself, cos its something Ken Livingstone always had as an ambition, but just for anyone who thinks every Tory will screw over the public in favour of big business instead of the other way round...

http://waugh.standard.co.uk/2010/05/breaking-news-boris-collapses-the-tube-ppp.html

which is as astounding a story as the election results....

OTOH, it *is* Boris, who's so unpredictably loopy that I'm not sure he counts as a real example of any party...

Apparently the link might not work any more, so here's the BBC's report:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8669823.stm

 

[All Seeing Eye]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

Something to cheer you all up:



"Haven't you got a city to run?"

I saw that video the morning it was on TV and I laughed my socks off.

 

[Shazam!]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

They actually have good ideas on getting people off benefits

Their 'good idea' is to just stop them.

The Tories are lying selfish twats who favour the upper classes. They want to overturn the fox hunting ban for fuck's sake. That just cruelty for literally no reason.

 

[broberfett]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

I haven't read every single post, so I don't know if this has been answered yet, but how do they resolve who the new Prime Minister is? Do they just make a deal among themselves? Is all voting over?

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

Well at this stage Gordon Brown is legally still the Prime minister because no party got the mandatory 326 seats required to win outright, now bother Labour and the Conservatives must make a deal with some of the other parties to take their votes, add them to their own and reach that 326, once a party does that they have won.

If no deal can be struck, and noparty can get that 326 then in six months time another election will be held.

 

[Dancing Doctor]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

If all the parties could get together and agree:

Liberal Democrats/Labour/Scottish National Party/Plaid Cymru/Green/Social Democratic and Labour Party=328

 

[Deckerd]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

There will be another election within 2 years, I'm predicting.

 

[Shazam!]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

If all the parties could get together and agree:

Liberal Democrats/Labour/Scottish National Party/Plaid Cymru/Green/Social Democratic and Labour Party=328

That'll happen as soon as someone says "Hey guys, did you hear? The Tories are lying cunts!".

Unfortunately, no-one has the balls to do so.

 

[cultcross]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

There will be another election within 2 years, I'm predicting.

If it takes that long, I'll be impressed. My ideal would be a referendum on PR or similar, with a pass, then a new election.

What? I can dream.

 

[Dancing Doctor]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

If all the parties could get together and agree:

Liberal Democrats/Labour/Scottish National Party/Plaid Cymru/Green/Social Democratic and Labour Party=328

That'll happen as soon as someone says "Hey guys, did you hear? The Tories are lying cunts!".

Unfortunately, no-one has the balls to do so.

Sad, really.

There will be another election within 2 years, I'm predicting.

If it takes that long, I'll be impressed. My ideal would be a referendum on PR or similar, with a pass, then a new election.

What? I can dream.

Don't stop believin'...hold on to that feelin'...

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

They actually have good ideas on getting people off benefits

Their 'good idea' is to just stop them.

The Tories are lying selfish twats who favour the upper classes. They want to overturn the fox hunting ban for fuck's sake. That just cruelty for literally no reason.

Have you ever seen the result when a fox gets into a henhouse? Your view might differ then. I don't like fox hunting because of the damage they cause rampaging over the countryside hardly ever succeeding in killing a fox. Just shoot the bloody foxes.

The Tories favour wealth creation, empowerment of the individual, and smaller government -- not that they ever seem to have much luck with achieving any of that once they get caught in the Civil Service's wheels of power. Some group of people are always the losers whoever gets into power. We're all losers if Labour remains in power and bankrupts the country.

 

[cultcross]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

Shooting foxes isn't illegal. Ritualistically hunting them and then tearing them apart with dogs is.

 

[Shazam!]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

The Tories favour wealth creation, empowerment of the individual

By discriminating in favour of marriage, by cutting the nursery places for those less well off to pay for tax cuts for the rich....

We're all losers if Labour remains in power and bankrupts the country.

Whereas only the poor are the losers if the Tories gain power. I guess that must be okay then.

: |

 

[JoeZhang]

Re: UK election. So much for our votes counting - worst result possibl

There will be another election within 2 years, I'm predicting.

We will be back at the polls this year.