World Politics

[Stepherweps]

Lisa, I've got my polling card at the ready, I'm rather excited, this is the second election in which I'll be of voting age, I get a sense of achievement from voting, as if I'm having a say on the way the country's being run. I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes, both in England and here in Northern Ireland. I've already decided who I'm voting for, I always stick with the same party, they have my alligience, and their candidate in my area is a gentleman, you couldn't ask for a better MLA in my opinion.

 

[talkingtocactus]

why on earth would you stand as an MEP if your actually completely against the EU it just doesn't make sense?

I've often wondered that! It's such a contradiction but then that is the BNP all over.

i think a lot of it is just that it was the only way they *could* get in, i guess they had to field candidates for it as as things stand most parties do, and it gave them more chances to get something. but it's still very contradictory. i believe ukip only have MEPs as well, which seems rather silly as well. do they turn up at meetings demanding that everyone lets them sod off home and leaves them to it?!:lol:

Decided who your voting for yet *lisasimpson*? (you don't have to say if you'd rather not). I'll be honest I still don't know..I'll probably be that way till tommorow.

oh i'm still not sure. i've been voting since the early 90s and apart from the last one i've always gone labour but as i said before i just *can't* this time, which makes me sad. i was planning to spoil my ballot (because they're all arseholes but i'd never not vote at all) but now i'm thinking it may well be a tactical vote for the lib dems. there's no way in hell i'd ever ever vote tory and the way i see it the lib dems are highly unlikely to get in but if they get a large share of the vote it will (a) probably lead to some level of voting reform and (b) give the tories a massive and very well deserved kick up the arse!

speaking of tories, did you read this great piece in the independent about hammersmith & fulham council (which i used to live about 2 streets from the border of!) which cameron has referred to as a 'model' tory constituency? http://www.independent.co.uk/opinio...ann-hari-welcome-to-cameron-land-1962318.html

Lisa, I've got my polling card at the ready, I'm rather excited, this is the second election in which I'll be of voting age, I get a sense of achievement from voting, as if I'm having a say on the way the country's being run.

tbh i'm more looking forward to seeing david mitchell and charlie brooker on tv together for several hours in a row but you're right, it's good when exercising democratic rights makes you feel good, i wish it was that way for more people.

I've already decided who I'm voting for, I always stick with the same party, they have my alligience, and their candidate in my area is a gentleman, you couldn't ask for a better MLA in my opinion.

that's great - i used to be that way about labour, especially as where i lived before this my mp was Sadiq Khan who is a great guy - he was the one that the government taped talking to one of his constituents in prison, there was a huge row about it and he was categorically in the right! he's a very proactive mp. i moved tho as for allegiance these days? for me labour aren't labour any more, they're tory-lite, and i just can't go there, which is sad. but i'll think of something

 

[shazza_018]

BNP candidate Bob Bailey filmed fighting Asian men in key battle ground of Barking

A BNP parliamentary candidate was filmed fighting Asian men in a street brawl while out canvassing votes.
Bob Bailey appeared to punch and kicked one of the men after being spat at in their target seat of Barking, east London, yesterday.
The candidate for the neighbouring constituency of Romford had earlier warned the men to go away in footage captured by the BBC.


more here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-battle-ground-Barking.html?ito=feeds-newsxml


There's a video, (haven't watched it myself) that seems graphic (it's right at the bottom of the page. I think the boys actions weren't right but there was no need to kick him omg.

 

[Ajbuckly]

Good luck to you guys today.....not matter who you support.

By the way ....Greece might just be the first domino to fall. More EU - countries might be heading the same way as reported in "our" news feed today.

Not the best of news as hard times often leads to more nationalistic(?) feeling in some and not bring the unification that EU needs to make it in the global economic world of today.

 

[Solitaire]

Well, I sent off my postal vote, for the UK election, last week. I have my fingers crossed that the Tories dont get in. We also have a council election here in Manchester, so we had to send off 2 different ballot papers. And it has meant I have had a mountain of political pamphlets through my door!
Lisa- I know what you mean about Labour. They dont do anything for the workers now. I did vote for them, but only to keep the Tories out. Doesnt say much for the party. And I didnt vote for them at local level.

 

[talkingtocactus]

^ exactly, since blair lab just isn't lab anymore, they're not the party they claim to be and that makes me so sad. there's no decent socialist, working class supporting party anymore, unless you count respect but of course the word decent excludes them

i think i'm likely to go lib dem at all levels - my local council is pretty evenly mixed but my local ward is conservative now so i'd like to change that! and nationally, i don't think they have much chance of actually getting in but if they get enough votes it'll be a major wake up call for both the other parties, and i'm happy with that.

 

[Ducky]

By the way ....Greece might just be the first domino to fall. More EU - countries might be heading the same way as reported in "our" news feed today.

Ah yes, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Ireland...

I am so pissed that Greece has been doing this for a decade or almost 30 yrs ever since they joined EU (I mean they did little twisting so they were accepted) And I feel forcing euro to so many EU countries so fast... was wrong decision.

As for Brits. Lots of news about here and I've never really thought of their system but that's just one weird system. Like if no party gets over 50% of seats, the current PM has first chance to build government. Wtf?

 

[shazza_018]

^It's a old system, basically you have to an overall majority (more that the other two parties put together to get in power). It the nature of First Past The Post, we really should have PR (Proportational Representation).

We're offically in a Hung Parliament now where no party has an overall majority but the Conservatives are the largest party with the most seats.

Here's how they've done:
326 seats are need to win.
291 - Conservatives
248 - Labour
51 - Liberal Democrats
21 - Others.

All we can do is wait and watch. No deals or discussions have been done yet.

 

[nessy]

I'm watching the coverage with interest. Rather pleased that the Conservatives won my constituency from Labour last night. Lib Dems have stated that they feel it is the right of the party who wins the most votes and seats to get the opportunity to form a Government. Latest results are as follows
622 of 650 declared
Labour 251
Conservatives 292
Lib Dems 52
Others 27

 

[Vickyyy]

I don't really get all this Hung Parliament stuff.

Is Gordon Brown still PM?

 

[Jacquie]

I don't really get all this Hung Parliament stuff.

Is Gordon Brown still PM?

I believe he is still PM. My understanding of the British system is that the sitting PM is called upon to try and form a government when there is a hung parliament.

In Canada when we have a situation like this we call it a Minority Government. The leader of the party with the most seats tries to form a government. Our last 3 elections have resulted in a Minority Government. Stephen Harper is the Prime Minister and he seems to be running the country quite effectively. At least that's my opinion. I'm sure some of my fellow Canadians don't agree though.

Canada's political system is based on the British system. Not surprising when you think of it as we were one of your Colonies

 

[shazza_018]

I don't really get all this Hung Parliament stuff.

Is Gordon Brown still PM?

The simple answer is yes. Even though David Cameron and the conservatives have the most seats making them the largest party they do not have an overall majority (more seats that Labour/Liberal put together). It's just the nature of our system. I don't fully understand why myself, maybe someone else could shed some light on this?

 

[Stepherweps]

Yeah, it's really difficult to understand, Brown is still PM for now, but it looks as though the Tories will take over, I believe if they can make coalitions with other parties taking them up to 326 seats which they need then Cameron will become PM, it looks like the Lib Dems are willing to make some sort of alliance with the Tories, but who knows... Anything could happen...

 

[talkingtocactus]

^ yeah that's pretty much it, the tories can only take mandate if they buddy up with other parties to get the 326. most likely to be the ulster unionists, apparently, although i'm sure i saw somewhere that that would still only take them to 324 or something.

i doubt it'll last long, as far as i know hung parliaments generally result in a new election fairly soon.

still, at least we're not blue - yet....

i think the biggest surprise of the night was how badly the lib dems did - after the debates it seemed they were going to be better than ever, but i think they actually dropped a seat.

that doesn't mean people didn't vote for them tho, it just meant their votes were spread in such a way that didn't get seats. this is another argument for PR, i think.

 

[Stepherweps]

Lisa, they can't join with the Ulster Unionist Party as they didn't get any seats... Here in Northern Ireland our 18 sears went as follows: DUP - 8, SF - 5, SDLP - 3, Alliance - 1, Independant - 1. So over all we have 10 unionist seats and 8 Nationalist/Republicans seats... Sinn Fein however are abstentionists and therefore don't take their seats as they don't believe in the Union between the UK and Northern Ireland, so really Northern Ireland only have 13 active seats, so that isn't enough even if the all signed on with the Tories... They wouldn't all sign on anyways at the SDLP and Lady Hermon (Independant) have ties to Labour...