Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Very droll.

It should be "Do you hate the rich?" with a yes arrow going to the Lib Dems.

I do agree with a good portion of the Lib Dems but can't stand Clegg's eat-the-rich class war he's waging. Where equality means the rich have to pay for everything and subsidise everyone else.

Also the Tories don't hate foxes - didn't the party whip go with allowing fox hunting?

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Out of curiosity, where is the bnp during these "live" debates?

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Sitting at home?

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

well I've changed my mind, Im going to stick with Labour now :) Gordons starting to grow on me but then I did like Blair :D

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I apologise, it was me being sarcastic. I only ask as I find it disgusting in a country where "equal opportunities" means so much to the bigwigs, then how the hell do they justify leaving them out ? The whole thing is a farce and the winner, decided weeks before the general public is told.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

And ironically, due to the inclusion of Lib Dems in the debates, it seems that this year's election is the first genuine opportunity in years to do something about it.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

CAn you vote then for the General Election Daniel? I'm only for locals as a EU citizen.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

No, I can't. I'd have to get a British passport, which would mean giving up my current passport, which I'm not prepared to do (yet).

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

... while eating "Hatey-Yum" sandwiches... ;)

If they included the BNP, then what about the Green Party? UKIP? The English Democrats? The Pirate Party? The Science Party?.....They can't have them all, & they couldn't only add the BNP but not any others (e.g. the Greens have local councillors & a couple of MEPs, like the BNP have, while UKIP have the same no. of MEPs as Labour).

The debates include only the leaders of the Tory, Labour, & Lib Dem parties because they are the three largest parties in the UK as a whole, with the most MPs in Westminster, and because they are therefore the only leaders who have any chance of becoming PM after the General Election.

---------- Post added at 19:34 ---------- Previous post was at 19:31 ----------


I think that's rather unfair, myself. If you live here, work here, pay taxes here, etc. etc. etc., then why shouldn't you be allowed to vote in the General Election? The outcome does affect you, even though you're not a British Citizen.

On the flip side of that, I think it's a bit strange that (AFAIK) British Ex-Pats can still vote in UK General Elections... If they are not living here, not working here, not paying taxes here, etc. etc. etc., then why should they have a say in who runs the country?

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

There have to my certain knowledge been a lot more teachers trained in the last 10 years.I have to say that was not the experience under the conservatives under Mrs Thatcher and John Major.Indeed in 1974 I stood in a hall of over 100 probationary teachers being welcomed to the City of Portsmouth by the LEA.6/7 years later there were only 5.

Agreed there are still shortages in key areas such as Maths,Science and IT but education has benefited where new teachers are concerned.

A small point but one I feel compelled to point it out.:)

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Yes and No. I can get a British passport, and I don't have to give up my current citizenship under British law. It's just that Dutch law requires me to give up Dutch citizenship if I take on another nationality. So in effect it's Dutch law that prevents me from voting here (but I can still vote in General Election in Holland). Having said that, I would like to be able to vote in country where I've worked and paid my taxes for 10 years now. I guess it's just one of them thingamabobs. :shrug:

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Ditto here Daniel, its a bit annoying really as what I pay roughly 23% of my wages in tax and not allowed to vote national only bloody locals which are most of the time worthless as its not the council civvies that you can get rid of (ie chief exes etc) who just are useless most of the time and waste of money

---------- Post added at 19:55 ---------- Previous post was at 19:52 ----------

oh and like Daniel I dont want to lose my dutch citizen ship just yet.... all depends on what happens really...

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

My Mums the same, can only vote in local elections. It is a rubbish idea that people who live here, pay taxes, and use public services cannot vote while people who have long left the country can. I think voting should be for all residents of the United Kingdom and remove the vote from ex-pats who have been gone for x number of years.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

oh Daniel with regards to Dual Nationality the UK or any EU country is the same you cant hold 2 EU passports anymore (been like that since 1996 only know that from working for the Dutch Immigration service)

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Ah. Fair enough. In that case I'm royally ****ed off that I can't choose to vote in General Elections here after, say living here for 5 years :mad: :)

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Putting together their manifesto.....

---------- Post added at 21:12 ---------- Previous post was at 20:14 ----------

Mmmmmm - interesting.... BBC

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Are you seriously suggesting that Gordon Brown's maths doesn't make any sense?

Who'd have thought, after getting the maths so right for so long, he'd start getting it wrong by a factor of 14 now.

Not that it matters of course, even though he's obviously talking out of his hindmost, either through being intensely incompetent or just plain lying, people will still lap it up. He's a man of substance, Gordon. That substance is bovine excreta.

EDIT: Bwahaha

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/multime...14_665994a.jpg

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Brown's been making it up as he goes along for so long now he can't differentiate between facts and fiction, truth or lies. To think that some people around here and the likes of Ed Balls still reckon Brown has huge credibility when it comes to matters financial..... :confused:

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Who will The Guardian back?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...mment-guardian

Clue. It's not the Tories ;)

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Apart from the fact that, imo, newspapers should objectively report the news and leave opinion to the opinion pages, and that therefore the concept of a newspaper backing a party in an election seems an odd concept to me: good choice!

On a related note: Sky should be banned from ever hosting a leaders' debate again. :upyours:

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I think they should back no one but the broadsheets are much better at keeping the opinion to the editorial. You won't get the embarrassing stuff coming out from The Sun from any of the broadsheets (although The Times and Independent might test that theory).

They haven't actually said who they are backing but the theme seems to be that Voting reform is the priority. I hope they reject picking a party and simply campaign on that to make it a bigger issue.

In truth it doesn't matter who they back because the readers will have decided already IMO. Also The Guardian has too small a readership to be able to make much impact on the election in the way The Sun can. The Sun has quite a wide readership and a lot will take only a passing interesting in politics and the mood they get from the paper could influence them in my view. Unlikely with The Guardian/Telegraph or Independent.

Why?

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Agree with that. the Lib dems have never had so much 'publicity' in all time. if people treat the election as some sort of X-Factor competition from watching them battle it out as they are doing, then they will have loads more votes than they ever would have before.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Did you miss yesterday's blatant smear campaign?

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

You mean Bolton asking Clegg about the Telegraph's front page? I didn't really mind that, I took it as Adam Bolton trying to inject some of the current political climate into the debate and change the dynamic of a boring debate.

I think it's kind of easy to see bias when none exists. Sky I believe is quite balanced.

I do think they need to release polls at the same time though. The 20 minute gap between the poll that said Cameron won it and then the rest which said Clegg did or it was a draw was more than enough time for the debate to be awarded to the party.

I would like to see the Tories pressed more on the revelation they briefed their attack dogs/papers on Nick Clegg before that amazing set of headlines on a single day!

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

That was one reason. I didn't see it as an innocent injection. It was a flagrant breach of the rules surrounding these debates. Coupled with a poll released hours before the debate, and Sun headlines going 'CLEGG LOSES SIX POINTS OVER 2 DAYS" it's not hard to spot the agenda.

That's fair enough I suppose, but I don't like what I see. It's alright to debate and take a stance on the issues, but this has nothing to do with it. It's blatant electioneering and smearing on the part of the media. It's sickening.

No surprise there...

Absolutely.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Shouldn't Clegg have been pleased to have the opportunity to comment on any stories?

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

And now for something completely different.....

UKIP candidate for Meridian, Mr Barry Allcock
http://www.annaraccoon.com/wp-conten...K_Barry_01.jpg

hattip to annaraccoon

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I believe he did comment: IIRC, he said it was "nonsense".

[Which it is... so why waste time on nonsense?]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobin...ood_smear.html


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politi...10/8636311.stm



---------- Post added at 23:46 ---------- Previous post was at 23:44 ----------

So... does anyone here live in Hitchin & Harpenden, Twickenham, Doncaster Central, or Brighton Pavilion, and care about Undead Rights and the exploitation of Zombies? :erm: ;) LOL

http://www.votecure.com/vote/?p=1

http://www.votecure.com/vote/?p=52

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

So why haven't the LD's given back the £2.4 million they accepted from the convicted fraudster Michael Brown?

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

My vote may have just changed.

In other news there's a few articles online about Cameron's interview with Paxman. The main news story about it all actually makes perfect sense so long as it's done properly but given how horny and addicted so many people seem to be to sucking on the public sector teat just the mere suggestion of being weaned off it will probably go down like a lead balloon.

Clearly there are issues when the state is a larger part of local economies than it was in formerly communist countries, the answer is obviously not to follow the Labour way of taking money from the South and routing it North in order to keep feeding the state involvement there.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Wasn't the money given to the party 4 years before Brown was convicted? And didn't the Electoral Commission conclude that the donations were permissible and that the Lib Dems had no need to return the money?

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

And Clegg was therefore given the chance to explain about the true part of the story, which was, that money was paid directly into his personal account and not the party account.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Which was duly declared to the relevant parliamentary authorities etc, and was use for the intended purposes; to pay for a researcher, and all paper work to back this up has been provided. What's your point?

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Had it not already been explained though?

The donations were made before he became party leader, so did not go into the main party account.

Not ideal, no.

But does it really matter? Once he became leader, subsequent donations went to a party account.

And although these donations in question went into his own account, they were fully & properly declared and accounted for. And equal amounts (actually, a slightly larger amount in total) were transferred out of his account to pay the staffing costs that they had officially been declared as being used for.

So what exactly is the issue?

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

think the issue is that some people would prefer a politician that just nicks money from the taxpayer then seeing 1 little error of judgment.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I live in the Brighton Pavilion ward so its good to see I can now vote for a progressive cause.;)

---------- Post added at 05:03 ---------- Previous post was at 04:57 ----------

He doesn't have one, as usual, you've ruined he's little conspiracy with facts.:)
Damn they do tend to get in the way of nomads posts, far better when nobody challenges him, much more sensational.:D

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Well no the point of the exchange was a complaint over bias from Sky News due to it being raised during one of the TV debates, the counter being that it wasn't biased as it gave him an opportunity to defend himself to a wider audience.

Interesting seeing people who may lean towards the Lib Dems hunting in packs as well. Evidently not something restricted to the 'old party' supporters ;)

---------- Post added at 08:47 ---------- Previous post was at 08:16 ----------

Quite amusing reading coverage of the Paxman interview last night.

If we go on the side of the Labour / left-wing loving publications we get these gems:

TORY leader David Cameron last night suffered his third telly humiliation in eight days - at the hands of Jeremy Paxman.

From the red bathroom tissue known as the Daily Mirror:

David Cameron got stuffed in an interview with the BBC's Jeremy Paxman last night.

The clueless Tory leader floundered as his BBC interrogator demanded details of the savage cuts he plans if elected.

From the Capitalist-friendly Financial Times:

Cameron opts for spending cuts to boost private sector

David Cameron promised on Friday to axe public spending in areas of the country that have become over-dependent on state spending, singling out Northern Ireland and the north-east as problem areas.

The left-wing but trying to pretend to be unbiased BBC:

Cameron call over NI state funding

The Conservative leader, David Cameron, has said state funding in Northern Ireland makes up too much of the local economy.

An option piece from the Torygraph:

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/be...orth-the-risk/

The Lib Dem friendly Guardian:

David Cameron targets north-east and Northern Ireland for spending cuts
Conservatives' plan to reduce state 'alarming' for regions outside London, says Labour

My own opinion is I think it'd be great, though I'm Libertarian so, by default, in favour of smaller government.

Nice comment from Gordon Brown here:

0.2% GDP growth, half that expected by economists, is 'hugely optimistic' yet keeping 6bn in the economy by not taxing it out of people and businesses pockets would destroy the recovery. Whatever you say Prime Minister.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I think the main point is of transparency - if you run a business (and politics is a business, imho), you don't mix personal and business accounts - too much room for error; I personally think that it was just inexperience, but he, like other MPs, must understand when stuff like this occurs, an explanation is expected - he cleared it up; excellent.

re the £2.4million - it's about the "we're not like the "old parties", we're pure and clean and above-board" - keeping £2.4 million of defrauded money isn't, imho, pure and clean and above-board; most of the MP's expenses were within the guidelines, that hasn't stopped "Persil" Clegg going on about them (even though 4 of his MPs got a telling off, but they never seem to get mentioned, do they?;) ).

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

"Not the time for novices blah, blah.." says Brown... :rolleyes:

Yes well it's not the time form more of his superhuman prudence either!

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

On a side note the Lib Dem leaflet is the only one actually addressed to us. However the local press do not seem to be aware (as yet) there are other candidates in this constituency. :dozey:

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I got my postal vote this morning so I'd better get down to thinking about it. I only have five options to choose from so that's a bit easier.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Caught a bit of 'Red Ken' Livingstone's highly entertaining radio show earlier and, during a section on the UK's economic woes, it was stated that the equivalent of £1 in every £5 now raised in tax goes to pay just the interest on our debt. It's not a figure I've heard before but it sure focuses the mind on how serious this issue is. So when Brown tries to take credit for what he's spent over the years perhaps the electorate will a) consider how much of that has been wasted and b) bear in mind that 20% of the tax they're now paying won't be going to the NHS, schools, the poor, the needy, the police or the armed forces for whom he has nothing but praise - it'll be going into the pockets of international financiers and if they get nervous that figure will be heading north not south.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I was going to break with tradition and vote for the BNP, but I've come back to my senses and will continue to vote for "none of the above". At the end of the day, it isn't the electorate that decide who gets the keys to No.10, it's the media machine that tells you who to vote for. and who do they want you to vote for?? Any of the above.

Like I've said before, you may get a different party, but it'll still be the same government.

imho, a vote for any of the party's is a vote for more of the same, so go ahead and vote for what you think is going to be a change, when in reality nothing changes, they'll still screw us all over.

I won't be part of it, I refuse to give my support to any of these slime balls. Like my late 93 year old Gran used to say, "They''re all the bloody same!". It's Groundhog Day. ;)

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Is that image supposed to be http://www.bypassfirewall.com/browse...wZw_3D_/3D/b0/

Are you trying to dodge the Corporate firewall? :p:

---------- Post added at 17:56 ---------- Previous post was at 17:39 ----------

In other news, here's a nice thought.

But hey, what do we care, give us our public services and welfare now, don't be cutting just because we aren't paying for it and we just have to keep it going for a few more years and we simply won't be able to pay for it.

This to me is the centre of the economic debate. The problem as I've repeatedly said though is that so many people are so greedy and selfish (yes those same attributes that people whine about when having a go at bankers and businesses and 'typical Tories') that they couldn't care less what it's costing or how it will affect the country so long as it doesn't affect them right now. Just even hinting at actually taking serious action makes people jump up and down.

Jeeze people we're spending as much money on public services as Sweden, the cuts to the deficit are minimal and debt interest will be taking a serious toll well before the deficit is gone, and that's where it should be, gone. Barring emergencies like the credit crunch if we don't have it we shouldn't be spending it, and as soon as the emergency is over we should be paying it back.

Fiscal and personal responsibility, both on life support thanks to the current government.

EDIT: Oh yes, for those saying why don't we just tax our way back into the black, wouldn't work as it would reduce economic growth and make companies go elsewhere. You think it doesn't happen?

The country’s entrepreneurs were moving offshore – and taking their companies with them ..... Two of Sweden’s largest companies, IKEA and Tetra Pak, a food packaging company, had already moved overseas in protest of the estate tax. Other major companies threatened to follow, draining Sweden of entrepreneurial talent, capital, and jobs.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

OK I have changed it.

http://www.b3tards.com/u/dceb14b0c0e...n_sick_bag.jpg

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Already posted by Damien on page 7 ;)

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/35006897-post100.html

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Looks like I should be voting UKIP then. :D

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

:clap: :clap: :clap:

Too many politicians in denial and so many people with their heads buried so deep in the sand!!!..

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I disagree Osem, it's not the politicians in denial, its the majority of the general public thats in denial. On the other hand the politicians are being pragmatic with the bad news.... If any politician, from any party can out and openly said tat the country was financially buggered, and we had to cut spending across the entire budget by 10/15/20%. That the cuts would include numerous public sector job losses, reduction in services, cuts to health provision and all sorts of other things, then that politician, and his party would be unelectable....

To steal a line from the film A Few Good Men.... "You can't handle the truth !"

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

What the good Earl said. The politicians all know the score, they just either through some warped logic don't care or don't dare to let on they do.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

meanwhile the BNP are making friends on the campaign trail

'East London Is Like Nairobi'
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Pol...g_And_Dagenham

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Typical way to make friends for a neanderthal BMP member

Meanwhile the top Neanderthal said this

Wonder if he has been there to make comparisons

Stupid remarks from stupid people, I would vote Labour or Liberal Democrats before i would vote British Nazi Party if i had no other choice

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I see the SNP are starting legal action on the BBC over the televised debates.

They do highlight a major problem though, a number of things have been devolved to the Scottish Parliament, so English MPs have no say, yet the Scottish MPs at Westminster can vote on these equivalent issues in England / Wales. Not really surprising given how much of the cabinet are Scottish MPs though.

Scotland = 1/12th of the UK population, Wales = less than 1/20th. For sure BBC Scotland / BBC Wales would be good to host debates, and debates seem to be happening, there's one on Sky later today. On national TV at prime time I don't really see the value of it. SNP / PC are largely about more local issues, and their localities are less than 10% of the Union, while in the case of the SNP 80% or more of the debate would be irrelevant to the other over 90% of the population if they chose the agenda as those issues are devolved.

Give more devolution please so those of us outside of Scotland can even more totally ignore Salmond's incessant whining, he feels so hard done by he can explain to Scotland why services will have to be cut or taxes go up if separated.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Yep there are debates happening up here, its just free publicity for the SNP and appeals to some sections of their support that they are taking on the beeb in London.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Unsure how the rest of the support will feel about their rather short amount of cash being spent on such things. ;)

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Ah but he wants all the money from North Sea oil.

I did find it amusing that during one interview, talking about who he'd work with in a hung parliment, he was picked up on saying that SNP MPs in Westminster do not vote, so what would be the point in working with them?

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Would seem to be even more of a reason they are excluded from the English tri-party debates. I for one do not want to listen to PC or SNP as they can never get my vote.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Ah yeah I forgot. He seems to be under the impression that government gets 100% of all the cash from North Sea oil, IE the private companies actually producing the stuff will simply hand all their revenue over to the state.

Even if they did as I remember it wouldn't cover Scotland's bills in their entirety.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

THIS IS A NONPARTISAN JOKE THAT CAN BE ENJOYED BY All PARTIES! NOT ONLY THAT-- it is POLITICALLY CORRECT!!

While walking down the street one day a "Member of Parliament" is tragically hit by a truck and dies.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

'Welcome to heaven,' says St. Peter.. 'Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you.'

'No problem, just let me in,' says the man.

'Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.'

'Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven,' says the MP.

'I'm sorry, but we have our rules.'

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly & nice guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises....

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.

'Now it's time to visit heaven.'

So, 24 hours pass with the MP joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

'Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity.'

The MP reflects for a minute, then he answers: 'Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell.'

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage.

He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder. 'I don't understand,' stammers the MP. 'Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time.. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable.

What happened?'

The devil looks at him, smiles and says, 'Yesterday we were campaigning... ...


Today you voted.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Funny tweet reported in the Sunday Times

"It feels like 1906 - the Liberals ahead in the polls and not a plane in the sky."
:D

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Jeremy Paxman interviews Nick Griffin on the BBC yesterday.

BNP leader Nick Griffin says that "one of the symptoms of being English, Scottish, Irish or Welsh is being white".

Oxford English Dictionary - symptom - noun
Medicine 1 a feature which indicates a condition of disease, in particular one apparent to the patient. Compare with SIGN.
2 an indication of an undesirable situation

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Another symptom is collective amnesia of past sporting performances on the eve of another sporting tournament. We're sick, sick people ;)

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Totally agree, and that's another national delusion I'm very happy to not participate in :)

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Don't forget the heart disease! or the obesity! or the fallen Empire! Now I think about it, I had the BNP all wrong. They love foreigners, they are trying to save them from the burden of bring British! :D

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

That does make sense :LOL:

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Sadly using a mobile phone whilst driving isn't a hanging offence.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politi...10/8643321.stm

Still fingers crossed he'll pay the fine out of his resettlement grant when he is kicked out his seat on election night.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Don't worry - the expense claim is already en-route.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I did read recently in the Guardian that the Tory candidate in Morley and Outwood is hoping to "castrate" Labour... ;)

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

A typical brain dead, knuckle dragging Neanderthal Nazi BNP supporter, complete with boots, braces and skinhead, clashes with protesters. :D

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politi...10/8640289.stm

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Indeed.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Oh, I see - you're being ironic.........

Well done, you. ;)

No one has ever stated that ALL of the BNP supporters are "brain dead, knuckle dragging Neanderthal Nazis" - if you wish to include yourself in that tranche of their devotees, entirely up to you.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Very good.

I don't know who was the nuttiest. the one saying "would you like to read the truth" over and over, or the one having to put up with her in her face :)

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I caught the tail end of a BBC Radio 5 phone in with Simon Hughes last night and the Lib Dem policy for an amensty for illegal immigrants who've lived here for 10 years (IIRC) was being scrutinised.

Apparently there were questions raised, but few clear answers given, about how these people would be able to prove they'd been here that long and what'd happen to those who'd been employing them during that period. It also appears that any 'amnestees' won't be expected to pay back tax in the same way that a UK citizen who'd been found working illegally probably would. If their policy is as unfair and half baked as it appears, it'll be food and drink to their political opponents I'd have thought....

I haven't yet listened to the whole programme but am hoping I'll be able to do so on iplayer later.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...an_25_04_2010/

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Agreed - equally offensive, imho.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

It was through gullible people like this that the Nazi party got in power in pre war Germany and look what happened there.:erm:

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

As more and more scrutiny comes to the lib dems the more things look less then the complete honesty nick clegg talks about. That incident with the condidate pictured with a nurse that turned out to be a lib dem party activist being one that sticks in my throat and the explanantion that the leaflet was merely illustrative says a lot. Right now i am leaning more and more to my base instinct of voting for ther tories although i do think as well we are headed for a hung parliament where labour and lib dems will strike up a deal and we will be back in the brown stuff literally.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

How does the picture differ from the Tories and the spin they put on the people Cameron has supposedly met who say different things to what he claimed they did? I not really sure what this 'scandal' is, a picture of some candidate talking to a nurse that wasn't a nurse. You know a lot of those 'happy families' on political leaflets are not necessary voters of the party? How does it differ from using a stock photo?

Also I am not sure Nick Clegg approves every leaflet, this was for some candidate in Wales. Can't hold him responsible for the actions of some candidates..

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I wouldn't draw such comparisons, the circumstances as to the rise of the Nazi party in Germany are a world away from any issue in this election.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Nice unbiased stuff from Nick Robinson as always here. The comments are amusing, a couple noting that even with Nick Robinson and the BBC's relentless cheerleading Brown's spend, spend, spend promises don't really go with even his weak promises to reduce the deficit let alone the reductions that economists consider essential to our longer term prosperity.

It would seem he has gotten to the stage where he'll say literally anything to try and cling on to power.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

We do not need right wing extremists in this country such as these people and I abhore what these people stand for and the wild beliefs they hold.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Apparently, GB got a standing ovation from the nurses after Really? Go figure.

(and I am not knocking the nurses on this one - if he came to my place of work and made those promises, he would probably get a standing ovation - anyone would, imho).

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

None of the figures from any of them add up right now and there is something none of them are telling us that they will have to do. But right now i prefer the "all together" message coming from the tories and despite being a benefit claimant i like what they are saying in terms of welfare reform which is long overdue in this country. As for whether nick clegg approves every leaflet or not when your campaigning on an honesty ticker having any condidate pull that sort of stunt doesn't show a trait of honesty throughout does it.

It is election time and politicians are infamous for tailoring their speeches to whatever audience they are speaking to at any given time but the number of policys that the lib dems support and would implement that are falling to pieces under scrutiny is not good. It is all well and good to keep parroting the "old parties" line but i want some clear answers from the lib dems on many policys they have such as regional imigration and how that would work in practice not just a speech. How will this amnesty work in detail and so far on the few things i have heard them questioned hard on this they have been less then convincing.

These tele debates are a farce as far as i am concerned they are clouding the real debate with appearence fluff and the fact that people are making their mind up on who they are voting for after seeing someone on tele for a few hours is quite disturbing and shows how lazy some are in this country.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Does anyone know where to watch the 2nd debate?

iPlayer only has the radio coverage. Newgroups doesn't have it. Its supposed to be free on Sky Player but every time I click on it it tries to get me to subscribe to £15/month. Youtube dpesn't have anything obvious.

Any other ideas? I though it was supposed to be free and readily distributable.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

The issue I have is with Brown saying that the Tories will take out £6 Billion out of the economy, because they are not putting up the N.I.

Surely he means he's taking £6 Billion out of Labours planned Government spending???

Surely by putting up N.I. in order to obtain the £6 Billion in which both Employers and Employees will have to pay, He is taking £6 Billion out of the economy, that is money that we would spend elsewhere, it is money that business might use to invest in new products, projects?

Does he think we are that stupid? Does he think we don't know he is just juggling money about. Cameron can't be accused of taking £6 Billion out of the economy when the £6 Billion isn't there to begin with?

The nurses by stomp their feet and clap their hands in jubiliation, and Brown promise more NHS funding But don't they realise how much more money Brown is actually going to take out of the NHS by this N.I. Rise, and out of their pocket?

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

That's easy Pierre - Brown thinks his spending is the economy.

He's telling the nurses what they want to hear, and never mind where the money will come from to pay for these promises, minor issue.

That Nick Robinson thinks getting an ovation for telling a group of people you'll give them more money speaks volumes, as has been noted on the comments to his blog.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

This (Sky) works for me.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I wish people should have more sense about a hung parliament and a more representative parliament rather than the "It's what gave HITLER power!!!!" approach they have taken so far.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Works fine, thank you!

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

He wouldn't get a standing ovation from me - after all the lies and spin of the last decade and more I don't believe anything he says anymore and I'm very surprised those nurses seem to be lapping up more of the same old rhetoric.

---------- Post added at 14:18 ---------- Previous post was at 14:15 ----------

Brown's clearly banking on there being enough deluded, desperate and/or just plain stupid people out there to keep him the custom to which he's become accustomed. Frankly it staggers me that anyone takes him seriously but there's "nowt as queer as folk" eh??... :confused:

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I find it quite funny how people keep harping on about Labour in the 70s and Thatcher in the 80s. Under Coalition governments this sort of stuff is virtually unheard of as all major parties will collaborate with each other at some point, and perceptions just aren't as black and white. Politics in the UK seems to revolve around trotting out old negative cliches about the other parties rather than emphasising the strengths of the own party. Much of it is just tribal rhetoric which you get a lot less of with the consensus-based politics that you get with coalition governments. Whether UK politicians are capable of changing their mindset to one of cooperating in a constructive manner remains to be seen though.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

This is one of the strongest reasons not to allow the Tories back in. I draw a cold sweat and shudder with fear, when I think of Flyboy11, left to the mercies of a school system that could be comparable to that of fifteen years ago. His many learning difficulties would go ignored and untreated with teachers left alone to manage classes of thirty-five or more, with no assistants to help with students who struggle to keep up and cope with school life. No time to prepare lessons and review work. Crumbling buildings with areas of infrastructure closed because it is unsafe to teach in a hazardous environment. This is what can be expected from a Tory government.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

I agree. It's absurd that a party who wins an election with 36% of the vote is given a disproportionate licence to run the country in which ever way it sees fit, ignoring the other 64% who did not want that party to govern them.

The amount of rubbish Labour has managed to pass that could have been prevented in a system in which they did not have the power to pass what they want is depressing. Our laws would be much fairer, sensible, and effective if they were achieved via consensus with the majority party having to make concessions to others.

The Tory press needs to stop harping on about Hitler or how PR would cause national meltdown.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Coalition governments however tend to collapse when they can't agree which can cause rather regular elections.

---------- Post added at 14:45 ---------- Previous post was at 14:42 ----------

Please understand I agree with much of what you say, however I am absolutely convinced that in the short term a coalition will fail to achieve enough at a time when it's essential that progress is made towards longer term prosperity and encouraging the private sector to return to generating the wealth (and in turn tax revenues!) we so badly need right now along with reducing the public sector's hunger for that wealth.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Yes, they can, but it's not all that common*, and (imo) preferable to the seesaw politics that you get in a two-party system. Also, one of the biggest threats (imo) to any political system is if it leaves large numbers of the population feeling unrepresented. Which is exactly what is the case in the UK. A coalition government (normally) represents at least 50% of the people that voted. That can only be a good thing in my book.

*Edit: Interestingly, looking at your own link, which shows Dutch elections since 1918. With a regular 4 year term (disregarding WW2), you'd expect ~22 elections. There were 26 including the upcoming one. Hardly a shocking increase.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Now is probably the best chance to implement such reforms. As it stands the polls suggest that the result may be the perfect example of how screwy our current system is. Labour would well come 3rd in the popular vote and be the party with the most seats. Not to mention that it is looking likely that the Liberal Democrats are likely power-brokers in the event of hung parliament and they are the largest party in favour of voting reform.

The two main parties are unlikely want to change a system skewed in their favour if they had a majority. Public pressure and the need to make concessions to the Liberal Democrats is the only environment in which I can see reforms taking place.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

In fact, there has been twenty-three in the UK since nineteen eighteen. So not much difference between both systems.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Yes, lets view needing 100 new teachers ever year to replace those who've left as a good thing, rather than only needing 5 because the positons have been filled :rolleyes:

My ex was a deputy head under labour, and her job changed from being able to spend time bringing in extra funding which more than covered her salary, to doing 14 hour days through increased classroom teaching and the school lost it's extra funding as she wasn't able to bring it in and the government weren't giving any extra unless you wanted it ringfenced for unrequired things.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

Can we perhaps deal with this after the economy has been set on the right course and we aren't running nearly 400mn/day budget deficits, which isn't going to happen with the Lib Dems holding control?

---------- Post added at 15:14 ---------- Previous post was at 15:13 ----------

How about the past 8 years, bearing in mind that terms are 4 years in the Netherlands and 5 here, and in the context of what happened last time there was a hung parliament?

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

It will never happen unless the Lib Dems do hold control. It's also quite conceivable that an alliance can take place if the Tories concede Civil Liberties and Voting reform and the Liberal Democrats let the Tories dictate economic policy.

Re: The 2010 General Election Thread: Week 3
 

The last 8 years (which are not very representative of Dutch politics imo), saw 4 elections rather than the expected 3, though it has to be said that the current PM doesn't have a very good track record with 4 coalitions collapsing. Then again, UK politics isn't exactly having the best of times either...