Meenzer

http://www.richardherring.com/warmingup/wa...gup.php?id=2748

Richard Herring will be seething.

And who's to say we won't with first past the post? The two main parties are unpopular as they've ever been in living memory, trust in mainstream politics is at an all-time low, and there's no sign of an all-conquering Blair or Thatcher figure on the horizon. If we're going to have a hung parliament every time anyway, we might as well do it properly.

Cheers fellas, much obliged.

The Lib Dems, at least, would be well advised to break down any future manifesto pledges into "this is what we want to do generally" and "these are the key points we'll insist on in the event of any coalition". At least that way you've got a positive keynote message to drum home on the campaign trail. It's harder for the big parties to sell "these are the things we'd drop"...

I'll tell you what, mind, when you look at the bookies' lists for next Conservative leader you start to see the extent of their problems. If Cameron does go, what on earth next for them?

Lib-Lab would've had 52% of the MPs under pure PR.

On a tangential note, does anyone happen to know to what extent the relationship between Newcastle University and the Freeman Hospital is formalised? Do medical students train at the Freeman as part of their studies? I know they work together on research etc., but what form does that take, etc. etc.? Any information gratefully received. There is a reason, but the time it'd take to explain would far outweigh the extent to which it would be at all informative or interesting.

Yeah, Brown is a goner whatever happens, and even a formal coalition has every chance of failing within the year, let alone a minority Conservative government.

I'll be disappointed if a formal coalition comes out of it, even if that includes the promise of a referendum on electoral reform (which it won't). Some kind of "we won't vote you down" cooperation would be far preferable, something that can be spun as "in the national interest in these difficult times" without completely alienating a good proportion of Lib Dem voters. I have no idea what's actually going to happen, though, nor do I trust in any of the interpretations of what's happened so far ("there've been no leaks/talks haven't broken down yet so things must be going well", etc.), so I don't really know what to say beyond that.

Incidentally, this is a pretty interesting read: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Austerity-Olympics...7681&sr=8-1

Ironic that London has two austerity games. Use the Dome for indoor events? Cracking idea. I suggest gymnastics and basketball.

He's wrong. They were lush! Ahh thank you Meenz. I couldnt have imagined them. I want one now though. Discontinued in 1992 apparently. Scandalous.

He's wrong. They were lush!

Everyone in the eurozone should vote for Greece to win Eurovision this year, just out of spite.

And that wouldn't be the case under PR. The Conservatives should welcome it with open arms. But there must be a big down side for them or they wouldnt be so against it? Conservatives in "completely wrong about something" shock. In all seriousness though, it makes a lot of sense for them, particularly in the kind of situation we've just had. People in safe Labour heartland seats who wanted to change an unpopular government couldn't influence that change in any way. The next best alternative was to tactically vote for the second-placed Lib Dem candidate, which obviously gives the impression that Lab-LD would have 50%+ of the MPs under PR, based on pure vote share - but if their vote for the Conservatives, as a de-facto vote of no confidence in the current government, would actually count for something then you'd see a huge LD-Con swing in seats like that.

And that wouldn't be the case under PR. The Conservatives should welcome it with open arms.

The 5% threshold in the German system isn't bad. As for the same people permanently holding power, if people are aware in advance that a Lib-Lab pact is the likely outcome of any election under PR where those two parties get 50%+ of the MPs, they can vote against that possibility. (This is one reason I don't think it's a given that PR will actually be a good thing for the Lib Dems!) And more to the point, their vote will actually count, in a way that a vote for a non-Labour party in the barren wastelands of the north-east usually doesn't.

you *** cunt *** = gay. He's not, Kev. Lord knows I've tried to turn him often enough. Even tried to turn him over once or twice, but he wasn't having it.

Maybe someone told him how long the last two hung parliaments lasted. He has my deepest sympathy. I'm not just saying that because I don't like the Tories. Just seeing him on the news there again and he had a genuine look of fear / dread in his eyes. Diddums Should've won the election by a mile and failed miserably. No wonder he looks haunted.

She really is, to be honest, and I say that as a die-hard Lib Dem. She's the kind of MP who'll shape the future of parliament, and I wish there were more of them on every side, Tories included.

Any situation in which people in this country are happy to elect someone called Rees-Mogg to parliament is bad shit.

...for voting Lib Dem more than ever before, and being denied their desired result as usual. A round of applause for the status quo! As for the "cabinet", I pray to nonexistentcloudbeing that Vince doesn't end up anywhere near the Chancellor position. Let Osborne take it on and fuck it up in his own unique way.

Still an utter fucking cunt. Nice to know that some things never change.