General Election 2010

[Dr Gloom 21861]

annoyingly, cameron could come out of this smelling of roses.

 

let's say a lib-lab coalition is formed: the british public will watch another unelected pm (probably david milliband) form an alliance with the lib dems ( the party with the third biggest share of the votes) introduce the most savage austerity measures for the best part of a century. there are those who'd be happy to see brown/clegg take responsibility for cuts that are either so big the public sector unions do a winter of discontent or so small the markets are unmanageable.

 

meanwhile a second election will no doubt follow within a year or 18 months and cameron can sit on the sidelines saying i told you so.

 

pr reform will hopefully ensure the tories never see the light of day again.

Edited May 10, 2010 by Dr Gloom

[spongebob toonpants 3958]

Putting my Parky hat on - watch out for the dark horse. Ben Bradshaw for next leader

[Craig 6682]

I did read somewhere though that because of the 5 Sinn Fein MP's never turning up, the speaker and 3 deputies not voting ( think that's what it said) the actual working majority isn't quite as high as people think if you want to just make it about workable.

 

I think in respect of the Sinn Fein MPs they choose themselves not to sit rather than it being anything constitutional. Theoretically they can choose to take their seats at any point they wish so long as they swear the oath on the Queen (highly unlikely I know).

 

But with that in mind I think they still legally have to be considered when it comes to calculating a majority. In any event we're talking about 3 seats which is serious straw-clutch if they need to be relied on to gain an advantage.

[Craig 6682]

BTW I firmly believe that if the country gets a referendum on electoral reform, we'll see massive support for a presidental style election of the PM.

 

Blair's leadership was often seen as more presidental than Prime Ministerial and I think there was massive appeal to the electorate for his style - the like of which people may want to see again.

[Renton 21404]

Tories have made a "final offer" of a referendum on AV apparently. Desperation from cocknocker Cameron, as he tries to come to terms with the prospect that he's perhaps not about to move house after all - GORDZUMPED!

 

Came from George Osbourne, didn't it??

 

Absolutely desperate and given the short time since Brown announced that Labour were entering formal discussions with the Lib Dems, it makes the Tories look as weak as piss IMO.

 

Whoever advised them (no-one I'm guessing) on blurting that one out needs their head examined. They're panicking like fuck!!!

 

Gideon clearly needs this guy to haggle for him.

 

[Dr Gloom 21861]

john reid just on bbc news saying labour would be wrong to stagger on alongside the libdems, the public won't accept an alliance of the losers and that the snps, pc and other nationals the lib-lab coalition would need to get on side in order to form a majority will insist that england and not their own countries suffers the worst of the cuts.

 

he's got a point to be fair. it might be a better strategic move for labour to bow out gracefully now, let the lib dems try to force a referendum on pr with the tories then waltz back into power after the tories are remembered for the savage cuts when an election is called in a year or so

[Craig 6682]

tbh John Reid is not the best person to talk about Labour. Still bitter about being dumped as Home Secretary IMO.

[Gemmill 44539]

The 2010 result under different voting mechanisms, out of interest:

 

[Craig 6682]

Can see clearly why the Lib Dems want STV - fucking hell it triples their number of seats!

 

FWIW, despite being a Lib Dem by policy, I have reservation on PR. I think it could muddy the waters on policy and that we could quite easily see parties relaxing their views on what their own supporters believe in so that they get a deal to get back into power.

[Phil 6]

tbh John Reid is not the best person to talk about Labour. Still bitter about being dumped as Home Secretary IMO.

 

 

His point is still valid. Scotland, Wales & NI aren't about the greater good. There's no way any minor government can work. Everyone will get what no-one wants, no wait Gordons gone.

[Christmas Tree 4711]

The whole thing is a disgrace. They should agree a budget and then jump off a cliff.

 

The FPTP system has been shown up for the antiquated pile of shit it is, a system under which real change will never happen because it’s all about vested interest. What’s best for the country hardly comes into it.

 

All they have to do is cut public sector wages by ten perecert across the board, increase the higher rate tax bands a bit and tighten up on tax avoidance by the business community. Spread the pain around instead of indulging in this never ending them and us shite. Why we have to go through all this crap is beyond me.

 

we will go through this crap all the time if pr comes in

[NJS 4375]

You see, all of those PR systems require second, third, nth choices - I'm sure it's not just me who finds that instinctively wrong - if I make a choice I see it as one choice. The Tory is not my nth choice or even my whatever the ordinal for infinity is - he's just not my fucking choice.

 

(Also applies to BNP and UKIP)

[Craig 6682]

tbh John Reid is not the best person to talk about Labour. Still bitter about being dumped as Home Secretary IMO.

 

 

His point is still valid. Scotland, Wales & NI aren't about the greater good. There's no way any minor government can work. Everyone will get what no-one wants, no wait Gordons gone.

 

No it's not - he's no longer a sitting MP and needs to take a leaf out of Lord Steel's book who refuses to speak for the Lib Dems as he is now 'retired'.

 

Should STFU tbh - and I say that as a person who doesn't support the Labour party.

[Dr Gloom 21861]

tbh John Reid is not the best person to talk about Labour. Still bitter about being dumped as Home Secretary IMO.

 

he makes a good point though. how can this rainbow coalition really be stable? too many conflicts of interest if you ask me.

 

i don't want to see the tories in power but a lib-tory alliance might be in the best interests of the country, and of the labour party in the long term.

[Gemmill 44539]

 

Worth watching the whole thing just to see what a prick Boulton is, but from 4:30 on it gets beautiful as Boulton goes into MELTDOWN.

 

Campbell: This is on live TV, Adam. Dignity. Dignity.

 

So unprofessional.

[Dr Gloom 21861]

 

Worth watching the whole thing just to see what a prick Boulton is, but from 4:30 on it gets beautiful as Boulton goes into MELTDOWN.

 

Campbell: This is on live TV, Adam. Dignity. Dignity.

 

So unprofessional.

 

it's genius isn't it. after watching the thick of it, i expected campbell to be the one to lose his rag and start squaring up to boulton.

[Gemmill 44539]

DON'T TELL ME WHAT I THINK!

 

Looks like he can barely catch his breath, the fat shit.

[Craig 6682]

tbh John Reid is not the best person to talk about Labour. Still bitter about being dumped as Home Secretary IMO.

 

he makes a good point though. how can this rainbow coalition really be stable? too many conflicts of interest if you ask me.

 

i don't want to see the tories in power but a lib-tory alliance might be in the best interests of the country, and of the labour party in the long term.

 

I agree with you about the stability. The multi-party coalition cannot get a majority and it'll only need one or two by-elections (how many MPs would resign out of principle) for them them to become ridiculous. What nobody has contemplated is that in a couple of years time, the Tories could be on their own in opposition and could ultimately have a majority. Now how crazy would that be?

[Dr Gloom 21861]

i wish all three party representatives would stop harping on about the national interest when it's blatant that all three parties have their own interests at heart before anything else.

 

seems bizarre that the future government is going to be decided on pr when it wasn't an issue in the election campaign at all

[Christmas Tree 4711]

I respect the various beliefs all of you have be it pto Tory or Labour etc.......

 

But never forget that the majority of this bunch in Westminster are still self serving egotistical wankers.

 

Cameron should have told Clegg to fuck off and the proper Labour MP's who concede they have being beaten are correct.

 

Power corrupts, end of!

 

P.s.

 

I will vote for any party that can sort out 3g connectivity in the Lakes.

[Gemmill 44539]

I will vote for any party that can sort out 3g connectivity in the Lakes.

 

Only stay in cottages with WIFI. That's my policy.

[Park Life 71]

Conservatives bounced into agreeing to PR -labour rebuilding as the Tories oversee economic meltdown. The right routed for good from the next election

 

I sense the machavellian genius of Mandy pulling everybodies strings here

 

[Happy Face 29]

 

Impartial journalism.

 

Strange cos Tony Blair went to Boulton's wedding.

[trophyshy 7073]

I will vote for any party that can sort out 3g connectivity in the Lakes.

 

Only stay in cottages with WIFI. That's my policy.

 

A sensible policy in undulating landscapes.

[Gemmill 44539]

Kay Burley going fucking apeshit at an electoral reform protestor at the weekend too. By the end of the "interview" she's on a full-on rag-week rant.