British Election Approaching- how would you vote?

[khazalid]

the conservatives are poised to announce details of hypothetical cuts shortly.

as it stands, all the parties have been holding off on the details of them until after the election (set for may)

[Symmetry]

Which party is running a candidate that is publicly speaking about the dangerous fact the British Debt requires a higher percentage of GDP to service that debt than any other country in the world. And does what does that candidate say he/she will do about it? Is there a plan? Is everyone in denial? fill me in please

Ok, there are a few issues here. First of all, British political elections are not the same as American elections for President. No party is really "running a candidate". They are all running many candidates, the leader of the party that gains the majority of votes will become Prime Minister. The selection of whom, within a party, is the leader, and is chosen by internal party politics.

If you'd like an economoc take, I have to say that I feel all of the major parties are weak on the economy. Mostly this election is being fought over issues of governance. Economically, the main parties agree on the need for cuts in public spending. Labour are the party held responsible for the current mess. Conservatives are the party held responsible in the long term, and also considered slightly dishonest. Lib Dems are harsher on the banks, but generally considered inexperienced and slightly naive.

All of the major parties treat the national debt as a major issue. I don't think there's a good plan set out by any of the major parties. I wouldn't call it denial- everyone accepts that their is a problem. I would be, quite frankly, lying if I said I felt that the parties were dealing with it adequately.

At the moment, the Lib Dems seems good to me- Labour and the Conservatives caused all of the big problems, and I don't feel that either party really holds up to their election promises. On the other hand, I'm asking that the better the devil you don't know...

[Titanic]

The budget is coming out soon, next week I think, and the Tories have said they will put forward their economic proposal fairly soon after that.

Darling has already said that there won't be any additional cuts in the budget compared to the ones that they have already taken or announced. I don't expect the Tories to be showing too much of their manifesto in the next weeks either. I really don't think any party is going to be 100% honest on the economy, and they'll just provide a bunch of soundbites with relatively few actual details come April and May.

Add to this that Cameron said they will put forward their own budget within weeks if elected, none of the parties are going to show their true colours as it is going to go down badly in all the unemployed/working class/lower middle class districts if they are cutting public services. On this issue though I think the Tories have it worst as they have said they want abudget neutrality pretty much ASAP, whilst Labour have only committed to cutting the deficit in half over 4 years (coincidentally the same as Obama) .

Finally I'm really interested to see which party comes out first to announce a tax rise. I saw a poll this morning which said more people think the Tories are going to raise taxes then either of the other parties (not by a great margin to be fair) which made me chuckle, but to tackle the current deficit within a small period of time or even in the long period to break the structural deficit of 4%-6% its going to take either some savage public expenditure cuts or some tax increase or (most likely) a mixture of the two.

To summarise I can't see any of the parties being totally honest before the election, but think they will all give an indication of the path they will follow. The debates are going to be fascinating though, especially the one that is focussed on the economy (think it might be the BBC one, Dimbleby rocks!)

[joecoolfrog]

No one wants to win this election. That's why the conservatives have made f*ck all noise whilst the banking system collapsed.
The Tories were all for less legislation and the same thing would of happened with them in charge, instead of Labour. The next party will inherit the biggest pile of steaming shit since that scene in Jurassic Park.

Me, I'll be voting BNP. They won't win, but at least my protest vote will be there.

I live in London, and if you listen to a politician in front of a tv camera they will describe it as a vibrant multicultural mix but if you live in this "vibrant multicultural mix" instead of retreating to your rich, white only, enclave in the home counties, you know exactly just how little the various colours and religions interact.

I'm just hoping that with so many MP's standing down after the expenses scandal (approx 1/3rd are standing down), the new influx of MP's have enough of a grip on the real world to be able to make a difference to the average Joe in the street.

So many of these career politicians have known nothing except politics since leaving uni, they are fucking useless.

Oh and btw. UKIP is the BNP for people who food shop at M&S.

But Pedro you dont live in Inner London, you live in Essex, I know your area very well and it certainly didn't need immigration to turn it into a crap hole ,the locals had done a fine job years ago. I have lived in pretty bad parts of London, also for a long time in Kent ( which gets a lot more immigrants than Essex ) yet I despise the BNP, its not where you live thats makes one blame outsiders ,its how much you need to have a scapegoat.

[BigBallinStalin]

No one wants to win this election. That's why the conservatives have made f*ck all noise whilst the banking system collapsed.
The Tories were all for less legislation and the same thing would of happened with them in charge, instead of Labour. The next party will inherit the biggest pile of steaming shit since that scene in Jurassic Park.

Me, I'll be voting BNP. They won't win, but at least my protest vote will be there.

I live in London, and if you listen to a politician in front of a tv camera they will describe it as a vibrant multicultural mix but if you live in this "vibrant multicultural mix" instead of retreating to your rich, white only, enclave in the home counties, you know exactly just how little the various colours and religions interact.

I'm just hoping that with so many MP's standing down after the expenses scandal (approx 1/3rd are standing down), the new influx of MP's have enough of a grip on the real world to be able to make a difference to the average Joe in the street.

So many of these career politicians have known nothing except politics since leaving uni, they are fucking useless.

Oh and btw. UKIP is the BNP for people who food shop at M&S.

But Pedro you dont live in Inner London, you live in Essex, I know your area very well and it certainly didn't need immigration to turn it into a crap hole ,the locals had done a fine job years ago. I have lived in pretty bad parts of London, also for a long time in Kent ( which gets a lot more immigrants than Essex ) yet I despise the BNP, its not where you live thats makes one blame outsiders ,its how much you need to have a scapegoat.

Didn't the BNP jump on the "Blame the Jews" wagon all those years ago?

[Gypsys Kiss]

No one wants to win this election. That's why the conservatives have made f*ck all noise whilst the banking system collapsed.
The Tories were all for less legislation and the same thing would of happened with them in charge, instead of Labour. The next party will inherit the biggest pile of steaming shit since that scene in Jurassic Park.

Me, I'll be voting BNP. They won't win, but at least my protest vote will be there.

I live in London, and if you listen to a politician in front of a tv camera they will describe it as a vibrant multicultural mix but if you live in this "vibrant multicultural mix" instead of retreating to your rich, white only, enclave in the home counties, you know exactly just how little the various colours and religions interact.

I'm just hoping that with so many MP's standing down after the expenses scandal (approx 1/3rd are standing down), the new influx of MP's have enough of a grip on the real world to be able to make a difference to the average Joe in the street.

So many of these career politicians have known nothing except politics since leaving uni, they are fucking useless.

Oh and btw. UKIP is the BNP for people who food shop at M&S.

But Pedro you dont live in Inner London, you live in Essex, I know your area very well and it certainly didn't need immigration to turn it into a crap hole ,the locals had done a fine job years ago. I have lived in pretty bad parts of London, also for a long time in Kent ( which gets a lot more immigrants than Essex ) yet I despise the BNP, its not where you live thats makes one blame outsiders ,its how much you need to have a scapegoat.

Didn't the BNP jump on the "Blame the Jews" wagon all those years ago?

The BNP will jump on any wagon thats facing the right direction...

I'll be voting Tory. I dont believe in all this protest voting. You can protest all you like but its still going to be Tory or Labour government. Unless of course, everybody votes for the same minority party and you'll really have something to moan about. I mean, can you imagine the state of the country if Griffin was in charge?

[khazalid]

not really

[Titanic]

The BNP will jump on any wagon thats facing the right direction...

I'll be voting Tory. I dont believe in all this protest voting. You can protest all you like but its still going to be Tory or Labour government. Unless of course, everybody votes for the same minority party and you'll really have something to moan about. I mean, can you imagine the state of the country if Griffin was in charge?

I agree. Protest voting is stupid, just vote for the one that represent you best otherwise you're just going to whine about it if your protest guy actually wins.

[Pedronicus]

The chances of a BNP member winning the seat that I'll be voting in is 0.00000001%

This seat is such a safe Tory seat, the last Conservative MP's was Norman Tebbit and currently it's Ian Duncan Smith.

I'd much rather see the Liberals win, but they won't. It's always a carve up between Labour and Conservative.

Voting is pointless if you want to see a real change from the two main parties.

[Symmetry]

The chances of a BNP member winning the seat that I'll be voting in is 0.00000001%

This seat is such a safe Tory seat, the last Conservative MP's was Norman Tebbit and currently it's Ian Duncan Smith.

I'd much rather see the Liberals win, but they won't. It's always a carve up between Labour and Conservative.

Voting is pointless if you want to see a real change from the two main parties.

The thing is- neither the Labour party or the Conservatives are likely to gain a majority even if they win. Voting Lib Dem will actually have an effect beyond protest voting because their support will be needed to pass legislation.

So, sure, I don't think they'll win, but they seem likely to become the power behind the throne of whoever gets elected.

[jonesthecurl]

I found myself without an obvious choice "who to vote for" once the labour party took Blair as a leader.

I warned 'em. I said, "Don't pick him for leader".

They said "At least we might win - people wll vote for him."

I said "putting Blair in charge of socialism is like making me a football referee - I don't understand it, I have no love for it, and I'd only spoil it for everyone else."

But they didn't listen.

[khazalid]

*to the tune of the fun-loving criminals song*

got some friends back in eton public school / tryin'a get themselves elected!

[billy07]

I found myself without an obvious choice "who to vote for" once the labour party took Blair as a leader.

I warned 'em. I said, "Don't pick him for leader".

They said "At least we might win - people wll vote for him."

I said "putting Blair in charge of socialism is like making me a football referee - I don't understand it, I have no love for it, and I'd only spoil it for everyone else."

But they didn't listen.

such a pity blair wasn't a big socialist. we could've harked back to the 3 day week and shortages of everything, just like the last time we had socialists in power.

[jonesthecurl]

Obviously I'll disagree with you there, but my point was that the Labour party stopped being a socialist party at that point (or that was at least a major milepost in the distancing of the Labour party from the left wing: there were a number of others).

[bradleybadly]

To the Brits: Is there any method to the madness that I watch on CSPAN when Parliament is in session? Maybe what I'm watching isn't even really considered an official session of parliament. Every once in awhile I see Gordon Brown getting up and talking about something and then everybody in the chamber starts yelling. In our Congress, everybody has a specific alloted amount of time to speak either for or against something. Although sometimes people interrupt, there's supposed to be a certain procedure for that too. I think it's called a point of order. To me, it seems like the Brits just all enjoy yelling but it's probably cause I don't understand how the customs work over there.

[jbrettlip]

when is this election? I only ask, since I accidently made a bet on it, for a whopping $2 way back in OCT.

[khazalid]

when is this election? I only ask, since I accidently made a bet on it, for a whopping $2 way back in OCT.

may sometime, they haven't fixed the exact date yet as far as i know.

[jonesthecurl]

To the Brits: Is there any method to the madness that I watch on CSPAN when Parliament is in session? Maybe what I'm watching isn't even really considered an official session of parliament. Every once in awhile I see Gordon Brown getting up and talking about something and then everybody in the chamber starts yelling. In our Congress, everybody has a specific alloted amount of time to speak either for or against something. Although sometimes people interrupt, there's supposed to be a certain procedure for that too. I think it's called a point of order. To me, it seems like the Brits just all enjoy yelling but it's probably cause I don't understand how the customs work over there.

Yes, there's rules.
They are imposed by the Speaker, but a certain amount of leeway is usual, dpending one what's actually going on.

[jbrettlip]

when is this election? I only ask, since I accidently made a bet on it, for a whopping $2 way back in OCT.

may sometime, they haven't fixed the exact date yet as far as i know.

WOw, maybe thats how we should run them in the US. Save me from all the tv ads, just randomly hold elections!

I bet on conservatives taking power, and parlayed it with the Buffalo Bills covering..I am sure I am the only person in the world to parlay those two wagers. I think I win $6 on my original 2. WOOHOO!!!

[Symmetry]

when is this election? I only ask, since I accidently made a bet on it, for a whopping $2 way back in OCT.

may sometime, they haven't fixed the exact date yet as far as i know.

WOw, maybe thats how we should run them in the US. Save me from all the tv ads, just randomly hold elections!

I bet on conservatives taking power, and parlayed it with the Buffalo Bills covering..I am sure I am the only person in the world to parlay those two wagers. I think I win $6 on my original 2. WOOHOO!!!

The elections aren't random- they just don't fall on a specific date. That date is decided on by parliament. It's possible for a party that is losing power to call an early election while it still has a majority. This is usually considered a form of political suicide. One the election date is announced, there's plenty of space between the announcement and election day for campaigning. An election must be called before the 3rd of June. The actual date is undecided, but it will be within the next few months.

[jonesthecurl]

There is a time-frame in which an election can be called. it cannot be called earlier then date x. It cannot be called later than date y. One of the great skills of UK politics is to decide exactly when to call the election.

[Symmetry]

There is a time-frame in which an election can be called. it cannot be called earlier then date x. It cannot be called later than date y. One of the great skills of UK politics is to decide exactly when to call the election.

This- better than my clumsy words.

[Symmetry]

We just had the first of a series of debates between the chancellors and party leaders of each of the three main parties, so I'll bump this rather than starting a new thread. General consensus is that the Liberal Democrats came out best in the chancellors and leaders debates.

[khazalid]

for sure. clegg did really well.

was a bit surprised cameron was ahead of brown on the poll afterwards though. i thought cameron had an awful performance. he was toothless in attack and repetitive in defence.

particularly liked clegg's attack on cameron over the grossly over-egged curbing of government/civil service waste (which is supposed to guard against the need for dramatic cuts in spending on core services according to the tories).

[firth4eva]

Lib dems take the lead in the polls now. Just shows how stupid people are.