Election 2015 (9 Viewers)

[Tad]

So, the election is coming round pretty fast and as usual the parties are turning up the heat to get into power. What are your thoughts on the matter?

Personally, I'm uncertain. I don't think another Tory government would be good for the country, but at the same time I don't trust Labour due to the sheer incompetence they've displayed so far. Both seem worrying to the country for different reasons.

Now more then ever I'm tempted to vote for a different party. I'm kinda interested in the Lib Dems as they seem a more safer option in terms of policies and confidence.

Here's a good quiz to see where you sit with each party: https://uk.isidewith.com/political-quiz

 

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[Otis]

I am sick to the back teeth of most of them to be honest.

Cannot stand David Cameron. I find him slimy and smug and disingenuous. By the same token though I do not like Ed Milliband either.

As a person I quite like Nick Clegg. At least he has the honesty to admit to his mistakes, but I find myself growing ever further away from the 3 main parties to be honest and am very tempted to vote for the Green Party come election day.

We need to move away from the stale old and a new era needs to dawn for us to move forwards I feel.

 

[Nick]

They all seem to chat absolute shit, and hammer my letterbox with flyers.

 

[olderskyblue]

I don't tend to have many political discussions these days, but in the past, it did seem like people had their colours well and truly nailed to the mast, and whatever their respective favoured party did, would not stop them voting for them. I have friends who would still vote labour even if their only policy was to nuke the IOW....

I have voted for both red and blue over the years, depending on what I thought were the best policies being offered (yes, I know offered and then delivered are two separate things...), but I haven't met too many people who have done the same.

Red is a problem for me this time, as I think Ed is a complete tosser, and the thought of the SNP effectively ruling Britain is very worrying....

 

[Tad]

It's interesting you say that Nick, as I've yet to have a single flyer yet which I find odd really.

Otis, I do agree and that feeling is probably more then accurate for a lot of people, but I do sort of think the Lib dems haven't been treated very fairly by the public/media. They were a minority power in the coalition and as such, couldn't get everything done. It also seems the tories have done a good job of passing the blame and taking the credit for some of their ideas during the coalition.

For me personally, the Greens seem dangerous for leaning too far the other way.

 

[Otis]

It's interesting you say that Nick, as I've yet to have a single flyer yet which I find odd really.

Otis, I do agree and that feeling is probably more then accurate for a lot of people, but I do sort of think the Lib dems haven't been treated very fairly by the public/media. They were a minority power in the coalition and as such, couldn't get everything done. It also seems the tories have done a good job of passing the blame and taking the credit for some of their ideas during the coalition.

For me personally, the Greens seem dangerous for leaning too far the other way.

I haven't read their manifesto to be honest this time out. I have in the past and have agreed with a lot of what they have said. Will need to have a look at this election's manifesto before casting my vote.

I don't trust the Tories after Thatcher destroyed the country. Normally my vote goes to Labour and occasionally the Lib Dems, but as I say, I am finding the whole 3 party system tiresome and I think it needs a breath of fresh air to blow away all the cobwebs.

 

[Otis]

Weirdly, the Green Party haven't released their manifesto yet. A bit odd. Apparently it is due out in the next week or so.

Ohh, just checking and I see Labour's isn't out yet either.

 

[Otis]

So, the election is coming round pretty fast and as usual the parties are turning up the heat to get into power. What are your thoughts on the matter?

Personally, I'm uncertain. I don't think another Tory government would be good for the country, but at the same time I don't trust Labour due to the sheer incompetence they've displayed so far. Both seem worrying to the country for different reasons.

Now more then ever I'm tempted to vote for a different party. I'm kinda interested in the Lib Dems as they seem a more safer option in terms of policies and confidence.

Here's a good quiz to see where you sit with each party: https://uk.isidewith.com/political-quiz

Ooh errr .

Just did the quiz and my results came out thus;

97% Lib Dem
87% Green
87% Labour
68% UKIP
65% Tory

I knew politics was corrupt. I'm sure if you add all those together it comes to more than 100%.

 

[Tad]

Each percent is how much you agree with each party, not how much percent you as an individual agree with.

As for the manifesto's, yeah. They're not really out there, but you get the idea of what they're trying to do. Mind you, I'm not sure Labour even know what they're doing...

 

[MichaelCCFC]

The Greens signed the Observer/Les Reid letter for an inquiry into CCC so thought that might sway some on here, one way or t'other!

 

[Otis]

The Greens signed the Observer/Les Reid letter for an inquiry into CCC so thought that might sway some on here, one way or t'other!

Think there should indeed be an inquiry into the deal CCC made with Wasps. Think that is entirely right and proper.

 

[jimmyhillsfanclub]

I will, as usual, be making a protest vote.....

If, like me, you don't believe any of the lying cunts from the 3 major parties & can't quite pin your colours to the mast of one of the stronger protest parties (green, ukip etc.) then read this:

http://www.votenone.org.uk/protest_votes_count.html

The message is simple:

"Don't be silent. Vote for a candidate who you trust to work hard for things you believe in, or vote NONE in protest"

 

[Tad]

Usually, I wouldn't mind a protest vote, but it seems too important this time around. Another tory win could see some key building blocks of Britain fall.

 

[Otis]

Usually, I wouldn't mind a protest vote, but it seems too important this time around. Another tory win could see some key building blocks of Britain fall.

I don't want to see either Labour or the Tories with any kind of majority.

The most important election in an age this one I think.

 

[jimmyhillsfanclub]

Usually, I wouldn't mind a protest vote, but it seems too important this time around. Another tory win could see some key building blocks of Britain fall.

.....and another hung parliament or coalition could see us stagnate, return to recession & further the division between regions & the UKs constituent nations...

I fucking hate the Tories and would rather eat elephant shit than vote for the toffs.....but likewise, I wouldn't trust the 2 gormless Ed's with my sons piggy bank, let alone the nations fragile economy....

Both main parties are beholden to the corporates & banks anyway.....the lib dems occasionally make some nice noises but the lying 2-faced clegg twat has fucked that particular party for a generation by getting into bed with the Eton boys at the first whiff of power....

Ukip & the Greens both have 1 or 2 good policies...unfortunately, they also have hundreds of policies that are simply mental......

None of the candidates in my ward represent me or my family.....so I'll be voting "none of the above"

 

[Marty]

UKIP 85%
Conseratives 85%
BNP 77% :facepalm:
Lib Dems 69%
Labour 66%

They're all completely unelectable. I quite like the no nonsense, no bollocks attitude from Farage, and the EU vote is quite important. We didn't sign up to what it has become today, and the Germans bullying the Greeks, the Greeks threatening mass immigration from the middle east, I think we need well out it.

 

[Nick]

What I really don't get is why politicians don't really seem to connect with the younger generation.

I don't claim to be an expert on politics, I see stuff on the news and the broadcasts but it all just comes across as bollocks to get a vote.

I don't expect Cameron to knock on my door or anything, but other than flyers with cheesy grins and loads of "I promise to..." type stuff there isn't much that jumps out and says "you must vote for me".

 

[Tad]

I suspect at one point everyone has taken some interest, but the sheer amount of bs that floats around every political question just turns them away.

As for none of them being electable, I ask what would you prefer then? It's easy to pick fault, but the solution is difficult to find in this case.

 

[Otis]

.....and another hung parliament or coalition could see us stagnate, return to recession & further the division between regions & the UKs constituent nations...

I fucking hate the Tories and would rather eat elephant shit than vote for the toffs.....but likewise, I wouldn't trust the 2 gormless Ed's with my sons piggy bank, let alone the nations fragile economy....

Both main parties are beholden to the corporates & banks anyway.....the lib dems occasionally make some nice noises but the lying 2-faced clegg twat has fucked that particular party for a generation by getting into bed with the Eton boys at the first whiff of power....

Ukip & the Greens both have 1 or 2 good policies...unfortunately, they also have hundreds of policies that are simply mental......

None of the candidates in my ward represent me or my family.....so I'll be voting "none of the above"

I'd be interested to know what mental policies the Green's have.

I had their manifesto years and years ago (probably before Blair was in power) and I agreed with nearly all of it. Just wonder what they have changed to now have mental policies.

 

[stupot07]

Labour 87%
Lib Dems 83%
Green 80%
Tory's 61%
UKIP 54%


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - so please excuse any spelling or grammar errors

 

[Covstu]

During the debate on ITV, i would have voted for SNP handsdown, they were about the only one that had a balanced viewpoint. Of course you can lock the doors to the UK and vote UKIP which sadly will have increasing influence with the idiots out there voting for them but they are about the only one who is connecting to the younger voter.

Cannot stand Milliband, getting sick of the zero hours debate already that Labour seem intent on ramming down people's throats and spend our way out of poverty. Dont really think the tories have lower class voters in mind at all so there is an instant disconect there.

At the moment, i want to vote different so maybe Green but lets see what the manifesto reads like....

 

[Covstu]

Voting outcome:
Lib Dems - 92%
Labour - 90%
Tory - 79%
SNP - 80%

Green was about 70% so probably need to rethink my vote!

 

[Ashdown]

What are the issues affecting our lives in England:
A Health service that is overloaded and set to get worse because of demography and increasing population.
Schools that are overloaded and in disrepair.
Roads that are congested and in poor repair
Employment which has come down but only based on people having to work for appalling wages on fragile contracts, much caused by an abundance of unskilled labour from abroad.
The Environment being degraded by constant house building on greenbelt land.

Overpopulation, overpopulation, overpopulation !! If these increases remain unchecked then they are at the core of everything else gradually failing. It's not racist to talk about the EU and immigration and the relevant costs and effects on quality of life for all of those on this crowded little Island.

 

[jimmyhillsfanclub]

I'd be interested to know what mental policies the Green's have.

I had their manifesto years and years ago (probably before Blair was in power) and I agreed with nearly all of it. Just wonder what they have changed to now have mental policies.

I feel a little harsh labelling it "mental"....especially as a core health policy of theirs is to dramatically increase funding for mental health issues.....

but therein lies the problem.....the Greens appear to want to spend more than the other 3 parties put together whilst preaching sustainability....

All the policies are laudable & ideologically sound, but they're not living in the real world.....its a pie in the sky dreamers manifesto....

they wanna re-inflate the public sector by a million jobs, add 1/2 million cheap sustainable social homes, introduce rent caps, increase the min. wage of £10/hour, completely free uni education, immediate 10% fare reduction across all public transport etc etc etc....all in the first 5 year term....

We'd be asking Greece for a bailout within 18 months.....

Unfortunately, the greens will only ever be a sixth-formers protest vote until either the whole world decides to join in or they inject at least an ounce of financial reality into their policies.....

 

[Tad]

That's the reason I can't take the greens seriously. They have nice ideas, but the world doesn't work the way they wished unfortunately. As such, just like Labour, I just can't trust them with real power.

 

[Otis]

I feel a little harsh labelling it "mental"....especially as a core health policy of theirs is to dramatically increase funding for mental health issues.....

but therein lies the problem.....the Greens appear to want to spend more than the other 3 parties put together whilst preaching sustainability....

All the policies are laudable & ideologically sound, but they're not living in the real world.....its a pie in the sky dreamers manifesto....

they wanna re-inflate the public sector by a million jobs, add 1/2 million cheap sustainable social homes, introduce rent caps, increase the min. wage of £10/hour, completely free uni education, immediate 10% fare reduction across all public transport etc etc etc....all in the first 5 year term....

We'd be asking Greece for a bailout within 18 months.....

Unfortunately, the greens will only ever be a sixth-formers protest vote until either the whole world decides to join in or they inject at least an ounce of financial reality into their policies.....

Was there one ounce of financial reality in the last Labour government's policies?

 

[Otis]

That's the reason I can't take the greens seriously. They have nice ideas, but the world doesn't work the way they wished unfortunately. As such, just like Labour, I just can't trust them with real power.

But that's the thing Tad, they wouldn't have any real power. The Green's are never going win the election, just the same as the Lib Dems won't and UKIP won't either.

It is now all about the balance of power and whether it be the Tories or Labout in control, both these governments would need reeling in and not being able to be a in a position where they can just implement whatever policy they want willy nilly.

The smaller parties are key to this election and I don't think we need to fear them or dismiss them. I think they will help rein in whichever party gets into power.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Was there one ounce of financial reality in the last Labour government's policies?

Loads.

Don't be fooled by the 'media macro'. The Tories managed to establish a myth of Labour profligacy causing the financial crash as Labour were busy electing a new leader. It's been a very effective political strategy, and a compliant media has made the entire battleground about the deficit and the assumption that Labour were poor stewards of the economy. It drives most economists batty - not because they are necessarily Labour supporters, but because we've moved into a post-truth media.

Have a looky at this article for starters: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ramesh-patel/growth-cameron-austerity_b_2007552.html

 

[Otis]

Loads.

Don't be fooled by the 'media macro'. The Tories managed to establish a myth of Labour profligacy causing the financial crash as Labour were busy electing a new leader. It's been a very effective political strategy, and a compliant media has made the entire battleground about the deficit and the assumption that Labour were poor stewards of the economy. It drives most economists batty - not because they are necessarily Labour supporters, but because we've moved into a post-truth media.

Have a looky at this article for starters: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ramesh-patel/growth-cameron-austerity_b_2007552.html

Did they not leave a message in the treasury saying they were sorry, but they had run out of money?

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Did they not leave a message in the treasury saying they were sorry, but they had run out of money?

It's a tradition for departing ministers to leave a note for their successors. Liam Byrne did so, in a jesty spirit, and the Tories decided to use it as a political weapon. Even some high Tories were disapproving of that (as they have been of many of Osborne's short-term political tactics).

Nobody in their right mind can believe that Byrne was callous about the financial situation - and I'm sure he regrets leaving that note every day - but it helped frame their narrative of Labour crashing the economy. Simple and cheap and it works. I mean, we're here discussing it right now instead of the facts that count such as Labour's record on reducing the deficit, reducing the national debt as a share of GDP, increasing value per head, etc.

 

[Paxman II]

It's not so much about the respective parties but about policy surely?

For example do you want in or out of Europe?
Do you want Trident or not?
Do you accept the NHS will always be a disaster area for politicians? (yet envied around the world)
Which party will sustain a decent economy?
...and it goes on.

Pick the policies that best suits your agenda. The problem is of course with our system that could mean votes being wasted so say the commentators? What if for example everyone with a true conviction for UKIP actually were brave enough to vote for them en masse?

As far as SNP goes they are only fielding candidates in Scotland so why would you want them to hold sway in Westminster? Same goes for the Welsh, N.Irleland etc.

It seems the choices are in reality, Tories, Labour, Lib Dems or UKIP.

Whatever you do stop listening to the general media and the bias they propagate. Politicians too for that matter!

 

[Colonel Mustard]

It's not so much about the respective parties but about policy surely?

It should be, but too often it's not. It's a bit of a phenomenon how so many people vote against their own best interests. There's a good book about the subject: linky

Whatever you do stop listening to the general media and the bias they propagate. Politicians too for that matter!

A good call, but ignorance and 'common sense' isn't enough. People need to educate themselves atop that foundation of doubt. Read widely from opposing sources and resolve to investigate the merit of claims. So much accepted conventional wisdom is guff.

 

[Otis]

It's not so much about the respective parties but about policy surely?

For example do you want in or out of Europe?
Do you want Trident or not?
Do you accept the NHS will always be a disaster area for politicians? (yet envied around the world)
Which party will sustain a decent economy?
...and it goes on.

Pick the policies that best suits your agenda. The problem is of course with our system that could mean votes being wasted so say the commentators? What if for example everyone with a true conviction for UKIP actually were brave enough to vote for them en masse?

As far as SNP goes they are only fielding candidates in Scotland so why would you want them to hold sway in Westminster? Same goes for the Welsh, N.Irleland etc.

It seems the choices are in reality, Tories, Labour, Lib Dems or UKIP.

Whatever you do stop listening to the general media and the bias they propagate. Politicians too for that matter!

Slightly disagree, Pax.

For me, Thatcher was one of our worst prime minister's in British history and she did this country terrible damage. Until the Conservative party come out and show some regret and apologise for her term in office, then I find I am most reluctant to vote Tory.


It's about the parties too and who you can feel you can trust. I don't trust Cameron and I don't trust Milliband. We all know it is either going to Labour or Conservative with the largest majority, so I will vote for someone else.

No use believing in the policies if you don't trust the leader in charge to deliver those policies.

 

[olderskyblue]

Loads.

Don't be fooled by the 'media macro'. The Tories managed to establish a myth of Labour profligacy causing the financial crash as Labour were busy electing a new leader. It's been a very effective political strategy, and a compliant media has made the entire battleground about the deficit and the assumption that Labour were poor stewards of the economy. It drives most economists batty - not because they are necessarily Labour supporters, but because we've moved into a post-truth media.

Have a looky at this article for starters: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ramesh-patel/growth-cameron-austerity_b_2007552.html

Or you could look at this...

http://brackenworld.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/did-ramesh-patel-get-paid-for-this.html

Always a different view to consider isn't there?

 

[Tad]

But that's the thing Tad, they wouldn't have any real power. The Green's are never going win the election, just the same as the Lib Dems won't and UKIP won't either.

It is now all about the balance of power and whether it be the Tories or Labout in control, both these governments would need reeling in and not being able to be a in a position where they can just implement whatever policy they want willy nilly.

The smaller parties are key to this election and I don't think we need to fear them or dismiss them. I think they will help rein in whichever party gets into power.

I suppose that's part of the problem. People don't see past Tory or Lab and think they're all they can really vote for. Till this mentality goes, it's just going to be a pain for voters that want real change.