The Political Thread

[Steve Green]

I'd love to know whether a media focus on UKIP and anti-UKIP stuff on social media has much of an effect, or if it just reinforces whichever side you're on.

I was quite surprised that Labour didn't do worse, with Cameron actually offering an in/out referendum, and Miliband's not exactly a star performer.

Anyway, my local council has swung to Labour from NOC. UKIP doesn't seem to have done as well in London.

I also spotted Magna being used for the Rotheram count last night - a step sideways from the unsavoury types that filled the place when we were making Judge Minty.

[TordelBack]

I didn't vote Baryonyx, there was something fishy about it; I went for Troodon instead, it was the smart choice! Z

First guffaw of the day!

Vote Gorehead - tough on time-travelling cowboys, tough on the causality of time-travelling cowboys.

[Jim_Campbell]

UKIP doesn't seem to have done as well in London.

UKIP polls less well where there actual immigrants shock!

Yeah... they score well in areas where people pretty much wouldn't know what an immigrant was if one moved in next door to them and married their daughter. Apart from that nice man who runs the local takeaway, but he's not a proper immigrant, you understand....

Gah.

Jim

[TordelBack]

Tordelwife and I were the only people in the polling station this morning the whole time we were there.  The ballot papers were filled with people - and indeed whole parties - I had never heard of, and I've been taking a decent amount of interest in proceedings, talking to cadgers at the door, reading bamf and even looking at Council and European voting records.

Only one thing is clear: Sinn Fein consistently have the best-looking candidates, and plenty of 'em, so I imagine the new thumbnail photos on the ballot paper benefit them hugely.  If it was a vote for which M/F pairing you'd like to see in a naughty film, they'd have my 1 and 2, as opposed to me not giving them a preference of any kind, because I own a memory.

Round here this has been the election of big stupid grins on posters, and while initially it annoyed me, as the weeks wore on I noticed that Labour's candidates (who along with the various Anti-Austerity chaps have generally retained the grim tight-lipped demeanour of the proletariat) look badly out of place amongst all the expensive dentistry and I have to resist the urge to wish they'd cheer the feck up. 

We're living in a dentocracy.

[JamesC]

Just want to say thanks to the people on this thread who know a lot more about politics than I do and have actually taught me a few things.

[GordonR]

UKIP doesn't seem to have done as well in London.

UKIP polls less well where there actual immigrants shock!

And also where - by a party spokesperson's own admission - the electorate leans toward being "educated, cultured and young."

So they're saying they know their natural voter base is the uneducated, the uncultured and the old?

/looks at the available evidence on this very thread

Yep.

[Jim_Campbell]

have actually taught me a few things.

I thought that was Roger's mum?

Cheers!

Jim

[Hawkmumbler]

have actually taught me a few things.

I thought that was Roger's mum?

Cheers!

Jim

'Shots where fired, missiles where launched'

[Dandontdare]

Dear me

From the BBC

The Conservatives have lost control of Maidstone Borough Council while UKIP has gained four seats.

Can't wait to watch the local news tonight.

Maidstone looks like an interesting one - tories have 25 on a 55 seat council, so don't have a majority but can win a vote if  any of the non-labour [parties vote with them, or even just 3 individuals from across the spectrum.

[Richmond Clements]

Dear me

From the BBC

The Conservatives have lost control of Maidstone Borough Council while UKIP has gained four seats.

Can't wait to watch the local news tonight.

Maidstone looks like an interesting one - tories have 25 on a 55 seat council, so don't have a majority but can win a vote if  any of the non-labour [parties vote with them, or even just 3 individuals from across the spectrum.

Yes, it appears to be full of Right Wing nutters.

[GordonR]

Being thick, I always choose who I want to be in charge of council refuse-collecting and local planning permission committees based on what they think of Europe.

[Theblazeuk]

UKIP were quite clear, they are sending it all back wherever it came from.

Doesn't bode well for the bins

[Old Tankie]

UKIP doesn't seem to have done as well in London.

UKIP polls less well where there actual immigrants shock!

And also where - by a party spokesperson's own admission - the electorate leans toward being "educated, cultured and young."

So they're saying they know their natural voter base is the uneducated, the uncultured and the old?

/looks at the available evidence on this very thread

Yep.

Yep, that's me.  Come on Nige!

[Frank]

Am I the only one who can't quite see the evidence of the political earthquake I've been hearing about on the radio all day?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/events/vote2014/england-council-election-results

UKIP are now less than half as powerful and influential (in local government) as the Lib-Dems, who took an absolute tanking. UKIP increased their number of seats, but that's not difficult if you're starting from a base of just 2, and Farage currently has less than 10% of the number of seats that gormless Ed Miliband managed to muster. I'm not sure the age of four party politics is upon us just yet.

[Mattofthespurs]

Voted yesterday.
In the council elections my choice, an independent, won. The only candidate to actually make an effort and address the issues of the place I live. hallelujah!

In the Euro bollocks I voted Labour. Was interested to note that out of the twelve parties 3 were outright (and proud of it) racist whilst the fourth were clearly xenophobic (no guesses needed there). Not a chance. Cons will win this easily because I live in Cambridgeshire.

Oh well, one out of two ain't bad.