The Political Thread

[Slip de Garcon]

A lot of voters have lost their appetite for electoral reform now that they've seen what happens when the LibDems hold the keys to power, i.e. they just hand it over to the Tories.

With respect, if Labour had beaten the Tories but still a hung parliament, I imagine the Lib Dems would've handed over power to Labour. Same result, different tie.   

[House of Usher]

A lot of voters have lost their appetite for electoral reform now that they've seen what happens when the LibDems hold the keys to power, i.e. they just hand it over to the Tories.

With respect, if Labour had beaten the Tories but still a hung parliament, I imagine the Lib Dems would've handed over power to Labour. Same result, different tie.  

With respect, a) going into a coalition doesn't mean letting the Tories get away with all the ideological crap they pull that has nothing to do with cutting the deficit, in exchange for what? A referendum the LibDems couldn't win anyway; and b) if Labour had beaten the Tories in last May's hung parliament election the LibDems would probably have gone into coalition with Labour and could have expected to lose all the support it gets from the right.

Incidentally, shifting to the right has cost the LibDems a fall in popularity from 24% to 10%, so it's hard to imagine that a shift to the left could have cost them anywhere nearly as big a fall. Of the 10% of voters who still support the LibDems some will be die-hard supporters who hate the direction the party has taken but are clinging to it in the hope it can still be saved.

Last May Nick Clegg let the numbers decide rather than the political leanings of his support base. In effect, he discounted the LibDem voters' views and just compared how many seats the Tories and Labour had won, and went with the party who got the most. His decision should not have come down to numbers, it should have come down to political philosophy. Clegg evidently decided the LibDems' political philosophy (whatever it is) was closer to that of the Tories than Labour or he couldn't justify giving his voters what they didn't vote for. Clearly his voters beg to differ, and no doubt many will have learned from the experience: once bitten, twice shy.

It was nice of the LibDems to sacrifice their party "in the national interest," as Cleggie put it on the Andrew Marr show yesterday, but except for the ones who already vote Conservative and believe all that bollocks about appeasing international credit rating agencies, the electorate won't thank him for it. Instead they will punish him for it forever.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

They do say that a Liberal is just a Conservative that hasn't had a crime committed against them yet!

[vzzbux]

No matter who won the election we would still be bitching at what they are doing. I don't think it matters who is in power the results will be the same. Our county is fucked and cuts are necessary. At least it is across the board and not concentrated in a certain area, Probably why so many of us are so pissed off.
The problem with labour in the past is that they got stagnant because they were in power too long and just felt like they could do what they wanted. The same happened with the Conservatives previously. Since Thatcher got in power this is only our second swap of power. Thats pretty shit for a thirty plus year period.
I think regular change at the top is a good thing. It keeps the bastards on their toes.






V

[Slip de Garcon]

Last May Nick Clegg let the numbers decide rather than the political leanings of his support base.

The maths just didn't add up to Clegg being able to form a stable coalition with Labour. IIRC they would have had to coalesce (is that the word?) with the Green MP, and various Celtic Fringe nationalist parties that they may or may not be in opposition to in their home nations. And even then it was touch and go.

[House of Usher]

Our county is fucked and cuts are necessary. At least it is across the board and not concentrated in a certain area, Probably why so many of us are so pissed off.

Britain really isn't fucked:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13325999

"The rich are getting richer, with the combined wealth of Britain's richest 1,000 up 18% in the past year to £396bn."

and the cuts are not evenly distributed:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jan/13/council-cuts-poorest-worst-hit

"The government has been accused of targeting the most deprived towns and cities with cuts, forcing councils in Britain's poorest areas to rapidly expand existing plans to shed thousands of jobs and reduce frontline services.
Local authority leaders say changes to the way cash is distributed among councils will ensure Britain's poorest areas are worst affected."

http://www.u.tv/News/NI-lower-incomes-worst-hit-by-cuts/e7b05463-994f-4528-b348-1251244c1445

"Northern Ireland will be one of the worst hit areas when Coalition Government changes to tax and benefits come into place.
According to new research commissioned by Law Centre (NI), people in the region will suffer more than any other parts of the UK - with the exception of those living in London.
Those on lower incomes will be hit the hardest."

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/south_yorkshire_to_be_one_of_worst_hit_by_cuts_1_2994545

"PEOPLE in South Yorkshire will be among the worst hit by the Government's welfare funding cuts, according to a new report released today.
Forecasters at the Centre for Cities say the cuts will be most profoundly felt in areas like South Yorkshire, which have already been badly damaged by the recession and the decline in industry.
They say Barnsley will have received the fifth largest welfare cuts per person in the country by the next General Election in 2015."

[Emperor]

The Tories are opposing EU regulation to stop fuel from tar sands being used (yes I know it isn't a big surprise) and there is a petition on the go to see if we can change their minds:

www.avaaz.org/en/crude_politics/

[Something Fishy]

They do say that a Liberal is just a Conservative that hasn't had a crime committed against them yet!

I've never heard that.  Nice one.

Must admit though that I'm a liberal type and i can't imagine anything could make me vote Tory.  Never say never I guess.

[Peter Wolf]

Must admit though that I'm a liberal type and i can't imagine anything could make me vote Tory.  Never say never I guess.

I say never and i mean it in the same way that i say i will never drive up the M6 backwards.

[Something Fishy]

well i never have yet. i've hated the scuzzers since growing up in a poor family under Maggie.  33% unemployment in my local town and barely a pot to piss in did not endear me to them.

Mind you, at least I didn't need a mortgage to educate my way out of it back then.

[Peter Wolf]

Both political parties in the UK are interchangeable and are all the same to me.

[I forgot about LibDems as they are inconsequential]

Blair MK2 David CaMoron even has his own war that is unpopular and open-ended and unlawful and unethical and highly dubious and a waste of cash just BLiar.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

Having been brought up in a Labour stronghold (Hartlepool) I have nothing but absolute contempt for them. I could see at a young age that they prefer to keep the areas that they control in shit state and then blame the Conservatives. This means that all the Labour supporters in the town act like sheep and can't be bothered to see who is actually running the council and messing everything up for the residents. So long as Labour remain true hypocrites then my contempt for them will never end!

Just look at Lord Kinnock and his family HYPOCRITE'S
Blair HYPOCRITE
Brown HYPOCRITE
Prescott HYPOCRITE

I could go on but what would be the point.

We can all keep blaming the bankers for the state of the world but lets not forget the idiots who LIED to the banks to get a mortgage they couldn't afford, all the people who spend money that they don't have and never will have (and then just make themselves bankrupt and start again), the deluded fools that think getting on reality tv is a job, the feckless and the workshy, etc...

I just get on with my job, do it and then enjoy family life as soon as I get in the door from work. I don't want to be rich, so I don't play the stupid people tax game (that's the Lottery), all I want is to lead a happy family life!

I do feel sorry for people who are having a hard time in this country but only those in true poverty (which the government should get off their arses and help) and not those in relative poverty. That's when these so called poor all seem to have Sky tv, PS3's, latest mobile phones, take aways every night, smoke, drink, etc... Before you all say but John not everyone is like that, I refer you to both of the scum families that made our life hell for two years when they rented the house next door (sorry when my taxes helped pay the rent for next door). Those are the people I'm on about!

I also see that women are complaining that they have to wait till the same age as men now till they get their pension. Well seeing as we kept being told that women live longer it seems only fair. Or do these people only want to be equal when it suits them. I know it's a bit unfair but when I went to school I was told I would get mine at 65 and that's changed, such is life.

If people want to change things why don't they run for the council or become an MP.

Let's just keep blaming the bankers only and that will hide all the other goings on.

I hope you all heard the tax payers alliance talking about the waste that your local councils like to encourge (via the freedom of information act), on the radio last night, very interesting listening. It seems that once people get into the public sector they think it has a bottomless pit of gold to spend. These are the so called nice people and not just the horrible bankers people should be complaining about. The government must be laughing as there is so much (and quite rightly so) hate hurled towards the bankers as it let's the rest of them keep fleecing the public.

There, I feel better now.

As for Drugs.................

[Tombo]

Very well put CF (for a monkey hanger  *), couldn't agree more.


(*and of course I know the legend about the monkey's false, people from Hartlepool don't hang monkeys, they elect them to high office )

[vzzbux]

I do feel sorry for people who are having a hard time in this country but only those in true poverty (which the government should get off their arses and help) and not those in relative poverty. That's when these so called poor all seem to have Sky tv, PS3's, latest mobile phones, take aways every night, smoke, drink, etc... Before you all say but John not everyone is like that, I refer you to both of the scum families that made our life hell for two years when they rented the house next door (sorry when my taxes helped pay the rent for next door). Those are the people I'm on about!

I also see that women are complaining that they have to wait till the same age as men now till they get their pension. Well seeing as we kept being told that women live longer it seems only fair. Or do these people only want to be equal when it suits them. I know it's a bit unfair but when I went to school I was told I would get mine at 65 and that's changed, such is life.

Bingo to all what you have just posted Just like to highlight these two paragraphs.

The first. I see this day in day out during installs. Rather have the non essentials than keep little Jack and Jenny happy and comfortable, they are arguing over whether to spend the last £10 on a wrap or food for the kids (I actually hear this on a semi regular basis which almost breaks my heart).

The second. Some women seem to want it all, Equal rights and a man to be chivalrous, sorry luv chivalry died with feminism.



V

[Something Fishy]

Have to agree with CF for sure.