UK general election May 2015

[Laika]

meanwhile, the Twitter sphere is taking the election very seriously...

https://40.media.tumblr.com/fd8ff57d2663430bea0f23785c0b3be8/tumblr_nmzravX8hF1utqdv6o1_500.jpg

 

[Rick O'Shez]

Did anyone see that TV interview with Ed Millipede last night? I thought he came across quite badly, very evasive in his responses and trotting out the same old cliches.

PS The high priest of the Kipperati is being interviewed tomorrow.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I cannot understand why labour is held responsible for the Crash as it had far more to do with The american financial system and politics which is far to the right of even our Tories.
Trule labour were in power But our financial system had been deregulated by the Tories not Labour.
And Up to that moment UK Plc was doing as well as anybody.
True the financial world had been out of anyones control for years and had been inventing various scams to enrich itself in its new found freedom.
But it was sort of working til the American sub prime debacle pulled the rug from under the entire structure.
None of this was Labour Policy at work.
True they should have reversed the Tory financial deregulation.
But nobody saw what was about to befall... including the Tories.

I suppose it is only natural for a Tory to blame Labour for Tory failings.
The problem is we have been paying for it ever since.

 

[Altfish]

You're very wrong. The Nazis were defeated by the use of force, for example.
One could use the argument that, due to nuclear weaponry, armed forces are not needed anymore, but to simply rely on nuclear weaponry to combat the enemy is a reckless idea. And is not better to provided hundreds of thousands of people with jobs over a few hundred to operate a nuclear mechanism?
And if armed humanitarian aid is needed abroad, do you really think that a nuclear weapon is going to help?

Good grief, the Nazis were not terrorists! Hitler had armies and fought a 'standard' war. He didn't blow up underground trains, fly planes into buildings and employ suicide bombers.
I'm AGAINST nuclear weapons, I'd get rid of them tomorrow.
Jobs, yes about the only good thing about wars and conflict; but why not create jobs in useful industries like transport, education, healthcare...we could build HS2 for half the cost of Trident and it would actually get used rather than scrapped in 25-years time when Trident Mark X comes along.

 

[Yerda]

I cannot understand why labour is held responsible for the Crash as it had far more to do with The american financial system and politics which is far to the right of even our Tories.

Labour didn't really do much to combat these claims.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Labour didn't really do much to combat these claims.

True it went into a funk and lost the plot. And at once went into a leadership fight, the result of which surprised everyone.

 

[Ultimatum]

Good grief, the Nazis were not terrorists! Hitler had armies and fought a 'standard' war. He didn't blow up underground trains, fly planes into buildings and employ suicide bombers.

Terrorism has been around for centuries, certainly before the advent of explosives and aircraft. A terrorist is a person who terrorizes or frightens others. Do you not think that every Jew in the world was literally frightened by the Nazis?

I'm AGAINST nuclear weapons, I'd get rid of them tomorrow.

Then how do you plan to carry out any international commitments that may or may not come up?

Jobs, yes about the only good thing about wars and conflict; but why not create jobs in useful industries like transport, education, healthcare

Because any militaria-type international commitment requires the use of an armed force, not a train driver, teacher, or local GP!

...we could build HS2 for half the cost of Trident and it would actually get used rather than scrapped in 25-years time when Trident Mark X comes along.

I agree with your nuclear-scrapping sentiment, but most certainly I would not blow it on a new rail mechanism. And I certainly wouldn't start building one when we don't have the bloody money to in the first place.

 

[Yerda]

I have something in common with 70% of UKIP supporters - I should be voting Green.

http://wsyvf.com/x/rchh

Try the quiz. Who should you vote for? | UK 2015 General Election Quiz (England)

 

[Ultimatum]

I have something in common with 70% of UKIP supporters - I should be voting Green.

This blog is tragic.
It's basically telling us that we should end up with boatloads of debt and more advance socialism in favour of trying to tackle the deficit, debt reduction, and overconsumption.

10/10 would read blog again.

Results:

My buttocks are smooth, my mind is clear: vote UKIP.

 

[Altfish]

I got (app)...

Labour 44
Green 40
Lib Dem 8
Tory -28
UKIP -48

...about right

 

[Altfish]

The first of many if we leave the EU?? Or even if we dither?

HSBC warns of economic risks of UK pulling out of Europe | Business | The Guardian

 

[philbo]

The first of many if we leave the EU?? Or even if we dither?

HSBC warns of economic risks of UK pulling out of Europe | Business | The Guardian

Like many things, the uncertainty beforehand is liable to be worse from a business perspective than actually pulling out: business can plan for things it knows is going to happen, but for something of the scale of a referendum on withdrawing from the EU, you pretty much have to have a contingency for both results & that's a heck of a lot of work, half of which will be discardd either way. It all adds up to a massive expenditure if just the possibility is on the cards.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

Like many things, the uncertainty beforehand is liable to be worse from a business perspective than actually pulling out: business can plan for things it knows is going to happen, but for something of the scale of a referendum on withdrawing from the EU, you pretty much have to have a contingency for both results & that's a heck of a lot of work, half of which will be discardd either way. It all adds up to a massive expenditure if just the possibility is on the cards.

Yes, the uncertainty could be very damaging. I don't think UKIP have properly addressed the question of the damage which could be done to British business, beyond vague references to trading more with other parts of the world.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

I just voted Labour by post, though with a lot of reservations. It was either that or vote Tory, and I couldn't bring myself to do that!

 

[Altfish]

I just voted Labour by post, though with a lot of reservations. It was either that or vote Tory, and I couldn't bring myself to do that!

I'm just about to do the same, again with many reservations. I wish I could have voted "None of the above"

 

[philbo]

I'm just about to do the same, again with many reservations. I wish I could have voted "None of the above"

I'm very tempted to spoil my ballot - my vote's going to be meaningless here & a spoilt ballot's pretty much the only valid protest vote available. Last time I couldn't decide who to vote for because they were all such wastes of time, I wrote a limerick across the ballot. I reckoned the people at the count need something to make 'em smile (and typically a few people at least will see spoiled ballots - the person counting & the returning officer, and then all the election agents have to agree that a ballot isn't voting for them)

 

[oldbadger]

I just voted Labour by post, though with a lot of reservations. It was either that or vote Tory, and I couldn't bring myself to do that!

Under the thumbscrews, and with only a Lab or Con choice, I would have to vote Lab.
Despite our finances being more 'merry' after the last five years, the bedroom tax, reductions in disability support and access, the crushing tightening up of benefits, sick pay and unemployment assistance would cause me to outright discard a Con vote.

Now that nice Mr Farage...........

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

But it doesn't come across as that?!
It comes across as blaming England for all your woes. We KNOW most of the money goes to London, but it does generate a fairly large proportion too. I live in the Manchester area, we have been promised regional government, which could be good. But Manchester has done its own thing anyway. (btw We like trams and can build them on time and to budget).
Many in the north would rather pair up with Scotland than London but Sturgeon needs to be careful, the taunting she is doing of Ed about joining forces is only winning the Tories votes.

Sorry for the delay in reply.

It doesn't come across as that because that's what the media (particularly the Murdoch-aligned media) want you to see and think. They want to whip the English up into an anti-Scots frenzy which will influence their voting decision to be more reactionary than it might be otherwise.

Re: what Sturgeon says to Miliband about joining forces with the SNP; how else will a minority Labour government get legislation through Parliament? The Lib Dems aren't on course to do very well at all which leaves either the SNP or the Tories. And if Labour go into coalition with the Conservatives you can pretty much kiss any claim that Britain is a democracy goodbye.

 

[Altfish]

Sorry for the delay in reply.

It doesn't come across as that because that's what the media (particularly the Murdoch-aligned media) want you to see and think. They want to whip the English up into an anti-Scots frenzy which will influence their voting decision to be more reactionary than it might be otherwise.

Re: what Sturgeon says to Miliband about joining forces with the SNP; how else will a minority Labour government get legislation through Parliament? The Lib Dems aren't on course to do very well at all which leaves either the SNP or the Tories. And if Labour go into coalition with the Conservatives you can pretty much kiss any claim that Britain is a democracy goodbye.

Firstly, I can see through Murdoch and The Mail and Telegraph and its spin. I'm not daft.
I realise that Labour will have to pair up with the SNP to get into Government, but Sturgeon and Salmond are playing into the Tory (and Tory press' hands) hands by goading Miliband.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

And if Labour go into coalition with the Conservatives you can pretty much kiss any claim that Britain is a democracy goodbye.

Funnily enough a Labour-Conservative coalition would be about right for me politically speaking.