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JasonZavoda
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Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 5:30 pm

red_bus wrote:Exit polls just in - showing a likely hung Parliament (hooray!!!), but the Conservatives with over 300 seats (boooo!!!). Results to come in a few hours...

I'd understand what Conservative would mean in the USA, but what does conservative mean in England?

red_bus
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Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 5:35 pm

All three main parties in the UK are a bit to the left of the parties in the US, but the Conservatives are probably closer to the Republican party. They are generally for smaller government, lower benefits, lower taxes. Although I am not a Con voter - I actually do think they are right on, on some policies (e.g. stronger civil liberties).

A lot of people were quite impressed with Cameron - he is young, energetic and has played to the middle ground more than the Conservative party has done so in recent years. But we have a parliamentary system here, not a presidential system, so people actually vote for a local candidate (even if they like the party leader). And so it could all get a bit complicated if no-one party has a majority (that is 326 seats out of 650 in the chamber).

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Johnson
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Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 5:47 pm

Hi,

predicting the Lib-Dems with less seats than last time.

Looks like we havent got 3-party politics yet....

Cheers,
Malc

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red_bus
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Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 5:52 pm

I was really shocked about that - they were talking 100 seats. Only 59!

Still, exit polls have been well wrong before.

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Badmike
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Posted: Thu May 06, 2010 11:46 pm

Kingofpain89 wrote:*sniff*....I smell trouble:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36981179?GT1=43001

Jeez, if this had happened in Texas, I can almost guarantee a riot at the school and at least one school administrator would have had his ass beaten by an angry parent.

Beaten? Try "shot".

Not surprised, they were in the People's Socialist Republic of California, Frisco Division......

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Badmike
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 12:00 am

Rabbit_67 wrote:The current Greek tragedy shows us that democratic welfare states, predicated on the belief that citizens have the right to live at the expense of fellow citizens, are economically untenable and inherently suicidal. (not my words, but very accurate).

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Europe-fa ... et=&ccode=

We are actually very lucky that in our lifetime we get to see the total and absolute failure and possible destruction of a country that was entirely a welfare state, thus hopefully :idea:

preventing it from happening again anytime soon....that is, unless Spain, Portuagal, and Italy soon follow suit......

Mike B.

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ashmire13
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 2:31 am

red_bus wrote:I was really shocked about that - they were talking 100 seats. Only 59!

Still, exit polls have been well wrong before.

looks like they did even worse! Still, at least Cons haven't won outright :lol:

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Johnson
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 2:41 am

Hiya,

jeez, its reminiscent of the david steel speech - "go back to your constituencies and prepare for governement" when they got thumped.

And how much of a lead have the Conservatives thrown away in the last 6 months?

Looks like for any half-effective Opposition the Libs will have to get into bed with Labour, and Clegg has made some quite unpleasant comments about Brown

No BNP wins tho - good. One Green MP!

Cheers,
malc

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ashmire13
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 2:51 am

sounds like by~elections are imminent for areas where they ran out of ballot papers :roll:

and another general election within the year.

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Johnson
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 3:29 am

Hi,

a score draw!

Its looking like a true hung parliament.

I don't think anyone can form a government.

Cheers,
Malc

EDIT: tell a lie, Lib Dems could go with the Tories.

I have a plan so cunning, you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel.

red_bus
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 7:11 am

Badmike wrote:
We are actually very lucky that in our lifetime we get to see the total and absolute failure and possible destruction of a country that was entirely a welfare state
Mike B.

(again, much mirth

)

Don't worry Mike, no European country is entirely a welfare state - we all have private sectors as well. And Greece will not be 'destroyed' or 'fail' anytime soon. To be sure they are having to change their policies and cut back that deficit - which will be a bit painful. But they will manage fine. â€¦

As we will with our own cuts in the UK - when we get round to deciding who will run the country :lol:

(at time of writing, the news is reporting that Clegg will offer Lib Dem support to Cameron 1st, but Labour has the constitutional right to try and form a government first. It appears that anything can happen

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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 7:13 am

lawrenson wrote:Hi,

a score draw!
Its looking like a true hung parliament.
I don't think anyone can form a government.
Cheers,
Malc

EDIT: tell a lie, Lib Dems could go with the Tories.

I know... WTF? Still might be nice to see Brown OUT even if it means Cameron with his shiny fat porky-pie fingers gets his hands on the keys to No. 10.

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Johnson
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 8:08 am

Hi,

I can't see a Con-Lib pact lasting more than 6 months.

Is that enough to "blood in" a new Labour leader?

Cheers,
Malc

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ashmire13
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 8:17 am

lawrenson wrote:Hi,

I can't see a Con-Lib pact lasting more than 6 months.

Is that enough to "blood in" a new Labour leader?

Cheers,
Malc

I was discussing the exact same thing to my wife this morning. I can see wrangling for a while and then maybe a Miliband or Balls going for leadership and a general election called with a new vigorous dynamic Labour leader.

Could be the way forward..?

LibDem/Con pact won't last long, unless Clegg wants the electoral reform hammered through quick??

The radio reports that (in round figures) 10mill voted Con, 8mill Lab and 7 Mill Lib-Dem. But Libs end with around 50 odd seats, as opposed to 300ish to the other two...

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jasonw1239
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 8:29 am

In my lifetime in Canada there have been a number of coalition governments formed.

It seems that more reasonable legislation is passed during those periods since the multiple parties have to reach an acceptable compromise. The process always takes longer because of the negotiations involved but the final decisions seem more palatable.

A strong government that can pass whatever they want by voting as a monolithic block always seems to divide the country with their decisions.

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red_bus
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 8:51 am

ashmire13 wrote:
The radio reports that (in round figures) 10mill voted Con, 8mill Lab and 7 Mill Lib-Dem. But Libs end with around 50 odd seats, as opposed to 300ish to the other two...

I know - politicians here have often talked about how our 1st pass-the-post system worked better than many continental European systems of PR and coalition government. And it has often avoided the kind of awkward coalition fudges you see (e.g. Ireland?). But it can't work with three party politics and millions of people are effectively disenfranchised by the system as is. ... That is, as opposed to being disenfranchised by being merely locked out of polling stations - he groans - can't we run an election properly?

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Last edited by red_bus on Fri May 07, 2010 9:08 am, edited 1 time in total.

red_bus
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 8:53 am

jasonw1239 wrote:
It seems that more reasonable legislation is passed during those periods since the multiple parties have to reach an acceptable compromise. The process always takes longer because of the negotiations involved but the final decisions seem more palatable.

A strong government that can pass whatever they want by voting as a monolithic block always seems to divide the country with their decisions.

Sounds sensible. Here in the UK I think maybe a little more discussion amongst politicians before making decisions might not always be a bad thing. :lol:

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ashmire13
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2010 9:26 am

red_bus wrote:That is, as opposed to being disenfranchised by being merely locked out of polling stations - he groans - can't we run an election properly?

I know, I couldn't believe that when I heard this morning! I can see by-elections taking place as a result, so a true vote is obtained, providing all those still do!

Amusingly, a 'safe' seat in Oxford blamed his loss as part of this with many people being locked out after the polling station ran out of voting forms.

His argument failed (as they normally do) once the radio interviewer pointed out that he had lost by around 7000 votes... not counting the swing away from his normal majority! :lol:

A Con MP of 27 years admitted that his shock defeat probably had a lot to do with his expenses claims becoming public, including £30,000 for gardening work, which included a load of horse manure. Normally I consider MPs talk enough as it is without buying it in... :wink:

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