Used to be easy. If you liked Cornish cream, you voted Tory (rich, thick and full of clots). If you wanted to keep politics out of politics you voted SDP. If you wore open toed sandals and ate wholemeal pasta you were a liberal and those left over were told to go and live in Russia. Then they invented New Labour. I've got exactly the same quandry as Mog.
[cite]Posted By: shirty5[/cite]The "None of the above" Party.
In Chingford&Woodford Green, one of the candidates has actually changed his name to None of the Above
and that is what will appear on the ballot paper.
[cite]Posted By: Valiantphil[/cite]Folks, please use your vote on May 6th and make democracy work.
Many of our forebears gave their time, careers, and even their lives so that we could choose our own government.
Yep I know we should vote, but the choice is between three candidates all doing their best to grab the middle ground and none of them are saying exactly what they'll do starting from Friday 7th May. As a nation we face some pretty severe problems (a massive budget deficit for one) and there is going to be some pretty severe austerity measures imposed no matter who wins, we deserve to know exactly what those measures are before we vote, not after. The lack of candour from the three main parties does not serve democracy well.
[cite]Posted By: Charlton Charlie[/cite]Am I right in saying that it doesn't matter who you vote for in Greenwich, as Labour will win as the majority is so large?
I will of course be voting, but just not sure whether it is a futile exercise (hint, I live in Greenwich and won't be voting Labour)
Had the Green's round last night - was a decent bloke and liked what he had to say...am considering them for the local election.
That's what they said about Portillo's seat in '97
I did that 'how much is your vote worth' thing and my vote is actually worth 0.014 of a vote (or similar - it was a couple of days ago and deeply depressing) - so quite a large majority.
With campaigns almost exclusively built on "don't vote for them" rhetoric, embarrassing school playground (which the h-o-c has long been) behind the back slurring juxtaposed with body-language and PR sanitised presentation. The only good (imo) that came out of those televised debates is that it gave a platform (well, two out of three times) that wasn't controlled by a Murdoch, not all this "oh he won that, no he won bollox - have we been reduced to this kind of substance-free face value crap?
Labour have over-spent but I cannot deny the improvements in health and education but now they look divided and punch-drunk. The Tories will come in and fook those improvements over and are likely to give even more licence to the avaricious bastards that helped get us into this recession in the first place, they haven't changed. The Lib Dems seem to think that money grows on trees and will be able to do nothing about a world recession as will none of them.
So I look locally. A staunch-blue area where my Labour vote has made little difference over the years. I even voted Tory last time because I was worried the comfort we were in might leave an opening for the BNP. This time I even know the Labour candidate but his policies leave me cold. I quite like some of the Green party's policies but it feels hard to take them seriously (especially with Tatchell on board).
I want to see some action on investment in infrastructure (power and travel), industry (including becoming more self-sufficient in food), education (learning not league tables), health (more patient-centric and responsive to current illnesses - our mental health set-up is near farcical), the environment (mixed with power and industrial policy) and perhaps some ballsy moves to take some power away from those with money - supermarkets, banks and party-investors. I appreciate that I am asking a lot here!
This often lazy nation (me included) will once again not try to upset the apple cart and I don't blame it. This election to me is coming at the wrong time and is going to be based on some seriously ill-informed (me included) voting. Nowt has changed there then.
I'll vote and I still haven't decided who for but whatever happens I'll be disappointed. I just wanted to rant!
I'm still undecided on which party to waste my vote on to get rid of the present incumbent who we never see or hear of in between elections. Too busy filling in his expenses apparently.
Has any party actually come out yet and clarified how they are going to tackle the forthcoming energy crisis when all our power stations are shut, our nuclear ones years from completion and we're reliant on imported gas and it being a bit of windy day to produce a fraction of our energy needs? I've not heard one of them say anything different from the other on the subject.
Sco, your self sufficiency and environmental policies appear to be at odds with each other. Care to explain how we are environmentally friendly without GM foods or by going organic with less than half the yield of pesticide based farming. Just one of the many quandries facing whoever wins this election. I am hoping for a hung parliament with Tories and lib dems forming a government, at least with cable and Osborne(or maybe ken Clarke?) at the helm of the finances they will have the backing of the majority of the voters to support the desparately needed austerity measures that are required.
[cite]Posted By: Bournemouth Addick[/cite]I'm still undecided on which party to waste my vote on to get rid of the present incumbent who we never see or hear of in between elections. Too busy filling in his expenses apparently.
Has any partyactuallycome out yet and clarified how they are going to tackle the forthcoming energy crisis when all our power stations are shut, our nuclear ones years from completion and we're reliant on imported gas and it being a bit of windy day to produce a fraction of our energy needs? I've not heard one of them say anything different from the other on the subject.
Both Labour and the Tories are keen on the North Sea Mega Wind farms - programme on the building of the generators/subs stations in Hartlepool last night.
Lib Dems against wind farms per se due to the noise pollution, cost (and CO2 output) of construction and they kill fluffy birdies.
UKIP and BNP have nothing about green energy in their policies.
Greens want to utilise everything possible in producing green energy apart from the cleanest of all, Nuclear. Bit of a dichotomy for them.
I found the whole election fascinating this time round, mainly as living abroad I can look at all the issues without it directly affecting me.
I managed to see the 3 televised debates and if it was purely based on that it would be the Tories just, as i dont feel the Lib dems would be strong enough to make the hard decisions.
What would worry me the most is a hung parliment, mainly because there will be some very hard choices in the next few years and having a weak goverment, it will be difficult to push those unpopular choices through.
I hope whoever gets in (Tories most likely) they have a large majority to be able to make those unpleasant decisions down the road.
Has any partyactuallycome out yet and clarified how they are going to tackle the forthcoming energy crisis when all our power stations are shut, our nuclear ones years from completion and we're reliant on imported gas and it being a bit of windy day to produce a fraction of our energy needs? I've not heard one of them say anything different from the other on the subject.
This is a brilliant summary of what energy choices are available to us and whether they could supply our energy needs. I would recommend getting it in book form for ease of reading, but it's free on the website also.
I read the book over easter and our renewables really aren't as plentiful as people say. This is compounded by the fact that economic factors, people moaning about wind farms on their skyline etc. means we'll only ever realise a percentage of that potential as well. Tide power looks like a good option, and wind power will have some use, but otherwise we're quite limited.
Among the most feasible options are importing power from solar panels in deserts, nuclear and clean coal
Needless to say, none of the major parties are doing anywhere enough to address the problem
[cite]Posted By: Steve Dowman[/cite]Care to explain how we are environmentally friendly without GM foods or by going organic with less than half the yield of pesticide based farming.
I did say more self sufficient. For example there really is no need to import milk into this country which is more a problem of the excessive power of dairies/supermarkets making it economically non-viable to produce here.
I'm talking about improvements, firstly in utilising a considerable amount of (including potential) farmland. A fair whack of that is currently given over to higher money-making crops. If paid a fairer price for food a farmer might not need to have a lavender field for a perfume product to make an easier living. Naive perhaps, but something to look at. Pesticides can be reduced if some older techniques are employed in unison with them - I mean working with natural predators, smaller fields, etc and perhaps re-introducing the nation to the idea of seasonal food through premiums on imports (I appreciate this needs balancing with the free market) that can be (only) invested back into a national farming investment program. We want cheap food which is understandable but also a little over-done considering how absolutely necessary it is to our existence - I don't think we pay it enough respect any more. Do we really need a Kiwi fruit? Is having so much choice really that important?
I will insert a disclaimer that I am thinking out load without giving this much more consideration than a it takes to drink a cup of tea just to keep this topical. I'd need a bit more time to come up with a complete agricultural/environmental mandate. :-)
I do not believe there is a complete solution either environmentally sound or not, but I do think that with some effort an improvement can be made.
good points, but only really on the margins. if we were to force our farmers to produce uncompetitive products we would have to pay them more to produce them rather than the 'cash' crops' they choose to, but we are not at liberty to make decisions like this, had you forgotten we were part of the EU and CAP and cannot control our agricultural tariffs and subsidies? or are you intending supporting a party that will take us out of the EU and give us the economic freedom to make our own decisions? Totally agree about the need for kiwi fruit, but we would soon get bored of apples and how would Lord Mandy survive without imported guacamole, or are you intending that he should make do with mushy peas like the hoi poloi?.
Comments
Carly Burn - no spoilt papers please. Pain in the but for the officers, loads of form filling!
In Chingford&Woodford Green, one of the candidates has actually changed his name to None of the Above
and that is what will appear on the ballot paper.
Expected some sort of nutcase so not as expected, spoke very eloquently even if their policies are ridiculous.
Me, im voting for the winning party.
"Hote for ne and I'll gig you a gottle o' geer"
Many of our forebears gave their time, careers, and even their lives so that we could choose our own government.
Yep I know we should vote, but the choice is between three candidates all doing their best to grab the middle ground and none of them are saying exactly what they'll do starting from Friday 7th May. As a nation we face some pretty severe problems (a massive budget deficit for one) and there is going to be some pretty severe austerity measures imposed no matter who wins, we deserve to know exactly what those measures are before we vote, not after. The lack of candour from the three main parties does not serve democracy well.
I will of course be voting, but just not sure whether it is a futile exercise (hint, I live in Greenwich and won't be voting Labour)
Had the Green's round last night - was a decent bloke and liked what he had to say...am considering them for the local election.
That's what they said about Portillo's seat in '97
What is their majority?
2005 majority was 10146
With campaigns almost exclusively built on "don't vote for them" rhetoric, embarrassing school playground (which the h-o-c has long been) behind the back slurring juxtaposed with body-language and PR sanitised presentation. The only good (imo) that came out of those televised debates is that it gave a platform (well, two out of three times) that wasn't controlled by a Murdoch, not all this "oh he won that, no he won bollox - have we been reduced to this kind of substance-free face value crap?
Labour have over-spent but I cannot deny the improvements in health and education but now they look divided and punch-drunk. The Tories will come in and fook those improvements over and are likely to give even more licence to the avaricious bastards that helped get us into this recession in the first place, they haven't changed. The Lib Dems seem to think that money grows on trees and will be able to do nothing about a world recession as will none of them.
So I look locally. A staunch-blue area where my Labour vote has made little difference over the years. I even voted Tory last time because I was worried the comfort we were in might leave an opening for the BNP. This time I even know the Labour candidate but his policies leave me cold. I quite like some of the Green party's policies but it feels hard to take them seriously (especially with Tatchell on board).
I want to see some action on investment in infrastructure (power and travel), industry (including becoming more self-sufficient in food), education (learning not league tables), health (more patient-centric and responsive to current illnesses - our mental health set-up is near farcical), the environment (mixed with power and industrial policy) and perhaps some ballsy moves to take some power away from those with money - supermarkets, banks and party-investors. I appreciate that I am asking a lot here!
This often lazy nation (me included) will once again not try to upset the apple cart and I don't blame it. This election to me is coming at the wrong time and is going to be based on some seriously ill-informed (me included) voting. Nowt has changed there then.
I'll vote and I still haven't decided who for but whatever happens I'll be disappointed. I just wanted to rant!
Ahh, that's better....
I haven't been down the Valley much this season so it feels a bit rich to commenting on football when I'm not getting in amongst it.
I'll be back!
And does your mum still have my trainers?
Has any party actually come out yet and clarified how they are going to tackle the forthcoming energy crisis when all our power stations are shut, our nuclear ones years from completion and we're reliant on imported gas and it being a bit of windy day to produce a fraction of our energy needs? I've not heard one of them say anything different from the other on the subject.
Both Labour and the Tories are keen on the North Sea Mega Wind farms - programme on the building of the generators/subs stations in Hartlepool last night.
Lib Dems against wind farms per se due to the noise pollution, cost (and CO2 output) of construction and they kill fluffy birdies.
UKIP and BNP have nothing about green energy in their policies.
Greens want to utilise everything possible in producing green energy apart from the cleanest of all, Nuclear. Bit of a dichotomy for them.
I managed to see the 3 televised debates and if it was purely based on that it would be the Tories just, as i dont feel the Lib dems would be strong enough to make the hard decisions.
What would worry me the most is a hung parliment, mainly because there will be some very hard choices in the next few years and having a weak goverment, it will be difficult to push those unpopular choices through.
I hope whoever gets in (Tories most likely) they have a large majority to be able to make those unpleasant decisions down the road.
http://www.withouthotair.com/
This is a brilliant summary of what energy choices are available to us and whether they could supply our energy needs. I would recommend getting it in book form for ease of reading, but it's free on the website also.
I read the book over easter and our renewables really aren't as plentiful as people say. This is compounded by the fact that economic factors, people moaning about wind farms on their skyline etc. means we'll only ever realise a percentage of that potential as well. Tide power looks like a good option, and wind power will have some use, but otherwise we're quite limited.
Among the most feasible options are importing power from solar panels in deserts, nuclear and clean coal
Needless to say, none of the major parties are doing anywhere enough to address the problem
I did say more self sufficient. For example there really is no need to import milk into this country which is more a problem of the excessive power of dairies/supermarkets making it economically non-viable to produce here.
I'm talking about improvements, firstly in utilising a considerable amount of (including potential) farmland. A fair whack of that is currently given over to higher money-making crops. If paid a fairer price for food a farmer might not need to have a lavender field for a perfume product to make an easier living. Naive perhaps, but something to look at. Pesticides can be reduced if some older techniques are employed in unison with them - I mean working with natural predators, smaller fields, etc and perhaps re-introducing the nation to the idea of seasonal food through premiums on imports (I appreciate this needs balancing with the free market) that can be (only) invested back into a national farming investment program. We want cheap food which is understandable but also a little over-done considering how absolutely necessary it is to our existence - I don't think we pay it enough respect any more. Do we really need a Kiwi fruit? Is having so much choice really that important?
I will insert a disclaimer that I am thinking out load without giving this much more consideration than a it takes to drink a cup of tea just to keep this topical. I'd need a bit more time to come up with a complete agricultural/environmental mandate. :-)
I do not believe there is a complete solution either environmentally sound or not, but I do think that with some effort an improvement can be made.