If there is a Lib/Lab pact we are no better than a country like Zimbabwe which allows politicians to remain in power even if they haven't won the most seats. The Libs and Labs together still don't have a majority and would have to be propped up by the minor parties in Scotland and Wales. Electoral reform wasn't an issue during the election and shouldn't be the main item on the agenda now. The Libs are in no position to demand it as they have fewer seats than in the previous parliament. Conservatives won the most seats and should therefore be given the chance to govern.
[cite]Posted By: ME14addick[/cite]If there is a Lib/Lab pact we are no better than a country like Zimbabwe which allows politicians to remain in power even if they haven't won the most seats. The Libs and Labs together still don't have a majority and would have to be propped up by the minor parties in Scotland and Wales. Electoral reform wasn't an issue during the election and shouldn't be the main item on the agenda now. The Libs are in no position to demand it as they have fewer seats than in the previous parliament. Conservatives won the most seats and should therefore be given the chance to govern.
Labour: 29% of the vote
Lib Dems: 23% of the vote
Together, it's 52% of the votes, and that's before you add in Plaid Cymru, SDLP, Alliance etc.
If you believe that only seats matter, well they'll have to have enough seats in their coalition to form a government. That's how it works.
One of the biggest reasons behind my vote was electoral reform. That's why I voted Lib Dem in a constituency that swung from Lab to Con.
Funny Stuff! Get's interesting around the 4:30 mark
Brilliant performance by Alastair Campbell. He made Boulton look like a complete idiot. All through this election Boulton has been slavishly spouting the Rupert Murdoch anti Labour poison. He has now very publicly shown his true colours and clearly is not fit to front sopposedly un-bias political reporting programs. I think he should resign himself.
[cite]Posted By: stonemuse[/cite]You're just upset because we will no longer have a Scot in power ;-)
You might have something there. Above all, I'm not keen on the idea of one public schoolboy at the helm, let alone two of them...
I tend to agree but some 'public schoolboys' can make good PM's at the right time, Churchill, Nehru (ok, not UK but point remains), Palmerston, Atlee, and I am sure others as well. Background does not necessarily mean bad news.
[cite aria-level=0 aria-posinset=0 aria-setsize=0]Posted By: ME14addick[/cite]If there is a Lib/Lab pact we are no better than a country like Zimbabwe which allows politicians to remain in power even if they haven't won the most seats. The Libs and Labs together still don't have a majority and would have to be propped up by the minor parties in Scotland and Wales. Electoral reform wasn't an issue during the election and shouldn't be the main item on the agenda now. The Libs are in no position to demand it as they have fewer seats than in the previous parliament. Conservatives won the most seats and should therefore be given the chance to govern.
Labour: 29% of the vote
Lib Dems: 23% of the vote
Together, it's 52% of the votes, and that's before you add in Plaid Cymru, SDLP, Alliance etc.
If you believe that only seats matter, well they'll have to have enough seats in their coalition to form a government. That's how it works.
One of the biggest reasons behind my vote was electoral reform. That's why I voted Lib Dem in a constituency that swung from Lab to Con.
And just how do you expect that amount of parties to get ANYTHING through parliament? Let them go for it i say.
carly burn, just to be clear about my position. On the choice of possible coalitions, I think one involving the Conservatives with Lib Dem support (either a coalition or a supply and confidence deal) is the correct one, and the most stable. But I wouldn't describe a Lab-Lib coalition as undemocratic when between them they have over 50% of the popular vote.
[cite]Posted By: IA[/cite]Labour: 29% of the vote
Lib Dems: 23% of the vote
Together, it's 52% of the votes, and that's before you add in Plaid Cymru, SDLP, Alliance etc.
If you believe that only seats matter, well they'll have to have enough seats in their coalition to form a government. That's how it works.
One of the biggest reasons behind my vote was electoral reform. That's why I voted Lib Dem in a constituency that swung from Lab to Con.
I whole heartedly agree, and my constituency also went from Lab to Con. The fact my vote meant practically nothing was crazy, especially as the choice system was in use for the Mayor Elections. It's time the electoral system modernised, both in style and in the practicalities of the day. e.g. if I can have a uni paper marked by a machine, I'm sure they can do it for a ballot paper. Much cheaper and quicker, and although will probably result in more spoilt papers, I'd rather more money wasn't wasted on employing thousands of council workers on overtime, especially in a recession.
Btw the Boulton/Campbell thing was hilarious, both prats and tbh I can't be inclined to agree with either of them. Campbell is spinning as usual, Boulton pleasing Murdoch.
I can't stand Campbell normally, but Boulton made himself look like an arse there. If he'd just shut up and let Campbell answer the question the other bloke was asking, and then made his point, he wouldn't have come across as so irrational.
Welcome to the grubby world of Proportional Representation, where one or more of the smaller parties hold an auction to decide who to put into government (with the electorate not even getting to vote on who will be PM) and continuing to hold a gun to the coalition's head throughout its shabby existence.
Caroline Lucas must be licking her lips, waiting for the moment when her vote will or will not bring down the (potential) Lab-Lib-Old Tom Cobbley coalition govt and demanding and getting whatever she wants.
[cite]Posted By: northstandsteve[/cite]Absolute Joke NICK CLEGG = W**KER.
I love the high quality of debating standards on here.
I still hate Campbell for his role in the Iraq war but there is no doubt that you'd want him rather than that toady little prick Boulton on your side in a fight.
Campbell might be a prick, well he is a prick actually, but he is also a real hard bastard there is no doubt about that.
[cite]Posted By: PeanutsMolloy[/cite]Welcome to the grubby world of Proportional Representation, where one or more of the smaller parties hold an auction to decide who to put into government (with the electorate not even getting to vote on who will be PM) and continuing to hold a gun to the coalition's head throughout its shabby existence.
Caroline Lucas must be licking her lips, waiting for the moment when her vote will or will not bring down the (potential) Lab-Lib-Old Tom Cobbley coalition govt and demanding and getting whatever she wants.
But we just had an election under the "first past the post" system. This apparently produces a clear winner which is so much better than PR! Surely this shows that FPTP is at least as flawed as PR.
It's not so long ago that John Major was using the Ulster Unionists to prop up his government either by voting for him or not voting with Labour. I'm pretty sure Jim Callaghan did something similar with Scots and Welsh Nats and SDLP. And that was under first past the post too.
[cite]Posted By: stonemuse[/cite]You're just upset because we will no longer have a Scot in power ;-)
You might have something there. Above all, I'm not keen on the idea of one public schoolboy at the helm, let alone two of them...
I tend to agree but some 'public schoolboys' can make good PM's at the right time, Churchill, Nehru (ok, not UK but point remains), Palmerston, Atlee, and I am sure others as well. Background does not necessarily mean bad news.
Boulton has achieved the impossible - and made Campbell look good. Sky are an absolute f***ing joke. They've ended up looking more like Fox News than Fox News itself during this election - and make the BBC's left bias look positively tame in comparison. Murdoch must be pissing blood at the thought of a Lab/Lib coalition
[cite]Posted By: PeanutsMolloy[/cite]Welcome to the grubby world of Proportional Representation, where one or more of the smaller parties hold an auction to decide who to put into government (with the electorate not even getting to vote on who will be PM) and continuing to hold a gun to the coalition's head throughout its shabby existence.
Caroline Lucas must be licking her lips, waiting for the moment when her vote will or will not bring down the (potential) Lab-Lib-Old Tom Cobbley coalition govt and demanding and getting whatever she wants.
Coalitions or minority governments exist and/or have existed for many years in such basket-case countries as Germany, New Zealand, Canada, Sweden and Denmark
How on earth anybody in their right mind could think that Labour staying in power is a good thing - or for that fact, them joining the Lib Dems, who actually performed WORSE in this election than the last one beggars belief!
Have you not all seen the state of OUR country?
One Tory in Scotland?! Gordon Brown increasing his majority by 5,000 +
Basically, the only reason the Tories are not in power is the bigoted Labour vote who decided that WHATEVER happens, they were going to vote Labour - wouldn't matter if the country was bankrupt, the lower tax rates had been abolished, unemployment was over 2m ... they'd vote
Oh, it is and they did!
MADNESS! Who on earth would want a boss who led their company to bankruptcy to stay in power?!
[cite]Posted By: supaclive[/cite]How on earth anybody in their right mind could think that Labour staying in power is a good thing - or for that fact, them joining the Lib Dems, who actually performed WORSE in this election than the last one beggars belief!
Have you not all seen the state of OUR country?
One Tory in Scotland?! Gordon Brown increasing his majority by 5,000 +
Basically, the only reason the Tories are not in power is the bigoted Labour vote who decided that WHATEVER happens, they were going to vote Labour - wouldn't matter if the country was bankrupt, the lower tax rates had been abolished, unemployment was over 2m ... they'd vote
Oh, it is and they did!
MADNESS! Who on earth would want a boss who led their company to bankruptcy to stay in power?!
You're all bonkers
There are plenty of reasons why the Tories are not in power and "bigoted Labour voters" are not really one of them.
People in many parts of the UK have long memories about Thatcherism and what it did for their part of the country and have no wish to see it return under Cameron & Osborne.
Their campaign was also awful, Cameron's promise to repeal the inheritance tax on the richest people in the UK was political suicide in this economic environment and sent a terrible signal to the electorate. In addition, what was the "big society" bullshit all about? People just did not understand their message or what they would do in power.
In the same way that Labour had not "modernised" far enough to win in 1992 the Tories are also clinging on to some old baggage (tax breaks for the rich) that the 2010 electorate did not embrace in large enough numbers to put them over the line.
[cite]Posted By: supaclive[/cite]How on earth anybody in their right mind could think that Labour staying in power is a good thing - or for that fact, them joining the Lib Dems, who actually performed WORSE in this election than the last one beggars belief!
Have you not all seen the state of OUR country?
One Tory in Scotland?! Gordon Brown increasing his majority by 5,000 +
Basically, the only reason the Tories are not in power is the bigoted Labour vote who decided that WHATEVER happens, they were going to vote Labour - wouldn't matter if the country was bankrupt, the lower tax rates had been abolished, unemployment was over 2m ... they'd vote
Oh, it is and they did!
MADNESS! Who on earth would want a boss who led their company to bankruptcy to stay in power?!
You're all bonkers
No need to sit on the fence there, mate. What do you really think of Labour?
Think Boulton was just venting his anger to one of the members of the pi55 poor Blair/Brown regime that have well and truly F****d this country up for the last 13 years.
The way Labour are hanging on is just embarrasssing. National good my arse.They're all f***ing power crazy.My contempt for them grows by the day.
Comments
Just watched this ... superb lol ... Campbell is such an arrogant twat
Very principled. Until it comes to grabbing power...
Venn Diagram
You're just upset because we will no longer have a Scot in power ;-)
You might have something there. Above all, I'm not keen on the idea of one public schoolboy at the helm, let alone two of them...
That is quality.Poor old Adam Boulton.He hasn't slept since Wednesday and it's showing.
I'd have loved him to stick one on Campbell.Blokes a pillock !
Labour: 29% of the vote
Lib Dems: 23% of the vote
Together, it's 52% of the votes, and that's before you add in Plaid Cymru, SDLP, Alliance etc.
If you believe that only seats matter, well they'll have to have enough seats in their coalition to form a government. That's how it works.
One of the biggest reasons behind my vote was electoral reform. That's why I voted Lib Dem in a constituency that swung from Lab to Con.
Brilliant performance by Alastair Campbell. He made Boulton look like a complete idiot. All through this election Boulton has been slavishly spouting the Rupert Murdoch anti Labour poison. He has now very publicly shown his true colours and clearly is not fit to front sopposedly un-bias political reporting programs. I think he should resign himself.
And just how do you expect that amount of parties to get ANYTHING through parliament? Let them go for it i say.
GUTTED MURDOCH.
*before anyone says well dont read a thread about politics, i thought Strachan had been sacked from Boro!
LOL ValleyGary
I whole heartedly agree, and my constituency also went from Lab to Con. The fact my vote meant practically nothing was crazy, especially as the choice system was in use for the Mayor Elections. It's time the electoral system modernised, both in style and in the practicalities of the day. e.g. if I can have a uni paper marked by a machine, I'm sure they can do it for a ballot paper. Much cheaper and quicker, and although will probably result in more spoilt papers, I'd rather more money wasn't wasted on employing thousands of council workers on overtime, especially in a recession.
Btw the Boulton/Campbell thing was hilarious, both prats and tbh I can't be inclined to agree with either of them. Campbell is spinning as usual, Boulton pleasing Murdoch.
Lord Adonis - Unelected
Mandy - Unelected
Miliband? - Unelected?
The public wont have that imho.
Caroline Lucas must be licking her lips, waiting for the moment when her vote will or will not bring down the (potential) Lab-Lib-Old Tom Cobbley coalition govt and demanding and getting whatever she wants.
I love the high quality of debating standards on here.
I still hate Campbell for his role in the Iraq war but there is no doubt that you'd want him rather than that toady little prick Boulton on your side in a fight.
Campbell might be a prick, well he is a prick actually, but he is also a real hard bastard there is no doubt about that.
But we just had an election under the "first past the post" system. This apparently produces a clear winner which is so much better than PR! Surely this shows that FPTP is at least as flawed as PR.
It's not so long ago that John Major was using the Ulster Unionists to prop up his government either by voting for him or not voting with Labour. I'm pretty sure Jim Callaghan did something similar with Scots and Welsh Nats and SDLP. And that was under first past the post too.
Tony Blair?! (Scots and public school)
Coalitions or minority governments exist and/or have existed for many years in such basket-case countries as Germany, New Zealand, Canada, Sweden and Denmark
Have you not all seen the state of OUR country?
One Tory in Scotland?! Gordon Brown increasing his majority by 5,000 +
Basically, the only reason the Tories are not in power is the bigoted Labour vote who decided that WHATEVER happens, they were going to vote Labour - wouldn't matter if the country was bankrupt, the lower tax rates had been abolished, unemployment was over 2m ... they'd vote
Oh, it is and they did!
MADNESS! Who on earth would want a boss who led their company to bankruptcy to stay in power?!
You're all bonkers
There are plenty of reasons why the Tories are not in power and "bigoted Labour voters" are not really one of them.
People in many parts of the UK have long memories about Thatcherism and what it did for their part of the country and have no wish to see it return under Cameron & Osborne.
Their campaign was also awful, Cameron's promise to repeal the inheritance tax on the richest people in the UK was political suicide in this economic environment and sent a terrible signal to the electorate. In addition, what was the "big society" bullshit all about? People just did not understand their message or what they would do in power.
In the same way that Labour had not "modernised" far enough to win in 1992 the Tories are also clinging on to some old baggage (tax breaks for the rich) that the 2010 electorate did not embrace in large enough numbers to put them over the line.
No need to sit on the fence there, mate. What do you really think of Labour?
The way Labour are hanging on is just embarrasssing. National good my arse.They're all f***ing power crazy.My contempt for them grows by the day.