The UK election thread

[JimC]

Getting back to the OP, I took a look on the BBC web site which has a really useful section - here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election ... efault.stm

I looked up my constituency as I am considering switching from Labour to the Lib Dems (it would be a first as a lifetime labour supporter!).

However I see this area has been labour almost forever and with a big majority, so I have to ask myself if I did vote LD, would I be wasting my vote?

Perhaps this points to a flaw in a version of democracy built on local constituencies, rather than a more universal voting system?

[Clinton Huxley]

I'm in the same boat as Rum - this is a rock solid labour constituency, would take a massive and terribly unlikely swing to change that.

[Pappa]

Dunno who he is, don't tend to hang around ITV.

Same here... even as a kid I wouldn't watch it.

[Clinton Huxley]

Given that China has probably just overtaken Japan as having the second largest GDP, there is the possibility that, in the course of the next parliament, it may overtake the US and claim top spot. At this point, whichever party is in charge in the UK will have to carefully judge the optimal moment to stop toadying the Merkins and start toadying the Chinese....

[RuleBritannia]

I'm in the same boat as Rum - this is a rock solid labour constituency, would take a massive and terribly unlikely swing to change that.

That's a self fulfilling prophecy, I know a few people who like the Lib Dems but don't vote for them because they think they won't win, of cause they don't win because you don't vote for them.

[Clinton Huxley]

I'm in the same boat as Rum - this is a rock solid labour constituency, would take a massive and terribly unlikely swing to change that.

That's a self fulfilling prophecy, I know a few people who like the Lib Dems but don't vote for them because they think they won't win, of cause they don't win because you don't vote for them.

Oh, you are absolutely right, of course. It's a weird version of prisoners dilemma.

[Pappa]

I'm in the same boat as Rum - this is a rock solid labour constituency, would take a massive and terribly unlikely swing to change that.

That's a self fulfilling prophecy, I know a few people who like the Lib Dems but don't vote for them because they think they won't win, of cause they don't win because you don't vote for them.

I'm considering breaking my habit of spoiling my ballot paper for this very reason. I don't identify with the Lib Dems fully, but more so than any of the other 3 main parties. My seat is a marginal, 2005 was pretty close:

Labour 41.2
Tory 37.3
Lib Dem 13.0
Plaid 5.1
UK Independence Party 1.8
Liberal Party 1.3
Socialist Labour Party 0.3

Interestingly my MP has decided to stand down, and the new Labour candidate was a bit useless at the hustings. In all likelihood we'll go Tory, but I expect (like much of the UK) my constituency will get a higher Lib Dem vote than usual. The Lib Dems won't get in here, but maybe one more vote from me along with a few others might even get them up to 25% of the vote. I'm still wondering whether I should even bother though. The candidate I like the most is the Green Party one, but they'll get even less votes than Plaid.

[Jack Rawlinson]

Well, I'll be voting Lib Dem, as I have done since 1997. Clegg did fine, and the Lib Dem manifesto is way, way closer to my position as a liberal lefty than Labour's has been for many years. They're also the only ones going after Labour's monstrous attacks on civil liberty - a topic very close to my heart.

I just wish more people could get out of instinctive two party thinking. Change doesn't happen unless we're, uh, willing to change - and willing to have a few hung parliaments. Whatever it takes. Kick the big, complacent two in their arses.

[Clinton Huxley]

Oh, I always vote Lib Dem put you do feel like you are pissing in the wind around here....

[RuleBritannia]

I'm in the same boat as Rum - this is a rock solid labour constituency, would take a massive and terribly unlikely swing to change that.

That's a self fulfilling prophecy, I know a few people who like the Lib Dems but don't vote for them because they think they won't win, of cause they don't win because you don't vote for them.

I'm considering breaking my habit of spoiling my ballot paper for this very reason. I don't identify with the Lib Dems fully, but more so than any of the other 3 main parties. My seat is a marginal, 2005 was pretty close:

Labour 41.2
Tory 37.3
Lib Dem 13.0
Plaid 5.1
UK Independence Party 1.8
Liberal Party 1.3
Socialist Labour Party 0.3

Interestingly my MP has decided to stand down, and the new Labour candidate was a bit useless at the hustings. In all likelihood we'll go Tory, but I expect (like much of the UK) my constituency will get a higher Lib Dem vote than usual. The Lib Dems won't get in here, but maybe one more vote from me along with a few others might even get them up to 25% of the vote. I'm still wondering whether I should even bother though. The candidate I like the most is the Green Party one, but they'll get even less votes than Plaid.

You know Labour are really hated when the Tories start winning seats in Wales and Scotland.

[Pappa]

You know Labour are really hated when the Tories start winning seats in Wales and Scotland.

Indeed.

[beige]

You know Labour are really hated when the Tories start winning seats in Wales and Scotland.

Indeed.

Bearing in mind we're starting to see a generation of people old enough to vote which has only been cognisant long enough to know being screwed over by labour.

[Clinton Huxley]

This might be useful, Skeptical Voter, with details of how woo-woo or otherwise your candidate is...

http://skeptical-voter.org/wiki/index.p ... =Main_Page

[Pappa]

You know Labour are really hated when the Tories start winning seats in Wales and Scotland.

Indeed.

Bearing in mind we're starting to see a generation of people old enough to vote which has only been cognisant long enough to know being screwed over by labour.

I wish they'd stick a "None of the above" box on our ballot papers like they do in some places with compulsory voting (ostensibly or otherwise). I think a load more people would vote if they were able to vote for nobody.

[Rum]

Nick Clegg. Rock star politician?