The UK election thread

[Xamonas Chegwé]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/ ... 614235.stm

George Osborne says Tories will 'consider gay marriage'

The Tories would be "very happy" to consider same-sex marriage if elected, George Osborne has told gay activists.

The shadow chancellor met gay rights leaders including Peter Tatchell ahead of a protest outside Conservative campaign HQ by equality campaigners.

I'm gonna have to call bullshit here, "very happy to consider same-sex marriage" means absolutely nothing, it's not a policy, it's not a promise, it's barely even a statement.

Agreed - it boils down to, "vote for me and then ask."

[The Red Fox]

Kinnock reckons Brown has got a "face for radio"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010 ... 010-labour

I love how politicians are working on turning this election into a farce in record time.

[Jack Rawlinson]

It's a tough one for me. I think the hung parliament is a myth, and the press go gaga over it every time. I think that a lot of people are going to vote lib-dem in protest. Unfortunately, the libs are never going to get enough votes to get in, which will simply mean that the protest votes allow the tories in. I can't countenance that for a second.

We've had hung parliaments in the recent past - in my lifetime - and it can happen again.

And countenance this: until we have the collective fucking balls to elect a third party - just to scare the complacent piss out of the usual two - nothing significant will change in British politics.

Vote Lib Dem.

[beige]

Apparently some arm of the government somewhere thinks I'm British - don't know where it came from but I'll take it.

All signed up. Will likely be going Lib Dem too. I was looking on their site the other day and could see anything there about their stance on faith schools, I know they used to have issue with them - anyone know what their current stance is?

Ugh, scratch that... a quick google search turned up:

The Conference clearly decided to allow faith education within the state funded sector. It respected the choices that many parents want to make, as well as the success and popularity of many faith schools. I believe that that was the right decision for a liberal party in a liberal society.

Shame that

[PsychoSerenity]

David Mitchell fairly well sums up how I'm feeling about this at the moment. It all just seems a little bit pointless.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... e-politics

[RuleBritannia]

Apparently Labour are promising a referendum on alternative voting methods of electing MPs and proportional representation in an elected House of Lords, before 2011.

About time too. Though I think a lot of that might be a way of cozying up to the Lib Dems in the event of a hung parliament.

[Rum]

Apparently Labour are promising a referendum on alternative voting methods of electing MPs and proportional representation in an elected House of Lords, before 2011.

About time too. Though I think a lot of that might be a way of cozying up to the Lib Dems in the event of a hung parliament.

They have dangled this one in front of the Lib Dems several times now. Political reality means that they will only do this if they really have to. Looks like they might really have to this time!

[The Red Fox]

Apparently Labour are promising a referendum on alternative voting methods of electing MPs and proportional representation in an elected House of Lords, before 2011.

About time too. Though I think a lot of that might be a way of cozying up to the Lib Dems in the event of a hung parliament.

I had to do a research project on this for college. Brown was proposing a change to the Alternative Vote, which isn't proportional. The Lib Dems support the Single Transferable Vote in multi member constituencies. I think the Lib Dems see through the proposal.

Labour know STV would kill off their power and wouldn't dare introduce anything close to proportional representation. The same for the Tories.

[RuleBritannia]

Apparently Labour are promising a referendum on alternative voting methods of electing MPs and proportional representation in an elected House of Lords, before 2011.

About time too. Though I think a lot of that might be a way of cozying up to the Lib Dems in the event of a hung parliament.

I had to do a research project on this for college. Brown was proposing a change to the Alternative Vote, which isn't proportional. The Lib Dems support the Single Transferable Vote in multi member constituencies. I think the Lib Dems see through the proposal.

Labour know STV would kill off their power and wouldn't dare introduce anything close to proportional representation. The same for the Tories.

The proposal is to have Alternate Vote for MPs (House of Commons), and Proportional Representation for Lords (House of Lords).

[The Red Fox]

Apparently Labour are promising a referendum on alternative voting methods of electing MPs and proportional representation in an elected House of Lords, before 2011.

About time too. Though I think a lot of that might be a way of cozying up to the Lib Dems in the event of a hung parliament.

I had to do a research project on this for college. Brown was proposing a change to the Alternative Vote, which isn't proportional. The Lib Dems support the Single Transferable Vote in multi member constituencies. I think the Lib Dems see through the proposal.

Labour know STV would kill off their power and wouldn't dare introduce anything close to proportional representation. The same for the Tories.

The proposal is to have Alternate Vote for MPs (House of Commons), and Proportional Representation for Lords (House of Lords).

Still says a lot that they're far more concerned about their own jobs and aren't willing to go with a proportional system for the Commons which is where it is actually needed.

[RuleBritannia]

Apparently Labour are promising a referendum on alternative voting methods of electing MPs and proportional representation in an elected House of Lords, before 2011.

About time too. Though I think a lot of that might be a way of cozying up to the Lib Dems in the event of a hung parliament.

I had to do a research project on this for college. Brown was proposing a change to the Alternative Vote, which isn't proportional. The Lib Dems support the Single Transferable Vote in multi member constituencies. I think the Lib Dems see through the proposal.

Labour know STV would kill off their power and wouldn't dare introduce anything close to proportional representation. The same for the Tories.

The proposal is to have Alternate Vote for MPs (House of Commons), and Proportional Representation for Lords (House of Lords).

Still says a lot that they're far more concerned about their own jobs and aren't willing to go with a proportional system for the Commons which is where it is actually needed.

We'll still get an elected House of Lords and at least it's a start.

[JenTirydail]

The main parties are all the same. Fundamentally they offer nothing different other than variations on a shade. If the options are all equally unpalatable then why should I vote? Personally I'm not going to vote, because I have no faith in any main party to govern this country morally or correctly and I see the political system as inherently flawed and corrupt. A vote of no confidence should be allowed to be registered and anyway let’s face it, this is not a democracy (where were the referendums and Gordon Brown’s election?).

[RuleBritannia]

The first (ever) leaders debate is tonight at 20:30 on ITV1 (and ITV HD if you're too good for standard definition).

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I am actually getting a little bit tingly at the thought of this debate.

What's the betting that I end up as disappointed as a catholic priest in a girl's school.

[beige]

The first (ever) leaders debate is tonight at 20:30 on ITV1 (and ITV HD if you're too good for standard definition).

I'm stuck uni without the will to pay for a Tv license, nor a TV tuner in my PC. Any willing to keep me posted on how it's going via ratz?

You'll be forever loved.


Or I suppose I could just watch it here: http://www.itv.com/electiondebate/