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Well it appears that the only thing this GE is going to do is divide the country even further and create even more divisions.

Still I do support this campaign...

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/how-to-stop-the-tories_uk_58f89312e4b0cb086d7e4de6?utm_hp_ref=uk

Does anyone remember Brewster's millions? I think someone setting up an option/party for "None of the above" might do quite well right now!

DON'T VOTE FOR THE LYING TORIES AND EMPRESS MAY

Thinking about the SNP a bit more, while I'm not Scottish and have no say in UK voting, and think Scotland leaving the UK is as daft as Brexit is, if I were the SNP, I'd be going for broke on this election if Scottish Independence is the true ultimate goal.

If I were Sturgeon and Independence was truly the central ultimate goal, and there is a chance of the SNP losing its current station, I'd be telling my people that the SNP is going to own this election (as much as they can), that the SNP is going to either seize it through overwhelming force or die trying. Tell everyone they're working 80+ hour weeks until the election. Empty the coffers, leverage or liquidate every party asset and call in every favor in the bank. Burn all the rocket fuel the party has. Drive up the cost of competition to the point where your opposition thinks you have gone completely bonkers and winces at the mere thought of the resources they would have to expend to compete. Make the other parties think about future elections while you crush this one.

Because the SNP has been given a once in a lifetime second chance with some real potential impetus and standing that a UK out of the EU, a decision made mostly by England and opposed by most voters in Scotland, was not what was promised in the referrendum, a Westminster government thats not terribly interested in devolution and a UK PM who may get "empty chaired" in televised debates, and they can ride that to the polls, to another Indyref and to actual independence. They have a platform, a cause, and momentum, and it must be seized on now.

If they fail, then the Scottish Independence idea is dead for the next hundred years either way (barring some other major unforseen upheaval that cannot be adequately planned for), if they couldnt manage it between 2014 and this event...they never will.

So go all out and maximize that chance.

 Whirlwind wrote:


DON'T VOTE FOR THE LYING TORIES AND EMPRESS MAY

Now I'd rather set my testicles on fire that vote Tory again, and usually agree with you, but if you're going to do that in every post gor the next 2 months I'm going to block you until after the election. People are going to stop taking you seriously.

 welshhoppo wrote:
I do feel sorry for Corbs.

If he was head 30 years ago, or this was the Labour party of 30 years ago. I reckon he would be much more well received.

You've forgotten, or possibly you are too young to remember, how shambolic Labour was under Michael Foot.

I believe he was a man of great principles, but the drubbing he got at the hands of the Tory press, plus the hangover from the attempted Spartacist takeover of the party in late 70s to early 80s, meant he never had a chance.

Corbyn would have been well received and just as disastrous. It will be interesting to see how he does this time around.

Just been checking the results for my own constituency, Henley-on-Thames. To be blunt, unless you plan to vote Tory, there isn't really any point in going to the polls. In fact, it might make more of a strategic long term difference if everyone who wants to vote for the Liberals, Labour or Greens, either refused to vote or spoiled their ballot.

I guess I do live on one of the battleground areas then. Makes me wonder if the UK has the same "swing state" problem the US has but on a smaller scale...

 Kilkrazy wrote:

 welshhoppo wrote:
I do feel sorry for Corbs.

If he was head 30 years ago, or this was the Labour party of 30 years ago. I reckon he would be much more well received.

You've forgotten, or possibly you are too young to remember, how shambolic Labour was under Michael Foot.

I believe he was a man of great principles, but the drubbing he got at the hands of the Tory press, plus the hangover from the attempted Spartacist takeover of the party in late 70s to early 80s, meant he never had a chance.

Corbyn would have been well received and just as disastrous. It will be interesting to see how he does this time around.

Just been checking the results for my own constituency, Henley-on-Thames. To be blunt, unless you plan to vote Tory, there isn't really any point in going to the polls. In fact, it might make more of a strategic long term difference if everyone who wants to vote for the Liberals, Labour or Greens, either refused to vote or spoiled their ballot.

Similarly I live in Boston, and voted Tory to keep UKIP out last time, plus the Conservative candidate was a Remainer, and also not a bad chap, who works pretty hard for the constituency.
However, this time I'm not voting for him, but am voting either Labour or Lib Dem, to make sure that I add my voice of dissent to another 5 years of tory governance and a bad Brexit. I've told Matt why I won't be voting for him, and I've made inquiries about the Labour and Lib Dem candidates. It used to be Labour around here, nothing is forever.
Vote for anyone but the Tories and UKIP, it shows the opposition parties that they have some support and should start campaigning to win.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-39651781

Our Nige has decided, that whilst becoming an MP would of course be a breeze at the 8th time of asking, he isn't going to bother.

 r_squared wrote:

 Kilkrazy wrote:

 welshhoppo wrote:
I do feel sorry for Corbs.

If he was head 30 years ago, or this was the Labour party of 30 years ago. I reckon he would be much more well received.

You've forgotten, or possibly you are too young to remember, how shambolic Labour was under Michael Foot.

I believe he was a man of great principles, but the drubbing he got at the hands of the Tory press, plus the hangover from the attempted Spartacist takeover of the party in late 70s to early 80s, meant he never had a chance.

Corbyn would have been well received and just as disastrous. It will be interesting to see how he does this time around.

Just been checking the results for my own constituency, Henley-on-Thames. To be blunt, unless you plan to vote Tory, there isn't really any point in going to the polls. In fact, it might make more of a strategic long term difference if everyone who wants to vote for the Liberals, Labour or Greens, either refused to vote or spoiled their ballot.

Similarly I live in Boston, and voted Tory to keep UKIP out last time, plus the Conservative candidate was a Remainer, and also not a bad chap, who works pretty hard for the constituency.
However, this time I'm not voting for him, but am voting either Labour or Lib Dem, to make sure that I add my voice of dissent to another 5 years of tory governance and a bad Brexit. I've told Matt why I won't be voting for him, and I've made inquiries about the Labour and Lib Dem candidates. It used to be Labour around here, nothing is forever.
Vote for anyone but the Tories and UKIP, it shows the opposition parties that they have some support and should start campaigning to win.

Though sometimes the voting is for a candidate on local reasons.
Not always party reasoning but maybe they are a good local mp. Its more than just natinal issues.

 Kilkrazy wrote:

 welshhoppo wrote:
I do feel sorry for Corbs.

If he was head 30 years ago, or this was the Labour party of 30 years ago. I reckon he would be much more well received.

You've forgotten, or possibly you are too young to remember, how shambolic Labour was under Michael Foot.

I believe he was a man of great principles, but the drubbing he got at the hands of the Tory press, plus the hangover from the attempted Spartacist takeover of the party in late 70s to early 80s, meant he never had a chance.

Corbyn would have been well received and just as disastrous. It will be interesting to see how he does this time around.

Just been checking the results for my own constituency, Henley-on-Thames. To be blunt, unless you plan to vote Tory, there isn't really any point in going to the polls. In fact, it might make more of a strategic long term difference if everyone who wants to vote for the Liberals, Labour or Greens, either refused to vote or spoiled their ballot.

Of course I'm too young. I'm only 25! My earliest political memories was the Blair Era.

 Kilkrazy wrote:

 welshhoppo wrote:
I do feel sorry for Corbs.

If he was head 30 years ago, or this was the Labour party of 30 years ago. I reckon he would be much more well received.

You've forgotten, or possibly you are too young to remember, how shambolic Labour was under Michael Foot.

I believe he was a man of great principles, but the drubbing he got at the hands of the Tory press, plus the hangover from the attempted Spartacist takeover of the party in late 70s to early 80s, meant he never had a chance.

Corbyn would have been well received and just as disastrous. It will be interesting to see how he does this time around.

Just been checking the results for my own constituency, Henley-on-Thames. To be blunt, unless you plan to vote Tory, there isn't really any point in going to the polls. In fact, it might make more of a strategic long term difference if everyone who wants to vote for the Liberals, Labour or Greens, either refused to vote or spoiled their ballot.

How did the area vote in the EU referendum. If it was a strong pro-EU area there is the possibility that it might swing dramatically especially if May keeps heading down the same disastrous route for the UK.

Alternatively have you got a relative you can go and live with for a few months in a swing area and register there?

And this election is getting even more bizarre as people are now funding a tactical voting drive...

https://www.gofundme.com/whats-best-for-britain

 Whirlwind wrote:

 Kilkrazy wrote:

 welshhoppo wrote:
I do feel sorry for Corbs.

If he was head 30 years ago, or this was the Labour party of 30 years ago. I reckon he would be much more well received.

You've forgotten, or possibly you are too young to remember, how shambolic Labour was under Michael Foot.

I believe he was a man of great principles, but the drubbing he got at the hands of the Tory press, plus the hangover from the attempted Spartacist takeover of the party in late 70s to early 80s, meant he never had a chance.

Corbyn would have been well received and just as disastrous. It will be interesting to see how he does this time around.

Just been checking the results for my own constituency, Henley-on-Thames. To be blunt, unless you plan to vote Tory, there isn't really any point in going to the polls. In fact, it might make more of a strategic long term difference if everyone who wants to vote for the Liberals, Labour or Greens, either refused to vote or spoiled their ballot.

How did the area vote in the EU referendum. If it was a strong pro-EU area there is the possibility that it might swing dramatically especially if May keeps heading down the same disastrous route for the UK.

Alternatively have you got a relative you can go and live with for a few months in a swing area and register there?

And this election is getting even more bizarre as people are now funding a tactical voting drive...

https://www.gofundme.com/whats-best-for-britain

I'm not even sure if MPs could take that money even if they wanted to...
There's pretty strict rules on campaign spends.

 Future War Cultist wrote:
@ Whirlwind

I'm just going to go ahead and put you on my ignore list, because I'm not reading that everytime I look in here.

I did it a week ago, his posts are frankly getting more and more puerile.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 welshhoppo wrote:
Of course I'm too young. I'm only 25! My earliest political memories was the Blair Era.

Me too.

Blair is the reason why I will never consider voting for Labour again until every last Blairite that held a position of power under his government (i.e. Ministers) has been purged from the party. And to that end, I'm cheering Corbyn on.

I will never forgive Blair for his war crimes and lies about Iraq and the damage he did to that country and our own.

 jhe90 wrote:

 Whirlwind wrote:

 Kilkrazy wrote:

 welshhoppo wrote:
I do feel sorry for Corbs.

If he was head 30 years ago, or this was the Labour party of 30 years ago. I reckon he would be much more well received.

You've forgotten, or possibly you are too young to remember, how shambolic Labour was under Michael Foot.

I believe he was a man of great principles, but the drubbing he got at the hands of the Tory press, plus the hangover from the attempted Spartacist takeover of the party in late 70s to early 80s, meant he never had a chance.

Corbyn would have been well received and just as disastrous. It will be interesting to see how he does this time around.

Just been checking the results for my own constituency, Henley-on-Thames. To be blunt, unless you plan to vote Tory, there isn't really any point in going to the polls. In fact, it might make more of a strategic long term difference if everyone who wants to vote for the Liberals, Labour or Greens, either refused to vote or spoiled their ballot.

How did the area vote in the EU referendum. If it was a strong pro-EU area there is the possibility that it might swing dramatically especially if May keeps heading down the same disastrous route for the UK.

Alternatively have you got a relative you can go and live with for a few months in a swing area and register there?

And this election is getting even more bizarre as people are now funding a tactical voting drive...

https://www.gofundme.com/whats-best-for-britain

I'm not even sure if MPs could take that money even if they wanted to...
There's pretty strict rules on campaign spends.

I'm not sure it's meant to be for MPs though. Reading it's going to promote people to vote for 'not the Tories' to ensure that there is a more balanced parliament (i.e. hung or only just favouring one side or another) to avoid them being able to railroad anything through they want and really damage the country in the process.

 Shadow Captain Edithae wrote:

 Future War Cultist wrote:
@ Whirlwind

I'm just going to go ahead and put you on my ignore list, because I'm not reading that everytime I look in here.

I did it a week ago, his posts are frankly getting more and more puerile.

I should have did it months ago.

 Shadow Captain Edithae wrote:
I will never forgive Blair for his war crimes and lies about Iraq and the damage he did to that country and our own.

You and me both. That he still swans around like the sun shines out of his arse drives me insane.

 Shadow Captain Edithae wrote:

 Future War Cultist wrote:
@ Whirlwind

I'm just going to go ahead and put you on my ignore list, because I'm not reading that everytime I look in here.

I did it a week ago, his posts are frankly getting more and more puerile.

You mean you don't want to hear the other arguments and are quite happy in the world you have surrounded yourself and not brokering any change to this...

 welshhoppo wrote:
Of course I'm too young. I'm only 25! My earliest political memories was the Blair Era.

Me too.

Blair is the reason why I will never consider voting for Labour again until every last Blairite that held a position of power under his government (i.e. Ministers) has been purged from the party. And to that end, I'm cheering Corbyn on.

I will never forgive Blair for his war crimes and lies about Iraq and the damage he did to that country and our own.

Then you were fortunate never having to see the poll tax riots and what happens when the Tories really do get out of hand. Blair by comparison was relatively mild. The mistake everyone pulls him up on is the bad information on weapons of mass destruction (which were based on one persons account). On the other hand if he had come out and said that Saddam is butchering his own people and gassing whole towns then I think people might be a bit more forgiving. We all condemn Hitler for doing the same thing, but when it came to Saddam who was doing the same thing we were happy to stick our heads in the sand and not do anything.

If you're addressing me Whirlwind, I'm sorry but I just can't be arsed. I've just finished a back shift in a warehouse and theres only so many copy & pasted rants I can read before I lose interest in whatever a person has to say.

Good night everyo...

 Shadow Captain Edithae wrote:
If you're addressing me Whirlwind, I'm sorry but I just can't be arsed. I've just finished a back shift in a warehouse and theres only so many copy & pasted rants I can read before I lose interest in whatever a person has to say.

Good night everyo...

Rest assured there are no copy and paste rants. But still have a good night. I'm just about to start work for the evening!

I'm not sure how I'll vote, really. A Labour vote here is wasted, as they've never had more than 25% of the vote and that was in 1950 when the constituency was formed. In more recent history--the past 20 odd years--their highest was 16.3% back in '15, and 9.4% in '10. Before then it was 14% in 2001, 8.8% in 2005, and 4.6% in a 2005 by-election.

It's always been between the Tories and Lib Dems, and looking at the voting histories of both the candidates we've got, they're both arseholes.

I'm not really in favour of putting myself behind either of them, and I don't trust Tim Farron as far as I could throw him, but I'm not fond of Tory governance currently, either.

I might have to grit my teeth and throw my lot in with the Lib Dems, even though their candidate here dislikes people on welfare and young people just as much as the current Tories seem to. At least it's just one man and not an entire party.

 Avatar 720 wrote:
I'm not sure how I'll vote, really. A Labour vote here is wasted, as they've never had more than 25% of the vote and that was in 1950 when the constituency was formed. In more recent history--the past 20 odd years--their highest was 16.3% back in '15, and 9.4% in '10. Before then it was 14% in 2001, 8.8% in 2005, and 4.6% in a 2005 by-election.

It's always been between the Tories and Lib Dems, and looking at the voting histories of both the candidates we've got, they're both arseholes.

I'm not really in favour of putting myself behind either of them, and I don't trust Tim Farron as far as I could throw him, but I'm not fond of Tory governance currently, either.

I might have to grit my teeth and throw my lot in with the Lib Dems, even though their candidate here dislikes people on welfare and young people just as much as the current Tories seem to. At least it's just one man and not an entire party.

The question you have got to ask yourself is what you want from your government. There is a significant risk given how weak Labour are that the Tories could get such a significant advantage in numbers that they will be able to railroad anything through. That might be your preference depending on whether you see that as a strong government. Personally I think that a government that has a huge majority is not good for the country whether that be Tories/Labour/LDs/Greens etc because I think that stifles debate and challenge on issues. A huge majority just ends up (even if they don't start that way) with a government that feels invulnerable and only favours what it wants to, regardless of whether the 60% of the population that didn't vote for them disagrees (because we don't have proportional representation).

So in this election I think you have a choice between a significant majority government and possibility of a minority government and then vote accordingly. It doesn't make you be part of a party you don't like/trust. If we had full PR, that's been debated several times, you wouldn't be limited in this way - but we have FPTP therefore that is what we have to live with.

Voting.

It's often about the least worst option.

Lib-Dems might give you a nipple twist. But the Tories might go for the gonads.

I know which I'd prefer from that choice.

My area is conservative.

But ours also got stuff done, and voted with the area on Brexit.
He after years of complaints got several speed limits changed and saved lives.

So party may not always be good but there's local issues to vote on to.

https://www.gofundme.com/whats-best-for-britain

Well, I chucked £20 in. I am vividly aware

1 - It's about as likely to have any substantive effect on anything as the Lottery ticket I occasionally buy

2 - The amount of money she will raise will not be enough to get anywhere, Dacre and Desmond probably spent £200K between them on people to go through her bins and interview ex lovers

But she's trying, and it has been a very, very weird year of politics.

 Darkjim wrote:
https://www.gofundme.com/whats-best-for-britain

Well, I chucked £20 in. I am vividly aware

1 - It's about as likely to have any substantive effect on anything as the Lottery ticket I occasionally buy

2 - The amount of money she will raise will not be enough to get anywhere, Dacre and Desmond probably spent £200K between them on people to go through her bins and interview ex lovers

But she's trying, and it has been a very, very weird year of politics.

Even if its only used in 100 marginals. That's down to 2k a area. It won,t gp far.
Sah you went to only 20... 10. Then you might start changing things.

 jhe90 wrote:

 Darkjim wrote:
https://www.gofundme.com/whats-best-for-britain

Well, I chucked £20 in. I am vividly aware

1 - It's about as likely to have any substantive effect on anything as the Lottery ticket I occasionally buy

2 - The amount of money she will raise will not be enough to get anywhere, Dacre and Desmond probably spent £200K between them on people to go through her bins and interview ex lovers

But she's trying, and it has been a very, very weird year of politics.

Even if its only used in 100 marginals. That's down to 2k a area. It won,t gp far.
Sah you went to only 20... 10. Then you might start changing things.

Indeed, possibly even just 3 or 4. Anything that reduces Cruella Devilles majority would be a bonus though, so I'll have a punt.

 Whirlwind wrote:

 Shadow Captain Edithae wrote:

 Future War Cultist wrote:
@ Whirlwind

I'm just going to go ahead and put you on my ignore list, because I'm not reading that everytime I look in here.

I did it a week ago, his posts are frankly getting more and more puerile.

You mean you don't want to hear the other arguments and are quite happy in the world you have surrounded yourself and not brokering any change to this...

 welshhoppo wrote:
Of course I'm too young. I'm only 25! My earliest political memories was the Blair Era.

Me too.

Blair is the reason why I will never consider voting for Labour again until every last Blairite that held a position of power under his government (i.e. Ministers) has been purged from the party. And to that end, I'm cheering Corbyn on.

I will never forgive Blair for his war crimes and lies about Iraq and the damage he did to that country and our own.

Then you were fortunate never having to see the poll tax riots and what happens when the Tories really do get out of hand. Blair by comparison was relatively mild. The mistake everyone pulls him up on is the bad information on weapons of mass destruction (which were based on one persons account). On the other hand if he had come out and said that Saddam is butchering his own people and gassing whole towns then I think people might be a bit more forgiving. We all condemn Hitler for doing the same thing, but when it came to Saddam who was doing the same thing we were happy to stick our heads in the sand and not do anything.

Nope, the Poll tax riots didn't affect my family (because we were poor in the 1980s to the mid 1990s) so all I have to go on is Blair and what he did.

Also, everyone knows that we only went into Iraq and that whole mess because Blair was loving following America around and shoving fingers into pies which ended up giving everyone herpes.

It would be an entirely different world if we hadn't bothered Iraq and messed up the whole balance of power. Blair may be gone (or is he) but his actions have had such a large effect that we will be feeling them for decades.

 Whirlwind wrote:

 Shadow Captain Edithae wrote:

 Future War Cultist wrote:
@ Whirlwind

I'm just going to go ahead and put you on my ignore list, because I'm not reading that everytime I look in here.

I did it a week ago, his posts are frankly getting more and more puerile.

You mean you don't want to hear the other arguments and are quite happy in the world you have surrounded yourself and not brokering any change to this...

No. Don't flatter yourself. Its because you keep copy and pasting the same childish rants in every post. Ketara's already called you out on it.

Note that I haven't put Kilkrazy or Herzlos or Vaktathi or Do I Not Like That on ignore, because they aren't posting childish copy-pasted rants in every post. I listen to their opinions, as much as I might disagree with them. You however are just becoming obnoxious and a waste of time engaging with.


And no, I haven't taken you off my ignore list, I'm only responding to this because I saw it quoted. I'll take you off and start reading your posts again when you stop copy pasting.

So how does this work? How does an MP suddenly call an election? Why would an MP suddenly call an election? Aren't elections on a schedule?

They are, but Parliament can pass a vote of no confidence to trigger a General Election - just as constituents can recall their MP forcing a local by-election.

For the General Election to be trigged, 2/3rds of the house must vote in favour of it - which typically prevents The Official Opposition from just trying it every five minutes.

A By-Election can also be trigged by the death of the incumbent (it doesn't just pass to his party successor), quitting entirely, or swapping Parties (but not, as we found out via Dougal Carswell if they leave their party to become an Independent MP)

So if the majority party controls, do they ever have to have an election? And is there regular elections for the parliament members?

Do parliament members ever vote against their party's stance? In the US the party members can be counted on to vote for whatever the party says at any given time now. Is it the same in your system?

It's not exactly standard, and in fact our previous government brought in a Fixed Term Parliament act meant to ensure elections occur regularly every 5 years. However, the PM has called this election (with the support of the majority of MPs) on the grounds that it will provide her a stronger position for Brexit negotiations with Europe. Theresa May became head of the Conservative Party after David Cameron stepped down, so technically hasn't 'won' an election (not that she needs to; In the UK we elect parties, the head of the elected party is PM).

As for why, the cynical approach is that a) the Labour party are not in a good place at the moment, an election now could potentially kick them while they are down, b) May has a tenuous majority in parliament, getting more seats (which is rather likely) secures the Conservative's position and basically gives them free reign for the next 5 years and c) the next election was scheduled for 2020, just after Brexit would be coming into effect. If that went badly, the Conservatives would suffer in that election, now they have a chance to 'fix' any fallout before another election which will now be in 2022.