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Author Topic:   UK general election (May 5th)
Ooook!
Member (Idle past 5815 days)
Posts: 340
From: London, UK
Joined: 09-29-2003


Message 31 of 64 (204003)
04-30-2005 6:51 PM


LOOONIES!
Just as a piece of light relief:
have a look at the The Official Monster Raving Loony Party website.
Take special note to their "Manicfesto"
My favorite policy is the creation of a 99p coin to save on change.

Replies to this message:
 Message 32 by Chiroptera, posted 04-30-2005 6:54 PM Ooook! has not replied

  
Chiroptera
Inactive Member


Message 32 of 64 (204004)
04-30-2005 6:54 PM
Reply to: Message 31 by Ooook!
04-30-2005 6:51 PM


Hee hee hee!
quote:
My favorite policy is the creation of a 99p coin to save on change.
I wonder how many people are angry they didn't think of it first?

This message is a reply to:
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mick
Member (Idle past 4986 days)
Posts: 913
Joined: 02-17-2005


Message 33 of 64 (204012)
04-30-2005 8:35 PM
Reply to: Message 23 by Tusko
04-30-2005 11:12 AM


I have a lot of sympathy for you, Tusko. I can't say I've ever trusted Galloway before a few months ago. A bit of a swiz, if you ask me.
However I was convinced by the reception (and hard time) he received from the fire brigades union, at various hustings over the last year or so. They really held him to account, made him explain himself in full, and ended up deciding to donate money to his campaign.
You can listen to mp3s of some of his hustings at the hands of the fire brigade union by visiting the respect website. I can assure you it's worth it, they were pretty harsh. (Although I suspect respect may have cut the most difficult bits out of the mp3 files). But Galloway gave a fair account of his history standing up for striking unions, and militant labour in general, and in the end they liked him, hence the cash donation to him and to other Respect members.
So if you you supported the fire brigade union in their recent strike, you should support Respect.
Mick
added in edit: unfortunately, as I am registerd to vote in Mansfield, under control of the utterly worthless but strangely popular Alan Meale, it's not worth me voting at all...
This message has been edited by mick, 04-30-2005 08:44 PM

This message is a reply to:
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MangyTiger
Member (Idle past 6353 days)
Posts: 989
From: Leicester, UK
Joined: 07-30-2004


Message 34 of 64 (204195)
05-01-2005 9:15 PM
Reply to: Message 24 by Monk
04-30-2005 12:11 PM


There are many differences, but the one that strikes me in particular is Britain’s parliamentary system with first past the post voting. This ensures government control by one party and is contrasted to coalition based democracy in the US.
It doesn't ensure it, just makes it very likely. In 1974-79 we had a Parliament where no one party had an overall majority for most of its life. Labour formed a minority Government and Labour and the Liberals had an informal alliance which became known as the Lib-Lab Pact. This ran from '77 to '78.
In the last Tory Government ('92-97) they initially had an overall majority of 21 but this was progressively reduced (Tory MPs died or resigned and the Tories lost the resultant by-election) until they had no overall majority and were effectively reliant on the Ulster Unionists to guarantee they could win key votes.

The Tigers roared in Dublin - and I was there.

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Tusko
Member (Idle past 101 days)
Posts: 615
From: London, UK
Joined: 10-01-2004


Message 35 of 64 (204563)
05-03-2005 4:55 AM
Reply to: Message 27 by Chiroptera
04-30-2005 2:28 PM


Embarrassing as it is to admit, I don't have a very firm grasp of our parliamentary system at all. There isn't any class in it at school, and I've never actually been bothered to educate myself in any detail about how it actually works.
I wish it was a compulsory element of the curriculum. Maybe it is now actually, but it wasn't ten or fifteen years ago.
Proportional representation sounds like a good idea to me, but that's because I only have a very sketchy understanding of whats going on. So maybe I'd better shut up and listen.

This message is a reply to:
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Replies to this message:
 Message 37 by contracycle, posted 05-03-2005 6:19 AM Tusko has replied
 Message 38 by Andya Primanda, posted 05-03-2005 8:20 AM Tusko has not replied

  
contracycle
Inactive Member


Message 36 of 64 (204570)
05-03-2005 6:12 AM


Galloway is an old fighter. He's always been a bit of eccentric, and always been a hard man to keep toeing the party line, especially as it became more and more new labour. Very old labour, joined as a young teenager, he's on the right side of the fence as far as I am concerned.

  
contracycle
Inactive Member


Message 37 of 64 (204571)
05-03-2005 6:19 AM
Reply to: Message 35 by Tusko
05-03-2005 4:55 AM


quote:
Proportional representation sounds like a good idea to me, but that's because I only have a very sketchy understanding of whats going on. So maybe I'd better shut up and listen.
One problem with PR is that it severs the link between the seat and the candidate. At present, the safest seats are indeed given to party faithful, but those candidates still have to actually be elected. Under PR, seats will just be allocated to a list administered by the aprties. Thus, it may make politics even more remote and detached.
Another major difference between the US and UK system is the direct election of the US president. In the UK the party leader becomes head of state by virtue of being party leader; this has often served to keep the leader under party control. Blair is something of an aberration in this regard, but for example the removal of Thatcher preserved the Tory government by making her a sacrifical offering. By contrast, the US ssystem is much more affected by the person of the president, and the president is held in much greater awe, seeing as he is the direct recipient of public acclaim.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 35 by Tusko, posted 05-03-2005 4:55 AM Tusko has replied

Replies to this message:
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Andya Primanda
Inactive Member


Message 38 of 64 (204585)
05-03-2005 8:20 AM
Reply to: Message 35 by Tusko
05-03-2005 4:55 AM


Indonesia used to have proportional representation. It turns out to be abused by 'party elites' who got their MP seats from the hard work of local politicians.
The last election (2004) saw a change into a district system similar to the UK/US system. People seem to like it better because at least they know who they vote for.

This message is a reply to:
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Tusko
Member (Idle past 101 days)
Posts: 615
From: London, UK
Joined: 10-01-2004


Message 39 of 64 (204589)
05-03-2005 8:28 AM
Reply to: Message 37 by contracycle
05-03-2005 6:19 AM


This is also to Andya..
Ah, I see. I'm a bit annoyed I didn't think of that myself. Severing the link between the local community and their representative isn't really a good thing at all.

This message is a reply to:
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Replies to this message:
 Message 40 by Wounded King, posted 05-03-2005 9:38 AM Tusko has not replied

  
Wounded King
Member
Posts: 4149
From: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Joined: 04-09-2003


Message 40 of 64 (204603)
05-03-2005 9:38 AM
Reply to: Message 39 by Tusko
05-03-2005 8:28 AM


You don't neccessarily sever those links. The scottish parliament has a form of PR, the Additional Members System (AMS), as while you do vote for your local MSP you also vote with a party preference for the allocation of 'List' members of parliament who have a wider geographical area of responsibility.
TTFN,
WK

This message is a reply to:
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MangyTiger
Member (Idle past 6353 days)
Posts: 989
From: Leicester, UK
Joined: 07-30-2004


Message 41 of 64 (204785)
05-03-2005 9:28 PM


Final Prediction Time
As it's the early hours of the last day of campaigning (insomniac - me ?) it's time for people to make their final predictions for the result.
I'm going for a Labour win with an overall majority of between 100 and 120 (down from 167 in 2001)

The Tigers roared in Dublin - and I was there.

Replies to this message:
 Message 42 by Ooook!, posted 05-04-2005 6:18 PM MangyTiger has not replied
 Message 43 by Dead Parrot, posted 05-04-2005 6:30 PM MangyTiger has not replied

  
Ooook!
Member (Idle past 5815 days)
Posts: 340
From: London, UK
Joined: 09-29-2003


Message 42 of 64 (205027)
05-04-2005 6:18 PM
Reply to: Message 41 by MangyTiger
05-03-2005 9:28 PM


Re: Final Prediction Time
My analytical side is going to predict a Labour majority of 50-70. I think the marginal seats are going to be swinging all over the shop, and will definitely spring a few surprises. The Lib Dems will make some significant gains.
My pessimistic side is going to predict a freakish Tory victory. I know the polls weren't much different last time, but there's just something odd going on this year. Lucky I made use of that box of postal votes I found lying around eh?

This message is a reply to:
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Dead Parrot
Member (Idle past 3345 days)
Posts: 151
From: Wellington, NZ
Joined: 04-13-2005


Message 43 of 64 (205032)
05-04-2005 6:30 PM
Reply to: Message 41 by MangyTiger
05-03-2005 9:28 PM


Re: Final Prediction Time
I predict I will be happy I emigrated to New Zealand.
So long, suckers...
Seriously, I'm going for lab. majority of about 130 - But the margins will be wafer-thin for many of the seats.

Mat 27:5 And he went and hanged himself
Luk 10:37 Go, and do thou likewise.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 41 by MangyTiger, posted 05-03-2005 9:28 PM MangyTiger has not replied

  
contracycle
Inactive Member


Message 44 of 64 (205169)
05-05-2005 6:05 AM


Simon Schama on differebces between American and British campaign styles, which may be of interest to some.
Edit: Erm, oops
Now that's what I call democracy | Politics | The Guardian
This message has been edited by contracycle, 05-05-2005 07:53 AM

Replies to this message:
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Wounded King
Member
Posts: 4149
From: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Joined: 04-09-2003


Message 45 of 64 (205171)
05-05-2005 6:10 AM
Reply to: Message 44 by contracycle
05-05-2005 6:05 AM


Shouldn't there be some sort of link there?
TTFN,
WK

This message is a reply to:
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