UK General Elections 2010

[Minish]

Just saw the protest outside Westminster on the news, Clegg looked so delighted seeing so many people there! He said he was listening and of course that political reform is still his main goal.

I doubt a Con/Lib coalition will ever happen now, which is brilliant. I'm sure only good can come of this!

 

[Ruby]

A LibCon coalition would probably be good for the Labour Party, you know.

 

[Minish]

...I don't care about Labour?

How would it be good for them?

 

[Ruby]

...I don't care about Labour?

Well, I know. I was just saying.

How would it be good for them?

If there were a LibCon coalition, particularly one that made severe cuts, the Liberal Democrat vote would collapse, the Tory vote would leak into UKIP and the BNP, but the Labour vote would rise. And coalitions don't last long. An election might be held within a year, and Labour could win it with a majority. That would be a great victory for Labour and the death of the Tory Party.

 

[Minish]

I doubt it. Most people I know that support the Tories are just tired of Labour. While the LibCon coalition would fall, Labour would rise in popularity and get in, but from the general population who actually don't care much about politics and just tend to vote for whoever isn't in at the moment because "they'll do better".

 

[Ruby]

I doubt it. Most people I know that support the Tories are just tired of Labour. While the LibCon coalition would fall, Labour would rise in popularity and get in, but from the general population who actually don't care much about politics and just tend to vote for whoever isn't in at the moment because "they'll do better".

But what about the LibDem supporters you know?

 

[Minish]

But what about the LibDem supporters you know?

What about them? Most Lib Dem supporters I know are very staunch and have been supporters/voters for years. They tend to be more consistent.

This is just what I've experienced, of course.

 

[Ruby]

But won't they be very upset by a LibCon coalition?

 

[Harlequin]

Depending on what the Liberal Democrat side of the coalition opposed/supported, perhaps not.

I'm hoping for a Conservative minority government that goes very badly, and is then brought down by a LibLabGreenPlaid alliance, forcing another general election next year.

 

[Lorem Ipsum]

Here's hoping for a Conservative minority government, which then calls another election in the next eighteen months, and actually wins a sizeable majority.

 

[Tarvos]

Not gonna happen. The Tories may be old but they are not good rulers. The spending cuts will make them extremely unpopular. And they will need to, too - the UK economy is swirling down the drain as we speak. Any person who gets their sorry ass in power now is fucked thanks to the economic crisis.

 

[Lorem Ipsum]

It's a shame really. I like David Cameron, and this probably means I won't see another Tory government for a decade and a half.

 

[goldenquagsire]

It's a shame really. I like David Cameron,

I like David Cameron

David Cameron

huh

last time I checked even a sizeable majority of Conservatives hate Cameron. if there was ever a PR-manufactured, politically-correct, demographically-targeted shitbag, it was David Cameron. admittedly most politicians are like that but honestly Cameron seems to have gotten serious politics confused with fucking Britain's Got Talent.

and this probably means I won't see another Tory government for a decade and a half.

well they had a Tory government just before you were born (actually it may have even still been in its death throes when you were a little kiddiewink - my maths fails me this evening). trust me, it wasn't much fun.

 

[Shiny Grimer]

trust me, it wasn't much fun.

What were Margaret Thatcher's policies besides "free market yay"? I know some people who absolutely love her, though I can't fathom why. She doesn't seem to be very popular nowadays. I'm curious as to why she is just so disliked.

 

[Tailsy]

What were Margaret Thatcher's policies besides "free market yay"? I know some people who absolutely love her, though I can't fathom why. She doesn't seem to be very popular nowadays. I'm curious as to why she is just so disliked.

Oh, ask the entire population of Scotland! I'm sure they'd be able to tell you.

 

[Tarvos]

Also, keep in mind that it's much easier to be in the opposition - you're not responsible for the running of the countries.

Another thing: ruling coalitions are common in mainland Europe, and they have quite stable governments.

 

[Lorem Ipsum]

I personally think that Thatcher was the best post-war PM we had, for several reasons that are probably massively unpopular amongst your liberal selves.

 

[Tailsy]

I personally think that Thatcher was the best post-war PM we had, for several reasons that are probably massively unpopular amongst your liberal selves.

Ah, for these winning policies like the poll tax, eradicating the mining industry and leaving thousands jobless, kicking the shit out of the welfare state, slowly defanging every trade union..

 

[Lorem Ipsum]

The mining industry was taking more out of government spending than it was giving back - it was brutal, but it was necessary; it was either the unemployment of thousands or the continuing shittiness of the country's finances. Trade unions deserved to be defanged: they were far too militant and adversely affecting the country through strikes.

 

[Tailsy]

Oh, and of course you couldn't have taken it out of something like... I don't know... somewhere that didn't involve ruining people's lives?

And uh, what? Trade unions stood for the rights of workers, wtf. OH NO PEOPLE WANT TO BE LISTENED TO :( WAAH BETTER GET RID OF THAT. You can't only think of strikes as a thing with a one-sided effect - people had to strike so their working conditions and their pay could be improved. Unfortunately, the 'neutral' media poorly portrays this side of the argument whenever there's a strike.