No general election thread?

[M444TTB]

When I saw the poll at 10pm last night I couldn't believe it. I never for one second expected it to be as accurate as it was. Certainly a grim day to be a LibDem or Scottish Labour.

The SNP vote didn't surprise me. I suspect more than 46% of voters in the referendum wanted independence but we're scared. An even greater proportion I suspect want greater power for Scotland and see the SNP as delivering that within a United Kingdom.

While I like neither party the number of seats V's number of votes for both UKIP and the Green Party seem hugely unfair.

At a local level I was very happy to see my local Conservative MP re-elected. A genuine, hard working local guy that isn't a career politician. He couldn't be further from the Michael Gove type.

[jeff oakley]

There will be big questions asked of the system but to be honest it is better than any alternatives.

The lib dems paid a heavy price for what was a brave move which the country did well from as what was the alternative?

 

Cannot believe that over a million voted for the lunatic greens. The main reason Caroline Lucas got elected is the huge student population in Brighton Pavllion area.

 

For me what changed was previously staunch Labour voters could see, a return to union influence was not good. They could see Labour wanted to reward those who will not work, not those who  cannot work. Reward those whose only skill is to knock out kids whilst swigging a can of special brew watching Jeremy Kyle and finally could not see Ed Milliband as a leader. 

 

People who want to look after their own families and see the tories as the best for that long term. Yes there is still pain to come but it will get better if they stick at it and the EU SNP problems do not derail things.

 

 

 

I have no doubt Milliband is a good well meaning man, but that is not enough.  

 

It is the first time I can recall so many people becoming engaged with the process and actually finding things out to make a decision.

[Lawrie]

Yes the Lib Dems did get caned for acting in the interests of the people, rather than themselves over the last 5 years.  But being part of the government, they are no longer the alternative choice, which is now UKIP and the Greens etc.

 

I think the "Thatcher" effect may have confused the pollsters.  Everybody hated her, but come election day they all voted for her.

[M444TTB]

I'd be depressed about the future leadership prospects for the Labour Party if I was a member too. I reckon of the main names Chuka Umunna would be the best but I suspect they go Andy Burnham. He can probably pull off the act of looking normal though. Poor Ed!

[SelfMadeTramp]

I reckon Cameron will do the unpopular stuff for the next few years and let George finish sorting out the economy and then Cameron will step down and let Osborne take over and let the purse strings loose before the next election.

 

George seems a much more down to earth guy who doesn't present the posh Eton background of Cameron. If they do that I reckon they will walk it next time.

[jeff oakley]

If they are not careful the labour party will in fight and if they keep the same stance, will be unelectable for years. Any one who wants to be leader with a chance of winning a general election, will probably want to wait as I suspect they will not win next time and a bit like Hauge go too soon.

What all governments need is good opposition, the coalition had very weak opposition.

Without upsetting or Scottish members, the big problem is how SNP act. As they have one wish, independence, why would they work sensibly if it is not giving them their ultimate demand.

Also look at social media, even though the Tories won, with a system that most parties were okay with, the ground swell is anyone who voted them in was an idiot. With the level of bad feeling we are in for a rough time.

[Lyonspride]

Country needs a new party, one that's not all about a bunch of toffs serving their own interests.

[woodman]

The ' bunch of toffs' ( as Lyonspride calls them) are still seen as a better bet than a lab/snp coalition poorly led by nicola whatsherface ,Whoops  I mean Ed Milliband and the chaos it would have caused , backed up by a budget supported by Wonga type of loans.

We only just survived the last Lab dangler up but are not strong enough yet to survive another

 

Why cant I write c o c k u p instead of dangler? stupid system

[TAFKARM]

Why cant I write c o c k u p instead of dangler? stupid system

Because of the lefties

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

Lyonspride, you speak as if all politicians (with very few exceptions) didn't primarily serve their own interests! As for the party for the wealthy, why would any party that wanted to be in office restrict its appeal to a tiny minority of the population? Clearly it has to address the desires of the majority, and there's the oft-quoted communist maxim 'That which is good for the majority is good for all' which should apply if votes are wanted. The days where clear differences existed between the philosophies of the opposing parties are past. Ever since the last few years of the twentieth century politicians have adopted the supermarket principle: 'If they say they want it, we will say we'll give it to them - until we're in power!' Principles? What principles?

[Stuart]

Can't have luxuries unless you have disposable income.  Labour spent all the disposable income last time they were in power (and admitted it).  So why people think austerity is down to the Tories is beyond me.

[woodman]

Yes Stuart

They even left a letter in the treasury to say so

[jeff oakley]

I think there are many in parliament who are good and decent people, however the ideology of how to deliver what they see as being necessary is what stops them being seen as good. Tories see it as create a strong economy and jobs will follow and the need for welfare is reduced.

Labour see tax the rich (who like in France will leave) tax business, tax the middle class more ( because we are getting to near to the Tories) and give it to those who are poor.

My Dad a life long labour supported and ex union official, will always vote that way, but even he says the welfare state was designed to pull people out of real poverty not what it has become.

People wanted to work and even those with limbs missing did so where they could. Many worked in the mines doing jobs they could, not being supported by the state. When he see's the way it has developed it makes him almost cry at what the greatest achievement Labour created has become. He wants it changing but does not know how it can as it has gone too far.

Where has the maxim gone where you always wanted your kids to do better than you did? Where did self reliance and hard work go? For many it went when they found they could live on benefits, probably not as well as those who work, but sometimes they seem to do that.

When I did not go down the pit that was a huge success for my family, when my daughter became a Doctor it was rejoiced. All of us have paid lots of tax, willingly for the right reason, but for too many, Labour was associated with wanting to give money away, to bash business which creates jobs (and yes some do take the p....) but they ignored the concerns of many, refusing a referendum, allowing immigration to get out of control with the Balken states, that is why they lost heavily.

[Stuart]

Population of Scotland 5m.  Population of rest of UK 59m.  Gonna be interesting to see how those 59m react when the SNP start to try to throw their weight around.  Scottish members don't get me wrong that isn't a dig at Scotland - I love your country.  But I'm not at all sure how this is gonna pan out.

[Doug Dastardly]

Personally I think the voting system may be broken.

 

Firstly I found myself voting tactically which can't be a good thing.

 

Secondly only 50% of Scotland voted SNP, only 35% of the electorate, and look what we've got.

 

I fear democracy is broken in this bastion of democracy.

 

I admit though that I do not know what the answers are.