The upcoming General Election (UK Politics)

[_tinned_magpie_]

I'm rather saddened by the elections this year, in that all the Tories and Labour seem to care about is sniping at each other in the press rather than outlining policies for the good of this country. What information they have released seems paper-thin to me. Not that their behaviour in the past few years convinces me they deserve to run this country anyway.

lib dem but might vote labour just to make sure conservatives don't get in.

Hmm. One thing I don't want is for the Tories to gain power, but I'd rather sandpaper my own eyeballs than vote Labour just to keep Cameron out. That's not the way to do it, I think. We might as well give Gordon Brown the country and say: 'Go nuts, it's not like we care.'

I'm considering the Liberal Democrats if their policies continue to appeal to me - at the moment they seem to actually have a brain amongst them. But at this rate, I may end up not voting at all, which puts me between a rock and a hard place. I don't want to vote for a party I don't trust, but I don't want to throw away my vote either. I mean, the last time we had a poor voter turnout, what happened? The BNP got seats due to lack of opposition.

Either way, it's going to be a very long time before this country picks up again.

 

[johnman]

Politics has now become about getting as many votes as humanly possible instead of sticking to a party line. For example, Conservatives should not expect the working class to vote for them and neither should Labour expect the upper class to vote for them.
But now it seems to be the case of reach everyone or no one, Labour use to be socialist for christ sake!

Heres my run down: Corrupition and a massive sense self-entitlement across the board with expenses, and no real solution to the problem.

Labour dithering away not really sure what to do, and the massive media campagain against Gordon Brown.

Where the hell did Cameron come from? And the Tory budget has massive gaps in it.

Speak up Lib Dem!

 

[murphy7801]

I'm rather saddened by the elections this year, in that all the Tories and Labour seem to care about is sniping at each other in the press rather than outlining policies for the good of this country. What information they have released seems paper-thin to me. Not that their behaviour in the past few years convinces me they deserve to run this country anyway.

lib dem but might vote labour just to make sure conservatives don't get in.

Hmm. One thing I don't want is for the Tories to gain power, but I'd rather sandpaper my own eyeballs than vote Labour just to keep Cameron out. That's not the way to do it, I think. We might as well give Gordon Brown the country and say: 'Go nuts, it's not like we care.'

I'm considering the Liberal Democrats if their policies continue to appeal to me - at the moment they seem to actually have a brain amongst them. But at this rate, I may end up not voting at all, which puts me between a rock and a hard place. I don't want to vote for a party I don't trust, but I don't want to throw away my vote either. I mean, the last time we had a poor voter turnout, what happened? The BNP got seats due to lack of opposition.

Either way, it's going to be a very long time before this country picks up again.

Well vote lib dem then better than not voting at all

 

[murphy7801]

The real problem with this country is the Election system the Seat system has to go it makes sure power stays with certain parties and does reflect the opinion of the people.

 

[Wicky_42]

I hate both parties - Labour for not being seen to do anything good, merely screwing around with the NHS and education (which I'm pretty sure goes against their previous manifesto), and the Tories for being evil, and unabashedly so. Cameron is just a bad man, and REALLY shouldn't be at the helm of a country. Nothing I have seen of him has persuaded me otherwise, as I don't buy spin for spin's sake.

I would love to be able to vote Lib Dem and have it actually mean anything but I really doubt it would. Fuck it, might as well throw my vote at them any way - out political system could use some competition. If everyone who would vote Lib Dem but doesn't because they don't want to waste their vote did, perhaps we would have three main parties?

 

[cuzant]

The Tories' (and in particular Cameron's) failure to do anything except criticise every word that leaves Gordon Brown's mouth leaves me with no respect for them. The last Tory government was a disaster, the current Tory party seems to think that to avoid going that way they should just not have any policies except being anti-Labour.

The running of the country under Labour recently hasn't exactly been exemplary... but then we don't really know how much of it was the government's fault (global recession in mind). Brown did a good job as Chancellor. I don't think he'll ever do as well as PM but while he can be awkward and bumbling he doesn't come across as an arse like Cameron does. As I said, he ran the economy pretty well for years - I'd rather have someone who isn't a brilliant 'leader' in the sense of charisma but knows a bit about how the country works than vice versa.

The other parties don't really appeal to me at all.

Few points here:

For a start the Tories criticse Labour, but Labour sepnd a lot of time criticising them as well, its kind of how it goes, especially at the end of a long government like this, the opposition has 12 years to pick mistakes from, and the government has been in long enough to call the opposition inexperienced and the like. And i think this view seems ot be a lot of bandwagon, and an incorrect one, all Cameron talks about is cutting the defecit and NHS funding. If anything I think it's Labour who don't seem to have (m)any policies.

And I think Brown has to be a bit at blame really, he said he brought about stable and steady growth when he was chancellor, and he clearly didn't as we we're the last country out of the recession, and we came out limping.

And as for the last Tory govt, well i think that often seen as bad when really it wasn't, apart from Poll tax which was a bad idea, there wasn't many decisions in there which i see as bad.

And am I the only one who thinks the whole Cameron is an arse thing is really overblown, he's an eloquent, astute politician, and if youy really want to judge everyone who went to eton and/or cambridge as an arse then your either: jealous, following what you've read without thinking about it or generally wrong. I mean Stephen Fry, David Mitchell and co,you hate them too?

 

[randomrob]

I think that all of the major (and a lot of the minor) parties have serious flaws so i won't be voting for any of them (partially because i'm 16 but also because they're all so samey). When i'm old enough i will start my own political party that will be the very best like no-one ever was. Vote for me in 10 years....would you kindly?

 

[Museli]

I'll be voting Green for the local counciller, as even a single counciller can make a difference at local level. In the main election I'll vote for Labour as I prefer Brown's leadership to Cameron's.

 

[mrF00bar]

Too young but I wouldnt vote for anyone.

I dont trust any of them.

Never trust anyone who makes more than you, or politics. xD

I will be voting, I'm not sure who though. I'd laugh if some obscure party wins the vote by landslide but that won't happen.

 

[Valksy]

IWhilst I prefer Brown's Labour to Cameron's Tories, it's like picking Chlamydia over Malaria.

And the Lib Dems got rid of Charles Kennedy (old news, I know), so they're obviously committed to not wanting me to vote for them. .

Agree utterly with the first sentiment. I am old enough to remember the last tory government and frankly it looked a hell of a lot like the Labour government of the last couple of years - bloated, smug and so far up its own arse it can see its uvula.

I agree on Charle Kennedy - I liked him as a figurehead and a speaker. Now the bloke had some issues and stepping down was the right thing to do to get his own head squared away. But now he is better they should vote him back up again as he was easily the best they had even when he was as pissed as a fart.

I do have a real problem with Brown and I absolutely believe in him being a tyrannical bully. I mean come on..Blair steps down and not one single MP has one iota of strength or ambition to stand up for leader? Browns election to PM was one big circle jerk. He plays himself as some sort of economic guru...well I don't see that right now, do any of you?

As for Lib Dem not knowing what to do if elected please do keep in mind that a lot of day to day to day business is carried out by the civil service. They aren't going to be left there with their arse in the breeze not knowing what to do next.

I don't want the Lib Dems to form coalitions. The third party option still exists in this country and a coalition agreement is pointless - if we wanted one of the big two to have all the power we would just bloody vote for them. At least the Lib Dems know that if they allied with Dave or Gordy they would not get the courtesy of a reach around.

I also agree with those who find themselves uncertain or in some vague longing of a "none of the above" option that would force some kind of re-thinking of policy. But please do show up and vote. People had to die to grant universal adult suffrage in this country and there are plenty of nations out there for whom our kind of democracy is a pipe dream.

What I want to see this time - and what I know really won't happen - is for the parties to focus on their own manifestos, ideas and policies and stop acting like a bunch of fucking five year olds. I want to see positive electioneering only. Pity that just won't happen.

 

[RavingLibDem]

It's starting to look like a little cross in the Monster Raving Looney Party's column is the best use of my vote. Whilst I prefer Brown's Labour to Cameron's Tories, it's like picking Chlamydia over Malaria. And the Lib Dems got rid of Charles Kennedy (old news, I know), so they're obviously committed to not wanting me to vote for them. And as for UKIP, the Greens and the BNP, even though they claim to have policies and the like, I can't help but think of them as one-trick ponies.

So whilst I'm planning to vote, it may come down to jabbing a finger down on the ballot with my eyes closed, and voting for who ever is nearest (and isn't the BNP).

Similar views, but being in Scotland I may just piss people off and vote SNP

 

[Bagaloo]

I have no idea. I don't really feel any affiliation to any of the parties, primarily because I have no idea what they are about. I'm aware that Labour and the Conservatives are interchangeable, and every other party just wont win (democracy working at its finest).

So...probably wont vote. Doubtless either Labour or the Tories will get in, and then nothing will change to any real degree.

 

[Calopolis]

Tories....
Can't stand an unelected sponge that isn't technically royal....
besides do you really want a one eyed scottish tosser as our leader?
seriously considering leaving the country if labour wins again..


Right winging it all the way...

 

[Outlaw Torn]

I'm going to vote for a banana. If there isn't a choice to do so then I will just draw a banana on there instead.

 

[Wicky_42]

The Tories' (and in particular Cameron's) failure to do anything except criticise every word that leaves Gordon Brown's mouth leaves me with no respect for them. The last Tory government was a disaster, the current Tory party seems to think that to avoid going that way they should just not have any policies except being anti-Labour.

Surely this is the point of being in opposition? To oppose? If anything, the Tories need to oppose more and more vehemently. They don't oppose strongly enough and they don't suggest better ideas other than vague statements of 'we wouldn't do it like that.' There needs to be a strong opposition, otherwise policy change is just the Prime Minister announcing 'what I say goes'.

Now THAT would be a nice start - a good opposition that does more than merely criticise. One of the reasons the Tories have no chance to get my vote is that all they do is snipe at Gordon whilst doing nothing to indicate that they would have done anything any better. It's all a load of bullshit.

besides do you really want a one eyed scottish tosser as our leader?
Right winging it all the way...

Ah yes, racial and physical disfigurement discrimination - just what we should base choosing our leadership on. I now have SOOO much faith in this country.

 

[Nickolai77]

Well, i think i will end up voting Liberal Democrat. Its not that i entirely agree with their policies, its just that they are the third party option- and i'm glad we have a viable 3rd party unlike in America.

New Labour have been...alright on balance. I don't blame them for the recession, rather i blame problems in the international finacial system, and the post Thatcher economic consensous that both Labour and the Conservatives align themselves with- which is why all Cameron does is snipe Gordon Brown while not offering any viable alternative- because the Conservatives would have done the same anyway. I do have a few grevences with Labours higher education policy, and they really should have attempted to expand the economy in areas other than the finacial sector during the boom years before 2008, then again, the Tories would have done no better. My main problem with Labour is that under Gordon Brown they are clearly not a stable party- the party needs to regain a sense of unity before i would vote for them.

 

[IckleMissMayhem]

Voting 'No Vote' because they're all a bunch of lying, cheating, scummy arseholes, and most seem to be promoting pretty much the same policies. That's unless any party offers to radically change the HE system by September, or actually introduce a system of unrestricted access to all inland navigable rivers in the UK for canoeists/kayakers. Even then, I'd be incredibly sceptical.

 

[EuanMack]

Communist party ftw.....

 

[The Shade of Time]

Fuck the conservatives, if labour got us thorugh the recession theyll do fine out of the recession, altough i dont like them, theyre a hell of alot better than the conservatives