Why doesn't England go Lib Dem?

[EzraPound]

I'm Canadian - and thusly, don't know English politics really well - but why doesn't England go Lib Dem, since NuLabour are such disasters and alot of the Conservatives there are Thatcherites? Aside from which, the party is just cool (note "economically liberal" in this context means neoliberal, albeit in the Lib-Dems case while supporting social security):

Using a two-dimensional scale, Political Compass defined the Lib Dems as social libertarians and economically liberal, and New Labour and the Conservatives as economically liberal and socially authoritarian.[7]

Moderate economically and socially libertarian. Sounds like a good deal.

 

[bjj hero]

We pay more in taxes than most other countries already. Thats before we vote in someone who wanted to raise taxation even higher.

 

[Markgraf]

Not going to happen.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124043553074744693.html

 

[Sewblon]

I don't know much about English politics but philosophies that thrive in North America probably won't thrive exactly as they are in England, because it is a different culture with a different population and set of resources.

 

[EzraPound]

Not going to happen.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124043553074744693.html

This article's talking about the backlash against social democracy, but the Lib-Dems aren't a socially-democratic partly (alot of their policies explicitly oppose the "nanny state"). Aside from which, I heard they polled 20 percent in February '09.

 

[02cfranklin]

I don't know much about English politics but philosophies that thrive in North America probably won't thrive exactly as they are in England, because it is a different culture with a different population and set of resources.

This ^
But as someone has already said above, our taxes are high enough thanks.

 

[Markgraf]

Not going to happen.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124043553074744693.html

This article's talking about the backlash against social democracy, but the Lib-Dems aren't a socially-democratic partly (alot of their policies explicitly oppose the "nanny state"). Aside from which, I heard they polled 20 percent in February '09.

Read a bit further into it; it talks about how, because of the backlash against the welfare state, the Tories are once again becoming the stronger party in UK politics.

 

[Sonny B]

And our taxes are going up even more now due to the budget

 

[Archaeology Hat]

I, a brit, will vote Lib Dem. I will never ever vote conservative; I have no desire to have my face stamped on to make someone richer. I will also not vote Labour untill they stop being so bloody incompetant, which is unlikely.

 

[tk1989]

Not many people will vote Lib Dems because they are currently a minority party with no chance of getting a majority; many don't vote for them because they see it as a wasted vote due to the fact that they will not win the election. If everyone that wanted to vote Lib Dem did so they may stand a half chance, but this will never happen and as a result they will not gain a large proportion of the House (at least not in the near future)

 

[Remleiz]

let me put it this way:

labour, this side. Torries, that side. Lib Dems running back and forth going "oh that's a good.....but wait you...oh you...."

 

[EzraPound]

We pay more in taxes than most other countries already. Thats before we vote in someone who wanted to raise taxation even higher.

These:

Nick Clegg has told The Sunday Telegraph that he is reviewing his pledge to cut 4p from income tax with a view to offering a much bigger cut for "middle earners".

Nick Clegg, the party leader, announced that he will fight the next election on a promise to raise the starting threshold for income tax to £10,000. From next year, income tax will be levied on all earnings above £6,475.

I'd be happy not paying tax and receiving better services, since I make under $20k.

 

[The Giggling Pin]

I would imagine it because they haven't had anything that even vaguely resembles a leader with any charm and charisma for like, well, for ever. I understand and appreciate that politics is not all about personality and who has the prettiest face but i always feel that the british media, who align themselves with either one of the two major parties, have no time for the Liberal Democrats as there is no benefit in it for them. I know that people should be able to make their own minds up through policy and a little bit of intuition but alas that is not the case; the British public have their opinions told to them via red topped tabloid newspapers.

Other possibilities include when the LibDems encouraged voters to vote for Labour over them so as to ensure that the Conservatives where voted out at the next election. I forget which year this was, maybe someone can help me out? I sometimes feel that this decision was more detrimental to the long term health of the party as people, myself included, see them as almost a protest vote against the terrible polcy and bad decision making of the other two parties.

Maybe in the future they will get in to power but until they get a leader that can sway a media fixated with the two big boys and they can then in turn make them seem like a viable vote to the masses, this will not be possible. Hell, even then it may not be possible with the overwhelming voter apathy that the nation has.

Sorry, that appears to have become a bit of a rant.....sorry....have a nice day : )

 

[Wicky_42]

I, a brit, will vote Lib Dem. I will never ever vote conservative; I have no desire to have my face stamped on to make someone richer. I will also not vote Labour untill they stop being so bloody incompetant, which is unlikely.

Wow, nailed it in one, heh. I just feel bad about throwing my vote to someone who's very unlikely to ever get power cos the media practically ignores them :/ Then again, if I don't then I'm just giving in to the same pressures that strive to maintain the current status quo... bugger.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Many people in the UK are quite authoritarian. They would probably be more happy with a fascist government than a lib dem government.

 

[scarbunny]

Ive thought this for a while, we currently have Labour how in the last 10 years have managed to borrow more than any other previous government even though we were in a huge period of growth were borrowing should have been reduced. They removed huge amounts of financial regulations which meant banks were able to lend huge amounts of money to people who couldnt pay it back.

Our previous government was Tory, who managed to destroy our manufacturing base, sell of the majority of public services, like the trains, and introduced a tax on air (although im still convinced a type of poll tax is better than flat rate concil tax)

So basicly I think the Lib-Dems should get a chance, they cant really fuck it up any worse than our previous governments.

Also they are honest, they have told us up front we will raise tax to provide a better standard of service, where as the other two promise lower taxes and better service and then still raise tax every year.

 

[EzraPound]

I, a brit, will vote Lib Dem. I will never ever vote conservative; I have no desire to have my face stamped on to make someone richer. I will also not vote Labour untill they stop being so bloody incompetant, which is unlikely.

Wow, nailed it in one, heh. I just feel bad about throwing my vote to someone who's very unlikely to ever get power cos the media practically ignores them :/ Then again, if I don't then I'm just giving in to the same pressures that strive to maintain the current status quo... bugger.

They're not far behind. The current polls are:

Apr-09
LD 19%
Con 42%
Lab 28%

Right now, I suspect LD aren't doing better than in the last few years because David Cameron - admittedly a good conservative leader - has managed to attract a portion of the moderate support they commanded, which would be partly offset but NuLabour's collapse, but arguably not entirely.

 

[jomala]

You have to remember that we vote for MPs in constituencies. Each constituency elects one MP. Which means that, as someone mentioned above, most will vote for one of the two leaders in that area: the incumbent or the leading challenger. Lib Dems compete therefore in less than half of constituencies. But its building, as it their media coverage at elections. Also, the fact that only Vince Cable (their economics spokesman) seems to know what the F*** is going on at the moment helps.

But (as also mentioned above) Britain (and probably Europe in general) is split over which way to go economically and socially, so its difficult to call. Extremists often do well in these times, and the Lib Dems aren't that. Fingers crossed for them though.

And by the way, the article in the WSJ contains grains of truth, but is extremely exaggerated. Americans should not be put off coming and seeing for themselves (especially while the pound is extraordinarily weak)!

 

[the_hessian]

Here's the crack boys and girls...
Britain was Lib Dem until after WWI. They founded the NHS, the national education system, gave people a national pension, sick pay, dole, and gave women the vote. They did a hell of alot of good. BUT!!! They raised taxes a bit to fund everything... Oh! The Horror! So all the rich folks who had the vote, voted conservative and they were pretty much in power from, lets say 1927 to 1997, 70 years there abouts. Then Labour came into power because Margaret Thatcher f***ed everything up and crippled us, but it still took us another term under John Majour for us to do anything about it. Labour, as in real Labour, have never been in power. Tony Blairs New Labour came into power in 1997, I think, and admitted that they had no memorandum and would be continuing the conservative rule!!!
AND WE VOTED THESE IDIOTS IN!!!
Which is why we have no one to blame but ourselves for the way things are today. IE the privatisation of the NHS, schools, the complete lack of national services and industry, etc etc etc...
Lib Dem have never been a viable option since, because they completely lost heart, they say they have plan, but if they actually got into power I think they'd just continue with what's going on because they haven't a clue how to rule. They don't really have a manifesto anymore. They wait until Labour and the Conservatives preach theirs then say something in the middle, but I doubt they could impliment it.
The only way to have a government that would work in my eyes, and I hate to say it, but would be to set up some crazy as sin Reformist party on the internet, using social networking sites and youtube to spread their propaganda to the voters of today and tomorrow. It would work better than no one knowing anything, or even careing to find out about what these parties are offering and just voting for whoever we think may help when we're told to.
Set up a Reformist party for the UK, please, someone, anyone, I'm too lazy.
Use the medium of the internet to get us youths interested and involved enough to care.
They'd get into power so easy if they whored themselves to the entire English population of myspace, facebook, and youtube easily, and aslong as they're not dicks and do something good for the country all will be better.
Okies... crazy rant over... no one be mean now... it's the 4 morning coffees talking.

edit:
To have a party that truely works you need something truely middle of the road. To take onboard all ideas and use the one that pleases the most and does the most good. Also I don't think democracy really works because no one cares enough to make it work. You can't get everyone involved and you can't please everyone. I do honestly believe something like a council of 7 set up works the best. [try and find the theory online, or for a simpler one, like the magi system from neon genesis: evangelion]
Anyway, must dash... will be back to rant more laters... toodles.

 

[bjj hero]

We pay more in taxes than most other countries already. Thats before we vote in someone who wanted to raise taxation even higher.

These:

Nick Clegg has told The Sunday Telegraph that he is reviewing his pledge to cut 4p from income tax with a view to offering a much bigger cut for "middle earners".

Nick Clegg, the party leader, announced that he will fight the next election on a promise to raise the starting threshold for income tax to £10,000. From next year, income tax will be levied on all earnings above £6,475.

I'd be happy not paying tax and receiving better services, since I make under $20k.

Thats interesting. Whats the date on these quotes? Ill admit Ive stopped listening to what the Lib dems have to say of late. When the economy was good they were all for raising taxes. I take it none of their MPs drive a car, apart from when its on their exoenses.

My pledge ia to dig up England, making it a free floating island, then row it to the caribbean for the sunny weather. I can pledge whatever I want because Ill never get in power. A similar situation to the lib dems.