General Election 2015

[father_and_son]

I'm rather surprised nobody has posted the latest YouGov/Sunday Times poll from the weekend (after the game-changing ITV debate):

Con 34%
Lab 33%
UKIP 13%
LDem 10%
Grn 4%

Trying to stay out of the general political binfest (because no one changes their mind anyway, however good a point is made!) but...

That look depressingly like a 3-way coalition would be required for a commons majority.
Con + UKIP vs Lab + Nationalists + Greens, with LDem prostituting themselves to the highest bidder and Conservatives getting the first attempt to form a working government.

I think the parliament will last no longer than 6 months before it collapses due to the infighting and we face another election in Nov/early Dec! Best keep this thread active!

 

[aolstudios]

You're a bit thick aren't you?

far, far too polite

 

[stripeyshark]

Yes.

I agree with you. People buy other items that they know they can't get for free, then go to food banks when they have no money left. It's a shame as we could be using them to feed the homeless instead.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I agree with you. People buy other items that they know they can't get for free, then go to food banks when they have no money left. It's a shame as we could be using them to feed the homeless instead.

It always amazes me that however many times people patiently explain how food banks actually work you still always get some idiot that claims this.

 

[mikeyjh]

It always amazes me that however many times people patiently explain how food banks actually work you still always get some idiot that claims this.

It really should amaze you - So long as the Mail and the rest of the right wing press peddle their poverty denial theories then those without the necessary intellect will continue to believe that people are not actually poor, they've spent their money on booze, fags, Sky TV, designer clothes for their 10 illegitimate children or expensive foreign holidays*. Either that, or they're foreign and should be sent home.

* Delete as required, or not.

 

[father_and_son]

It really should amaze you - So long as the Mail and the rest of the right wing press peddle their poverty denial theories then those without the necessary intellect will continue to believe that people are not actually poor, they've spent their money on booze, fags, Sky TV, designer clothes for their 10 illegitimate children or expensive foreign holidays*. Either that, or they're foreign and should be sent home.

* Delete as required, or not.

Much as I agree with you, it doesn't help that most of us DO know one person/family that does spend excessively on booze, fags, Sky and unaffordable "lifestyle" choices for their kids, with little/no regard for the consequences of their actions and the irony of claiming for anything and everything that's "free". I certainly do and she infuriates the hell out of me and I will spout about the irresponsible nature of her general life attitude! She smokes; drinks often and to excess; has Sky, Netflix AND AmazonPrime; has a brand new iPhone on £45+ a month contract; etc etc.

Its a single example but it does take a lot of intellectual resources (and occasional deep breathing exercise when my better half regales me with her latest exploits via twitterbook) to stop the misconception that the exceptions prove the rule!

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Much as I agree with you, it doesn't help that most of us DO know one person/family that does spend excessively on booze, fags, Sky and unaffordable "lifestyle" choices for their kids, with little/no regard for the consequences of their actions and the irony of claiming for anything and everything that's "free". I certainly do and she infuriates the hell out of me and I will spout about the irresponsible nature of her general life attitude! She smokes; drinks often and to excess; has Sky, Netflix AND AmazonPrime; has a brand new iPhone on £45+ a month contract; etc etc.

Its a single example but it does take a lot of intellectual resources (and occasional deep breathing exercise when my better half regales me with her latest exploits via twitterbook) to stop the misconception that the exceptions prove the rule!

And there lies the problem - we can all come up with minority examples like the one you've given but then people use them to making sweeping generalisations. It always reminds me how we as footballl fans were painted by some Falmer residents - apparelty we were all going to p*ss in the pond, rip ducks heads off and walk around as gangs of thugs. Now we all know of a few fans that act like that but a vast majority of us don't. The story was the same with SWEAT.

Are food banks abused - of course - but only by a very small minority of people who have decided to play the system. That doesn't mean we should paint everyone else with that same brush.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I agree with you. People buy other items that they know they can't get for free, then go to food banks when they have no money left. It's a shame as we could be using them to feed the homeless instead.

Of course, and no doubt they'll all buying huge plasma screens, sky boxes and fags before they pop off to the food bank for dinner.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Trying to stay out of the general political binfest (because no one changes their mind anyway, however good a point is made!) but...

That look depressingly like a 3-way coalition would be required for a commons majority.
Con + UKIP vs Lab + Nationalists + Greens, with LDem prostituting themselves to the highest bidder and Conservatives getting the first attempt to form a working government.

I think the parliament will last no longer than 6 months before it collapses due to the infighting and we face another election in Nov/early Dec! Best keep this thread active!

Why do you think the UK will fail whilst numerous other nations have workable coalitions and/or minority governments? And the UK has numerous minority councils which work including Brighton and Holyrood. And whether I like them or not the Tories and the Libs held it together for 5 years. You will need to explain yourself.

 

[inland seagull]

I see that Labour have brought in Tony Blair this morning to help the election process, were loose!

Is he still a peace envoy for the Middle East?, it looks as though you're doing a fine job there mate!

 

[beorhthelm]

I see that Labour have brought in Tony Blair this morning to help the election process, were loose!

they need to bring someone in, Ed's been missing all weekend. apparently he's too busy rehearsing for the great debate programme, to worry about constituency visits and the like.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...on-refusing-deal-constituent-backed-Ukip.html

 

[W.C.]

I certainly do and she infuriates the hell out of me and I will spout about the irresponsible nature of her general life attitude! She smokes; drinks often and to excess; has Sky, Netflix AND AmazonPrime; has a brand new iPhone on £45+ a month contract; etc etc.

Well you should tell her then. I would if it were my wife.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

I'm rather surprised nobody has posted the latest YouGov/Sunday Times poll from the weekend (after the game-changing ITV debate):

Con 34%
Lab 33%
UKIP 13%
LDem 10%
Grn 4%

Did the Conservatives have a two point lead in the last YouGov poll ?

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Latest poll from Populus

LAB 33%
CON 31%
UKIP 15%
LD 10%
GREEN 4%

Both LAB and CON down 1%

 

[Simster]

I'm rather surprised nobody has posted the latest YouGov/Sunday Times poll from the weekend (after the game-changing ITV debate):

Con 34%
Lab 33%
UKIP 13%
LDem 10%
Grn 4%

http://may2015.com/category/seat-calculator/

I think the ultimately irony will be the fact that the Lib Dems - who have long advocated a form of PR - will probably have eight times as many seats as UKIP despite a similar (maybe lower) share of the vote.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

http://may2015.com/category/seat-calculator/

I think the ultimately irony will be the fact that the Lib Dems - who have long advocated a form of PR - will probably have eight times as many seats as UKIP despite a similar (maybe lower) share of the vote.

Well one thing you can't blame them for is trying to change the First past the post system to a tepid AV system - big shame the vote was a poor turn out and people didn't vote for change

 

[Simster]

Well one thing you can't blame them for is trying to change the First past the post system to a tepid AV system - big shame the vote was a poor turn out and people didn't vote for change

But that was a total fudge. The election system needs changing IMO, and a form of PR would be my preference. Give me political horsetrading over a "strong government"* any day.


*a minority government imposing policies that the majority wouldn't vote for in a million years.

 

[beorhthelm]

anyone else notice how the Labour polling seems to come in on the same number, 33%, while the Conservative number varies from 31-34? over the weeks it doesn't stay exactly as that, but the trend of Labour in a much narrower range than the Conservative seems to be evident.

 

[father_and_son]

And there lies the problem - we can all come up with minority examples like the one you've given but then people use them to making sweeping generalisations. It always reminds me how we as footballl fans were painted by some Falmer residents - apparelty we were all going to p*ss in the pond, rip ducks heads off and walk around as gangs of thugs. Now we all know of a few fans that act like that but a vast majority of us don't. The story was the same with SWEAT.

Are food banks abused - of course - but only by a very small minority of people who have decided to play the system. That doesn't mean we should paint everyone else with that same brush.

Of course you are exactly right, however, if your only contact with a certain segment of society is of a certain individual / type, then it is hard to see the wider picture.