If Brighton & Hove local elections were this week - Please cast your vote...

[Westdene Seagull]

Bit harsh, some people subscribe to historical ideologies, there is no right or wrong.

Rubbish - that's exactly why democracy doesn't work very well in this country at the moment. Too many stupid people making statements "My father always voted x party, and so I always will.". If you can't consider all the parties policies and weigh them up before making your vote then quite frankly you don't deserve a vote.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

Rubbish - that's exactly why democracy doesn't work very well in this country at the moment. Too many stupid people making statements "My father always voted x party, and so I always will.". If you can't consider all the parties policies and weigh them up before making your vote then quite frankly you don't deserve a vote.

No they vote Green instead because they are deluded/mislead and are actually NOT very intelligent and really cock things up-ps this is not aimed at you

 

[Phoenix Arrow]

Out of interest how are the tories homophobic, i'm not being argumentative, just dont know the answer.

Well, as I understand it, their party has a policy of making votes on issues to do with homosexualiy and such a free vote, but the majorityvote against such bills.
Here, you can see how MPs voted on these polls.
Use this act as an example. The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) in 2007. It basically just wanted to make it illegal to discriminate against gay people. There was an example of a B&B that refused to allow gay people to stay there. So this would make it so it's just as illegal to discriminate by sexuality as it is to discriminate by gender, race, religion or whatever else. A good thing then.
As you can see from that link, 29 Conservative MPs voted for equal rights and 83 voted against. More or less 3 out of 4 voted against this act. They also voted massively against making it legal for a lesbian couple for get IVF, and actually stopped that from going through.

This is research I did before the last election, and I forgot about a lot of it tbh. I remember getting pretty annoyed finding out that some of my friends where voting for these things and had no idea what was going on. I mean, I understand that this isn't a massive issue for everyone, but it's something I feel strongly about and I can't vote for a party which has such different core views from my own.

So yeah, I'll still vote Lib Dem in the next election, if only to stop another Tory getting in.

 

[Foster House]

No they vote Green instead because they are deluded/mislead and are actually NOT very intelligent and really cock things up-ps this is not aimed at you

I wouldn't say a third of the town is devoid of intelligence!

 

[Foster House]

Rubbish - that's exactly why democracy doesn't work very well in this country at the moment. Too many stupid people making statements "My father always voted x party, and so I always will.". If you can't consider all the parties policies and weigh them up before making your vote then quite frankly you don't deserve a vote.

If we consider that a large percentage of the country has never altered its vote (E.g the amount of 'safe' constituencies) we can conclude that a lot of ties are historical.

Policy consideration is noble, but what is the actuality of this? Many policies (especially in these days of centre ground politics) are not a lot different between the parties increasingly since I first studied politics (1992). Another question I would throw in is: How many manifesto policies are actually followed through?

For me, and others such as yourself may differ, voting with historical allegiance may not involve an incredible amount of foresight, but is not evidence of a waste of democracy on any part of society. It is a call to the parties to prove themselves more worthy.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

I wouldn't say a third of the town is devoid of intelligence!

Not very & devoid?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Can't really narrow it down beyond "not Greens"

Ditto, although not particularly sold on them.

 

[bobby smith]

No DIM LIB votes

 

[aolstudios]

Well, as I understand it, their party has a policy of making votes on issues to do with homosexualiy and such a free vote, but the majorityvote against such bills.
Here, you can see how MPs voted on these polls.
Use this act as an example. The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) in 2007. It basically just wanted to make it illegal to discriminate against gay people. There was an example of a B&B that refused to allow gay people to stay there. So this would make it so it's just as illegal to discriminate by sexuality as it is to discriminate by gender, race, religion or whatever else. A good thing then.
As you can see from that link, 29 Conservative MPs voted for equal rights and 83 voted against. More or less 3 out of 4 voted against this act. They also voted massively against making it legal for a lesbian couple for get IVF, and actually stopped that from going through.

This is research I did before the last election, and I forgot about a lot of it tbh. I remember getting pretty annoyed finding out that some of my friends where voting for these things and had no idea what was going on. I mean, I understand that this isn't a massive issue for everyone, but it's something I feel strongly about and I can't vote for a party which has such different core views from my own.

So yeah, I'll still vote Lib Dem in the next election, if only to stop another Tory getting in.

wasn't it people voting lib dem in the last election what put this tory (in all but name) government in power?

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

wasn't it people voting lib dem in the last election what put this tory (in all but name) government in power?

Yes and judging by the amount that voted Red and changed to Green in and around the Fiveway's area of Brighton helped too

 

[Phoenix Arrow]

wasn't it people voting lib dem in the last election what put this tory (in all but name) government in power?

Yes, but where I live it's a two horse race between Tory and Lib Dem. My MP is Chris Huhne and least he's doing something to alter Conservatives plans, even if it's not much. Energy and climate change I think his department is, not much he can do.

The only way Lib Dems can do something usful is if Nick Clegg grows some balls and say "hey, you know what? If you don't do what you agreed to with us, we'll walk out." But now the country seems to be in a position where if there's another election, Conservatives will win flat out. So it's a difficult position to be in.

As faf as I'm concerned, they should've never agreed to a coalition. They were never going to get what they wanted, should've sided with Labour and made Tories look weak for a few years.

 

[aolstudios]

Yes, but where I live it's a two horse race between Tory and Lib Dem. My MP is Chris Huhne and least he's doing something to alter Conservatives plans, even if it's not much. Energy and climate change I think his department is, not much he can do.

The only way Lib Dems can do something usful is if Nick Clegg grows some balls and say "hey, you know what? If you don't do what you agreed to with us, we'll walk out." But now the country seems to be in a position where if there's another election, Conservatives will win flat out. So it's a difficult position to be in.

As faf as I'm concerned, they should've never agreed to a coalition. They were never going to get what they wanted, should've sided with Labour and made Tories look weak for a few years.

yep

 

[Foster House]

Yes, but where I live it's a two horse race between Tory and Lib Dem. My MP is Chris Huhne and least he's doing something to alter Conservatives plans, even if it's not much. Energy and climate change I think his department is, not much he can do.

The only way Lib Dems can do something usful is if Nick Clegg grows some balls and say "hey, you know what? If you don't do what you agreed to with us, we'll walk out." But now the country seems to be in a position where if there's another election, Conservatives will win flat out. So it's a difficult position to be in.

As faf as I'm concerned, they should've never agreed to a coalition. They were never going to get what they wanted, should've sided with Labour and made Tories look weak for a few years.

I agree with much of this post excepting that the climate was very different in 2010. I think the Lib Dems did talk to Labour but Brown was the problem. Also an allliance would still have been hard to put together with Labour given the complexities involved with all the other minority parties and their demands. I think it would have collapsed, especially as the country would not have been happy with Gordon Brown still in number 10, or, someone unelected taking his place. I think the Lib Dems have probably done a lot more than the media will allow them to take credit for. The right wing press has delighted in bashing them to deflect attention from the Conservatives. This has been successfull if the opinion polls are anything to go by. At the end of the day we have a coalition, yes, but the Conservatives are mostly responsible for running the country. People should not let the media cause them to forget this.

 

[ees complicated no?]

why are 20% of the votes greens !!!! Conservative btw.

 

[Phoenix Arrow]

I agree with much of this post excepting that the climate was very different in 2010. I think the Lib Dems did talk to Labour but Brown was the problem. Also an allliance would still have been hard to put together with Labour given the complexities involved with all the other minority parties and their demands. I think it would have collapsed, especially as the country would not have been happy with Gordon Brown still in number 10, or, someone unelected taking his place. I think the Lib Dems have probably done a lot more than the media will allow them to take credit for. The right wing press has delighted in bashing them to deflect attention from the Conservatives. This has been successfull if the opinion polls are anything to go by. At the end of the day we have a coalition, yes, but the Conservatives are mostly responsible for running the country. People should not let the media cause them to forget this.

Well, I 100% believe that they went into the coalition with the best of intentions, but they were too naive really. At the end of the day, they needed to Tories more than the Tories needed them. They wanted to have some real influence more than the Tories wanted to have a majority government.
The best way they could've played it is to say "we don't want to be tied down to a coalition government", then the Conservatives would've been in charge, but with a minority. Labour would then change leaders and both Labour and the Lib Dems would've had more power. If the Conservatives wanted to do something the other partys disagreed with (say raising tuition fees), they could make it very difficult to get that done.

But in this coalition, the Tories had them by the balls. But they got their referendum on AV. That went well didn't it?

 

[Foster House]

Well, I 100% believe that they went into the coalition with the best of intentions, but they were too naive really. At the end of the day, they needed to Tories more than the Tories needed them. They wanted to have some real influence more than the Tories wanted to have a majority government.
The best way they could've played it is to say "we don't want to be tied down to a coalition government", then the Conservatives would've been in charge, but with a minority. Labour would then change leaders and both Labour and the Lib Dems would've had more power. If the Conservatives wanted to do something the other partys disagreed with (say raising tuition fees), they could make it very difficult to get that done.

But in this coalition, the Tories had them by the balls. But they got their referendum on AV. That went well didn't it?

You point is based on rational logic- but one which believes that politicians are the alpha and omega of government. The markets would not have accepted such democratically sound solution!

As for AV, the initial polls were promising with Labour backing it in the realisation that the Lib Dems, traditionally (and not through expedience as you correctly imply in this case) are likely to jump into bed with them on every occasion. This would mean we would potentially never see a Tory government again!

The second great ruling elite, the media, then got to work on public opinion, and continued to stir the public resentment of all things Lib Dem (which was an ingredient they had made earlier!) to scupper any hopes of a yes vote.

So once again, metaphorically speaking, it's the Sun wot won it...

 

[TKC]

Not green. I bumped into a green councillor last week and asked him about the Amex expansion. I was told its only a game. I kid you not. Clearly not understanding a large part of their voting public.

 

[Foster House]

To run the city with any chance of re-election do NOT

1) Annoy the older generation
2) Upset the gay community
3) Piss off the Albion

That's all you need to know...

 

[The Large One]

Green.

While all parties locally 'support' Amex expansion (well, the Tories do reluctantly), the Greens are the only ones to have come out and said it; not that that's the main reason to vote for them.

Just keep Mary Mears from power...

 

[Foster House]

Not green. I bumped into a green councillor last week and asked him about the Amex expansion. I was told its only a game. I kid you not. Clearly not understanding a large part of their voting public.

I know/know of all members of the green group and I have to say that there is only 1 who I think could have said such a thing.