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

[Phoenix Arrow]

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...

Yes, but there's not really any lobbying in this country like there is in America. Newspapers, on the whole, are going to push based on two things. One, the party their readers are most likely to vote for (although, you could argue that they pretty much decide that anyway) and two, the party which benefits them most as a business. So you're going to side with the Conservatives, right? Typically, they'll going to be less restrictive on businesses (for better or worse) and it's easy to get people pissed off about asylum seekers, high taxes and any of the usual guff Tories are against. Not to mention that Labour are pretty easy to pick on right now too.

It won't be like that forever of course. At some point, the tide will change and it will be about "look at the out of touch Conservatives", "Tory spending cuts" and all this. But Labour need to be look at as a serious competitor again and I can't see that happening with Ed at the helm. He doesn't have the charisma for the current era of politics. Noone in the Labour party seems to tbh.

Oh, and not living in Brighton right now, I don't know what the situation with the Greens is. What's the problem?

 

[Tory Boy]

Clearly not scientific, but warms the cockles of my heart to see the Greens where they are.

Put a bunch of tree hugging grungies in charge of a multi-million pound business, and what you get is what you are seeing.

I hope those that voted for them enjoy the poll tax rise that's coming.

That is if any of them work.

TB

 

[Foster House]

Clearly not scientific, but warms the cockles of my heart to see the Greens where they are.

Put a bunch of tree hugging grungies in charge of a multi-million pound business, and what you get is what you are seeing.

I hope those that voted for them enjoy the poll tax rise that's coming.

That is if any of them work.

TB

Have you ever written on the Argus columns, you really should

 

[Foster House]

Yes, but there's not really any lobbying in this country like there is in America. Newspapers, on the whole, are going to push based on two things. One, the party their readers are most likely to vote for (although, you could argue that they pretty much decide that anyway) and two, the party which benefits them most as a business. So you're going to side with the Conservatives, right? Typically, they'll going to be less restrictive on businesses (for better or worse) and it's easy to get people pissed off about asylum seekers, high taxes and any of the usual guff Tories are against. Not to mention that Labour are pretty easy to pick on right now too.

It won't be like that forever of course. At some point, the tide will change and it will be about "look at the out of touch Conservatives", "Tory spending cuts" and all this. But Labour need to be look at as a serious competitor again and I can't see that happening with Ed at the helm. He doesn't have the charisma for the current era of politics. Noone in the Labour party seems to tbh.

Oh, and not living in Brighton right now, I don't know what the situation with the Greens is. What's the problem?

It depends on who and what you expose yourself to. For me the Greens have made some brave decisions in their first few months and the opposition has offered no alternatives except shallow criticism. The Argus has taken a political stand and constantly stirred up non issues as well as using reporters license to give false impressions of party policy on many an occasion. The Greens are always going to struggle, however competant they are.

 

[The Large One]

Clearly not scientific, but warms the cockles of my heart to see the Greens where they are.

Put a bunch of tree hugging grungies in charge of a multi-million pound business, and what you get is what you are seeing.

I hope those that voted for them enjoy the poll tax rise that's coming.

That is if any of them work.

TB

Good to see the Tories still out of touch. Some things will never change.

 

[Tory Boy]

and the opposition has offered no alternatives except shallow criticism.

The Greens have spent the last 10-15 years perfecting that art-form.

However, every Green councillor I have spoken too has come across as a fine and decent person who genuinely thinks their way is best.

At the next election we will see if their best is good enough.

TB

 

[The Large One]

It depends on who and what you expose yourself to. For me the Greens have made some brave decisions in their first few months and the opposition has offered no alternatives except shallow criticism. The Argus has taken a political stand and constantly stirred up non issues as well as using reporters license to give false impressions of party policy on many an occasion. The Greens are always going to struggle, however competant they are.

This.

Some people - and it may be a particularly British trait - are terrified of change. So they attack it, irrespective of considering whether it's a good or bad thing.

 

[The Large One]

The Greens have spent the last 10-15 years perfecting that art-form.

However, every Green councillor I have spoken too has come across as a fine and decent person who genuinely thinks their way is best.

At the next election we will see if their best is good enough.

TB

Blimey.

I think you'll find EVERY councillor of every political party thinks their way is best. They wouldn't be much of a politician if they didn't.

 

[Tory Boy]

Good to see the Tories still out of touch. Some things will never change.

And you have perfected stupid childish comments such as that.

If you think the Greens are the best way forward, then so be it.

But don't treat people who share different viewpoints with such contempt.

In short, f***ing grow up.

TB

 

[The Large One]

And you have perfected stupid childish comments such as that.

If you think the Greens are the best way forward, then so be it.

But don't treat people who share different viewpoints with such contempt.

In short, f***ing grow up.

TB

Says the man who says the Greens are '... a bunch of tree hugging grungies...'.

And you lecture me about contempt and tell me to 'f***ing grow up...'?

 

[Foster House]

And you have perfected stupid childish comments such as that.

If you think the Greens are the best way forward, then so be it.

But don't treat people who share different viewpoints with such contempt.

In short, f***ing grow up.

TB

Err, may I refer the right honourable gentleman to his previous comment

'Put a bunch of tree hugging grungies in charge of a multi-million pound business, and what you get is what you are seeing.

I hope those that voted for them enjoy the poll tax rise that's coming.

That is if any of them work'

 

[The Wookiee]

Intetesting poll ! ! Are people's opinion based on a local or national level ?

 

[Phoenix Arrow]

But what have the Greens actually done?
It's all very well Tory Boy mouthing off and people saying they're actually pretty good, but what have they done that makes them so shit or brave as someone put it. Unfortunately, the only time I spend in Brighton these days is en route to the football so I don't really know the first thing about them.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I hope those that voted for them enjoy the poll tax rise that's coming.

Interesting to hear today that it's not only the Green administration in Brighton and Hove that is turning down the offer of a government grant if council tax is frozen. The Tory administration at Surrey County Council is doing the same. And for the same reason ... to avoid impossibly large cuts in council services from 2013 onwards.

 

[Foster House]

Intetesting poll ! ! Are people's opinion based on a local or national level ?

Should be local, but history dictates otherwise at most polls. Brighton is a bit different with there being 3 main parties.

 

[Foster House]

Interesting to hear today that it's not only the Green administration in Brighton and Hove that is turning down the offer of a government grant if council tax is frozen. The Tory administration at Surrey County Council is doing the same. And for the same reason ... to avoid impossibly large cuts in council services from 2013 onwards.

It is going to be interesting to see how Labour responds to the unions backing of 3.5% rise. The Greens hold the arguement, it's just getting it across which is proving hard.

 

[supaseagull]

Local tories seem to be a weird lot. But saying that, so are the labour lot.....

Nationally, would be Labour. I don't like Ed Miliband, he's not a leader. I can't stand Ed Balls, however I'd rather he be the Chancellor of the Exchequer than George 'I have no f***ing clue about economics' Osborne.

Totally agree. The Labour party is as toothless as the Tories were under IDS and the irony is that even the Unions are realising this now.

There is only one person with the charisma to leads them to a General Election victory. Sadly though it was his brother won the last leadership election and not him!

Ed Millibland is possibly the weakest and most ineffective Labour leader since Michael Foot.

 

[Badger]

UKIP and Other are beating Lib Dems

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Interesting to hear today that it's not only the Green administration in Brighton and Hove that is turning down the offer of a government grant if council tax is frozen. The Tory administration at Surrey County Council is doing the same. And for the same reason ... to avoid impossibly large cuts in council services from 2013 onwards.

15 others the ST quoted yesterday

 

[Foster House]

15 others the ST quoted yesterday

I suspect that may increase as councils grow in confidence on this one. After all, the £747 million set aside to subsidise this is public money anyway!