The Lib Dems,do they face Wipeout ?

[Leekbrookgull]

With little more than fifteen months before a G/E are the L/D,s facing a beating at the ballot box ?Are the L/D party in a mess (Renard) and the you have tuition fees a Flagship sold down the swanee. Go back ten years and more Ashdown/Kennedy seemed to have 'struck a cord' with the public ? Steel/Ashdown/Kennedy took the L/Ds from what Ten/twevle seats to Sixty+. Where now for Clegg and co ?

 

[drew]

I do believe they have another sexual misconduct issue rearing it's ugly head. The 'not so' right honourable Mr Hancock, allegedly.

 

[Simster]

Yes, they are. I reckon they'll only win 20 more seats than UKIP, the Greens, BNP and the various socialist groups between them.

I predict a feeble 21 seats for the Lib Dems.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Could be back to half a dozen MPs in Parliament mid 2015.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Yes, they are. I reckon they'll only win 20 more seats than UKIP, the Greens, BNP and the various socialist groups between them.

I predict a feeble 21 seats for the Lib Dems.

Gotta a feeling that the Greens will lose their solitary seat in GE 2015 due to a backlash from the electorate unhappy with local issues and the influx of Londoners into the constituency to turn it blue.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Wipeout no, a disappointing General Election probably. The Rennard story is trivial and froth. However, in the longer term, it is highly unlikely they will disappear because on many levels they've been an important part of a successful goverment. They'll be able to point to their record of being effective in government and this will give them more credibility.

 

[Baldseagull]

I personally am more likely to vot Lib now, I think they knew it would lose them a lot of core direct support by going in with the Tories, but that the most important thing at the time was that the country had a Government. Both Parties have worked to find acceptable compromises and I think the result has been better than if any one party had a clear majority. I would vote to keep the coalition if I could.
They have a tough job to do in getting the Public (especially students) to see it, but I think we can trust them more now for how they have behaved in Government than we did when everyone thought that they could promise what they liked as they would never have to deliver.

 

[nwgull]

They're a shambles. How can the leadership insist a man apologise for something that he denies doing and for which they have insufficient evidence to back it up to make either a criminal or civil charge. It stinks of a witch hunt to me.

They've lost my vote for the first time in my life.

 

[Daddies_Sauce]

Captain Clegg and his party will take one hell of a beating and will be resigned to the wilderness for years to come, all for jumping into bed with Camoron for gaining his 15 minutes of fame.

 

[Steve Foster]

Captain Clegg and his party will take one hell of a beating and will be resigned to the wilderness for years to come, all for jumping into bed with Camoron for gaining his 15 minutes of fame.

Thank goodness he did! Heaven forbid what the UK would be like now if Milliband & Balls were running the economy

 

[supaseagull]

I
They have a tough job to do in getting the Public (especially students) to see it, but I think we can trust them more now for how they have behaved in Government than we did when everyone thought that they could promise what they liked as they would never have to deliver.

How can anyone trust a party who abandoned their key election pledges at the drop of a hat. And we aren't just talking about a couple of small pledges, these were main things and the reasons why many many people voted for them in the first place.

I can't see what way the election is going to go. However if the economy does improve and people start to see a difference in their pockets then the Tories will take all of the credit and they will probably win by a landslide

 

[CheeseRolls]

Hard to predict right now. A Labour majority, with the LibDems holding the balance is quite possible. What sort of a deal they could negotiate especially if they do take a beating at the polls, is another matter.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Hard to predict right now. A Labour majority, with the LibDems holding the balance is quite possible. What sort of a deal they could negotiate especially if they do take a beating at the polls, is another matter.

There is no way the Tories wil have gained votes in the past 4 years, no way at all. Lab/Lib coaltions at least, One Nation Labour majority at best.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

How can anyone trust a party who abandoned their key election pledges at the drop of a hat. And we aren't just talking about a couple of small pledges, these were main things and the reasons why many many people voted for them in the first place.

I can't see what way the election is going to go. However if the economy does improve and people start to see a difference in their pockets then the Tories will take all of the credit and they will probably win by a landslide

This is not going to happen though.

 

[GreersElbow]

I don't think they'll be wiped out, however, they most certainly will not be as large as they are. I suspect they'll lose around 10-15 seats. Labour won't win, I've been doing canvassing here in Lincoln for the Conservatives and we've heard the same thing over and over again. They don't like Ed Miliband, so far this has been an occurring trend in which they would like to vote Labour, but cannot bring themselves to do so leading many to consider voting Green. The Labour party also have had no real answer to anything in the House, they've been a party of protest, not opposition. Their economic plan has been pursued in France and look at the state of their economy now. Labour do have one thing, which is the "Cost of living crisis" - but the issue with this is that anyone with basic understanding of economics is that, well, the cost of living crisis was indeed caused by Labour. The interesting thing though is that UKIP appear to be stealing Labour supporters, more so than Tory, which inevitably cause some issues for them. A split in voting will cost Labour heavily, as it did Tories in the 2012 county elections, which Labour literally saw no increase in their overall percentage of vote, but gained the most seats due to a right-wing split. Which says a lot about Labour if they're not gaining votes.

However, for us Tories, we face an uphill battle up a steeper hill. The electorate don't feel as though the government is connected to the electorate. Which is understandable when the vast majority are privately education. Many believe the economy is better off under the Conservatives, but don't feel as though socially we've done much to help local communities. The 'Big Society' ideal was an ill-thought of and poorly construed strategy that failed to get its message across. Of course, whilst the economy is getting better. That's on the macro-economic scale, we're talking businesses here that I seeing the benefits. The average person will not see these benefits for a while, it takes longer to effect the general population than the businesses.


My prediction will be a Conservative minority government, likely to fall within 2 years of election. The electoral system now faces a serious question about both our electoral voting system and our legislative system. I could imagine more and more coalitions being formed from now on than ever before, and that'll put pressure on the voting system. I believe there's a correlation between roughly low turnout and the electoral system. It's literally one choice for the voter in ballot box. Might worth moving from FPTP towards proportional representation to allow smaller parties to have their chance in the legislature and give the electorate more choice.

There is no way the Tories wil have gained votes in the past 4 years, no way at all. Lab/Lib coaltions at least, One Nation Labour majority at best.

Deluded. No one's buying this new image Labour's taken up other than its hardcore support, sorry bud. UKIP's now stealing your votes.

 

[Simster]

Deluded. No one's buying this new image Labour's taken up other than its hardcore support, sorry bud. UKIP's now stealing your votes.

I agree and disagree. I agree that this new image is kidding no-one beyond their hard core support. This is, in fact, the most woefully feebly unelectable Labour party I can remember. I'd have MUCH rather had the shadow cabinet under Kinnock or Smith, or Blair's government running the show than this shower of shit. They are a total joke.

But no, I don't think UKIP are stealing their support. Until UKIP appeal to a broader spectrum than simply disaffected Tories, they will peak and never win a seat in a million years. Bob Crow socialist types - who are vehemently anti-EU - will never vote UKIP because of the sort of gimps who are prominent in that party. I just think it's more likely that natural Labour voters just won't vote.

 

[Badger]

The thing is, as much as I dislike how the Lib Dems have caved in to the Tories I'm struggling to decide who to vote for in the next election. Labour have got absolutely NOTHING going for them and Ed as Prime Minister is laughable, the Tories have done some good things but they are still the same old Tories. My vote is going to be largely based on trying to stop the Greens keeping Brighton Pavilion, so who on Earth do I vote for? I just can't bring myself to vote Labour at the moment.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I'll go with the pollsters and predict another coalition government - just not sure which way though.

As for the Lib Dems, I haven't voted for them since Bellotti, Baker and LDC and I hold a grudge for a VERY long time.

 

[Tubby Mondays]

Thank goodness he did! Heaven forbid what the UK would be like now if Milliband & Balls were running the economy

Were milliband and balls in with a chance of running the country in May 2010 when the coalition was formed?

Of course they werent.

 

[CheeseRolls]

I don't think they'll be wiped out, however, they most certainly will not be as large as they are. I suspect they'll lose around 10-15 seats. Labour won't win, I've been doing canvassing here in Lincoln for the Conservatives and we've heard the same thing over and over again. They don't like Ed Miliband, so far this has been an occurring trend in which they would like to vote Labour, but cannot bring themselves to do so leading many to consider voting Green. The Labour party also have had no real answer to anything in the House, they've been a party of protest, not opposition. Their economic plan has been pursued in France and look at the state of their economy now. Labour do have one thing, which is the "Cost of living crisis" - but the issue with this is that anyone with basic understanding of economics is that, well, the cost of living crisis was indeed caused by Labour. The interesting thing though is that UKIP appear to be stealing Labour supporters, more so than Tory, which inevitably cause some issues for them. A split in voting will cost Labour heavily, as it did Tories in the 2012 county elections, which Labour literally saw no increase in their overall percentage of vote, but gained the most seats due to a right-wing split. Which says a lot about Labour if they're not gaining votes.

However, for us Tories, we face an uphill battle up a steeper hill. The electorate don't feel as though the government is connected to the electorate. Which is understandable when the vast majority are privately education. Many believe the economy is better off under the Conservatives, but don't feel as though socially we've done much to help local communities. The 'Big Society' ideal was an ill-thought of and poorly construed strategy that failed to get its message across. Of course, whilst the economy is getting better. That's on the macro-economic scale, we're talking businesses here that I seeing the benefits. The average person will not see these benefits for a while, it takes longer to effect the general population than the businesses.


My prediction will be a Conservative minority government, likely to fall within 2 years of election. The electoral system now faces a serious question about both our electoral voting system and our legislative system. I could imagine more and more coalitions being formed from now on than ever before, and that'll put pressure on the voting system. I believe there's a correlation between roughly low turnout and the electoral system. It's literally one choice for the voter in ballot box. Might worth moving from FPTP towards proportional representation to allow smaller parties to have their chance in the legislature and give the electorate more choice.



Deluded. No one's buying this new image Labour's taken up other than its hardcore support, sorry bud. UKIP's now stealing your votes.

Interesting perspective, however I don't think a General Election is going to be won or lost in Lincoln and I would argue that drawing any comparison between the political systems of this country and France, is about as valid as comparing the UK to Mars.

All three main party leaders will be fighting as much for their own futures as for their parties and there is a very good chance two out of three will be ditched, post election.