UK election televised debate!

Clegg wiped the floor with the pair of them, and it has clearly thrown the election wide open. We might even avoid the Tories!!

What is this Big Elephant in the Room though?

Clegg one the first one.
The second debate was pretty close.  Clegg still did well.  Brown improved a lot and personally (and I'm being unbiased as I hate the Tories) Cameron was lacklustre.  He did better in the first debate.

I do like some of what the Lib Dems are proposing.  Scrapping Trident is great.  However, I'm anti-Europe.

Oh and did anyone hear Menzies Campbell on Radio 4's Any Questions?  Wow.  There was a question about censorship and he was completely anti it ('twas about the South Park thing and the Prophet Mohammed).

That got him a lot of support.

So are they just saying anything now to get support or does Ming the Merciless really have those views?

Oh and what people seem to forget is when they vote, they also vote for their own constituency.  Swindon South happens to have a decent MP in my opinion (and yes, she is Labour).  The seat is a marginal though and it could become a Conservative one.  Therefore, as much as I may prefer to vote Lib Dem or Green Party, it would do the Constituency no good and it would practically give the Tories another vote (as general consensus says they'll get the majority of the votes).

So I have to pretty much vote Labour as I don't want the Tories getting in here as they'd ruin the town, just as the local Tory councils are doing.


Edited by James - April 25 2010 at 13:55

Well of course.  Caroline Spelman (I think that's who she was) is rather terrible.  She usually says all sorts of rubbish.

Oh I am quite sure Menzies was speaking truthfully but it did make me chuckle.  Also, his comments about going down the pub beforehand made me chuckle as well.

The fact it was in a school though, made me wonder whether he said those things knowing he'd provoke a positive reaction from the audience?  Getting on the side of the younger audience is always a good thing.

Oh and yes, the crowd were marvellous!  It's good to hear, in my opinion.

As it happens, I agree with what he said.  I just wasn't expecting him to say it.  Nick Clegg, yes.  Campbell, no.

I don't think Chris Huhne or Vince Cable would either though.

I was in a car with three under 25s the other day and all three said they hated the Tories and would likely vote Lib Dem.  That cheered me up no end!


Edited by James - April 25 2010 at 15:45

I think you're the only one from Bishop's Stortford on here, Chris.

Of course, Jim's not all that far away though in Stevenage!

If it was a Conservative seat with a chance of the Lib Dems getting in, then I'd probably vote Lib Dem in that situation.

This is why First-past-the-post is silly.

I'm a (mostly) socialist yet Labour don't fit my needs (which they should be we have New Labour...) and Lib Dems certainly don't but they fit my needs more than Labour do... it's annoying!

The Greens are probably closest to my views but the problem they have is they have both left and right wing members, 'cause their mandate is mostly green issues and both left and right wingers care for green issues.

It's looking like a Hung Parliament is inevitable though.  I think most people except the actual parties, have accepted that now.

Hopefully, if there is a coalition between parties, the Tories will be seen in their true colours and will get knocked back down again.


Edited by James - April 25 2010 at 16:11

Syzygy wrote: I'm seriously contemplating a vote for the lib dems this time round. Our constituency is a real Tory stronghold, but it looks like the Lib Dems could have a real chance if enough people switch allegiance - Labour have no chance but Clegg's mob could just squeeze through (any other residents of Bishops Stortford thinking similarly?)

Hmmm, maybe.

2005 Result

Party		Votes Share
Conservative		50.2%
Labour		24.2%
Liberal Democrat		18.4%
Others		7.2%

[QUOTE=harmonium.ro]Two questions: what is a hung Parliament? and why would be the tories bad? I've seen only general consent that they'd be bad. Mind you, I'm not wanting to start a debate, I'm just asking out of curiosity. [/

akamaisondufromage wrote:   There is no general consent that the Tories are bad,  At the moment far from it I think.

I am referring to PA and the opinions from PA, like

James wrote: Actually, I'd disagree.  I think they're bad now too.  Not as bad as the Thatcher years but still bad.  They always will be.  Otherwise they wouldn't be right wing and wouldn't be the Conservatives.

Everyone says it's a fact and no one gives examples. Why would they be bad?


Edited by harmonium.ro - April 25 2010 at 16:56

Where I come from the Right is considered better than the Left "as a fact", but this because of the former communist regimes (the Left is really compromised back there). I now know things are of course much more nuanced and no policy is good or bad per se. Again where I come from Thatcher, Reagan and Kohl are regarded as great leaders so mentioning them works in a contrary way.  RE Bush, he was OK for me, except that he didn't seem very bright (but I don't judge politicians on that) and his only major problem I can think of was the war in Iraq (not the war itself, I am a fan of throwing dictators out of business, but of its opportunity in that context).
So can anyone enlighten me?


Edited by harmonium.ro - April 25 2010 at 17:13