Who will win the General Election?
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
Plus the only people who can vote for the person who could be prime minister are those who live in their constituency and then if they are elected the parties involved who make them their leader, then it has to be confirmed by the Queen!
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
Don't agree with you very often but on this I do, I vote for the best local candidate based on what they are saying not who will be PMFatty eats roadkill wrote:This sort of s*** boils my blood. You do not vote for a prime minister as that position is not for us to decide. This is not America or a republic. You vote for a candidate in your constituency who you feel best represents your view points and interests.
The current bollox of "voting for who would be best prime minister" is why the political class has gone to rat s*** because people are fixated on a faux American electoral system!
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
I'm not sure it's entirely right to say the Conservatives would rely on the Ulster Unionists. The Conservative Party is actually called The Conservative & Unionist Party after they merged with the Liberal Unionists in the early 20th century.Darlo_Pete wrote:The Conservatives would rely on any UKIP seats they win and the Ulster Unionists, but it won't add up to what the SNP will bring to the table.
Conservatism and Unionism have always been reasonably interchangeable.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
This is a good way to think - however, where I live the Conservatives have such a large majority that it almost seems a waste of time to turn up, regardless of which way I decide to vote.Bogratsteve wrote:Don't agree with you very often but on this I do, I vote for the best local candidate based on what they are saying not who will be PM
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
Yeah, same for me. While I'm living in the US, I'm still eligible to vote in Horsham (where I lived before I moved out here), where the Conservatives last got less than 50% of the vote in the 1960's (and they still won then). Pretty pointless voting (though I still have).theoriginalfatcat wrote:This is a good way to think - however, where I live the Conservatives have such a large majority that it almost seems a waste of time to turn up, regardless of which way I decide to vote.Bogratsteve wrote:Don't agree with you very often but on this I do, I vote for the best local candidate based on what they are saying not who will be PM
To be honest, it's the same in the US. It's the Presidential elections next year, and nobody will even campaign in California - the Democrats will win without trying (although they will come here to raise a crap ton of money from Hollywood and Silicon Valley). I can't vote here, what with not being a citizen, and the fact there is no point in voting here makes me not want to take citizenship.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
That's not entirely accurate Fatty. You're correct in that we don't directly elect a Prime Minister, but when you vote for a candidate, you are in effect also voting for a party.Fatty eats roadkill wrote:This sort of s*** boils my blood. You do not vote for a prime minister as that position is not for us to decide. This is not America or a republic. You vote for a candidate in your constituency who you feel best represents your view points and interests.
And because of the way our system works (the leader whose party has a majority of seats, or is the leader of the biggest party in a coalition, becomes PM) that means you are, indirectly, voting for a leader.
Therefore it's perfectly legitimate to decide who you vote for on the basis of the party leader.
People do not just vote on the basis of who the local candidate is. They vote on a huge, incalculable range of issues. That includes whether they like the person who, if they vote for a particular party, could become PM.
How the party performs beyond a local level is, for some, a more important issue than the local candidate.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
sorry gramps you are wrong. If that is the way it works then why did the main parties shy from AV?
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
Plus a party leader can be removed at the whim of their party.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
Nigel farage is a popular leader. Would you vote UKIP?
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
I'm sorry, I really don't understand what AV has to do with anything. I'll need you to explain that one.Fatty eats roadkill wrote:sorry gramps you are wrong. If that is the way it works then why did the main parties shy from AV?
Explain to me why I'm wrong. We do, indirectly, elect a Prime Minister (we vote for a local candidate/party, who form the largest party). The leader does come into that consideration when people vote, as much as you dislike that.
If you want the reasons why the big two opposed AV, it was because of vested interests - it would have been less likely to produce overall majorities, which is bad for the Tories and Labour.
Not personally, but some will, and some will do so because they like Nigel Farage. I'd imagine some UKIP voters agree with what he has to say, or prefer him in comparison to other leaders.Fatty eats roadkill wrote:Nigel farage is a popular leader. Would you vote UKIP?
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
If it was just about the leaders why have an election for the others. Just have a national vote for the leader and let them pick their mates to run the country. A party leader can only do what their party dictate.
This is why you should choose your MP for what they actually stand for. Unless you live in Oxfordshire or South Yorkshire you do not directly elect the party leader.
It isn't rocket science
This is why you should choose your MP for what they actually stand for. Unless you live in Oxfordshire or South Yorkshire you do not directly elect the party leader.
It isn't rocket science
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
Maybe I'm just being too simplistic and old fashioned in my views.
Basically the party leader is accountable to the MP who is elected in the constituency you vote in.
Phil Wilson will be my MP even though I will not be voting for him.
Basically the party leader is accountable to the MP who is elected in the constituency you vote in.
Phil Wilson will be my MP even though I will not be voting for him.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
No, but it's more complex than you're making out.Fatty eats roadkill wrote:If it was just about the leaders why have an election for the others. Just have a national vote for the leader and let them pick their mates to run the country. A party leader can only do what their party dictate.
This is why you should choose your MP for what they actually stand for. Unless you live in Oxfordshire or South Yorkshire you do not directly elect the party leader.
It isn't rocket science
Some people choose to vote on local issues. Some choose because of the national picture. For a lot of people, it's a combination of the two.
I respect your views Fatty, but I disagree. The merits of the party leader is something I will consider when voting. It'll be the same for plenty of others across the country.
You might dislike it, but people will vote on the issues that matter to them. If strength of party leader is one of those, so be it. People are entitled to base their vote on whatever issues they like.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
I'm not saying they can't gramps. What I am saying is don't complain that MP's are s*** when they've based their vote on a person they cannot elect.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
Two reasons I can't vote Labour....
1- Balls was in the treasury at the time of the crash, they saw it coming and because they had spent more than they could afford anyway, by the time they had bailed out the banks like they had to, the nations finances went from dodgy to an absolute mess. Yet they still pretend like their actions had nothing to do with the mess they left behind.
2- Miliband is a hypocrite. Forced fuel bills up by adding a green tax and yet has the nerve to pretend he's disgusted at high fuel bills and puts all the blame on the fuel companies, forgetting his part in the price hikes.
Theres plenty other valid reasons why these clowns don't deserve my vote but I can't be arsed to spend all day listing them all. Tories are best of a bad bunch IMO.
1- Balls was in the treasury at the time of the crash, they saw it coming and because they had spent more than they could afford anyway, by the time they had bailed out the banks like they had to, the nations finances went from dodgy to an absolute mess. Yet they still pretend like their actions had nothing to do with the mess they left behind.
2- Miliband is a hypocrite. Forced fuel bills up by adding a green tax and yet has the nerve to pretend he's disgusted at high fuel bills and puts all the blame on the fuel companies, forgetting his part in the price hikes.
Theres plenty other valid reasons why these clowns don't deserve my vote but I can't be arsed to spend all day listing them all. Tories are best of a bad bunch IMO.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
It's the same in this area, as the vast majority of North-East seats would always go to Labour. Most elections are decided by probably less than 100 marginal seats.theoriginalfatcat wrote:This is a good way to think - however, where I live the Conservatives have such a large majority that it almost seems a waste of time to turn up, regardless of which way I decide to vote.Bogratsteve wrote:Don't agree with you very often but on this I do, I vote for the best local candidate based on what they are saying not who will be PM
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
Only 2 weeks to go and if you believe the opinion polls, the parties standings are the same now as when the General Election was announced. I'd expect more movement as we get nearer the election.
Re: Who will win the General Election?
A poll in the mirror has the tories 4 points ahead. Bet the editor didn't like publishing that!
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
I'm sure the editor is fine with it.loan_star wrote:A poll in the mirror has the tories 4 points ahead. Bet the editor didn't like publishing that!
If you watch them, polls in Tory leaning papers (Telegraph, Mail etc.) are tending to show Labour close or ahead of the Tories, and polls in Labour leaning papers (Mirror, Guardian etc.) tend to show the Tories in the lead.
If the parties base thinks they are behind, they're more likely to come out to vote.
The polls show what the people paying for the polls want them to show.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
Opinion polls during the campaign should be banned.
They're too easy to manipulate and can distort what's actually going on.
People should vote for the candidate or party that they want to vote for, not someone who they think will stop another candidate getting in.
Tactical voting is dangerous and not democratic.
They're too easy to manipulate and can distort what's actually going on.
People should vote for the candidate or party that they want to vote for, not someone who they think will stop another candidate getting in.
Tactical voting is dangerous and not democratic.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
You get such a range in the opinion polls it's impossible to knwo which one to believe.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
I've read today that Cameron is willing to link up with Farage if he wins the election.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
I don't think UKIP will win enough seats to make a difference, but I could be wrong.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
Ever since UKIP gave the Torys (and all the others) a fright in the EURO elections, Cameron has been moving toward them anyway, in the hope of heading off further defections. So why are you surprised?AndyPark wrote:I've read today that Cameron is willing to link up with Farage if he wins the election.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
Just didn't think Cameron would fancy joining forces with Farage.joejaques wrote:Ever since UKIP gave the Torys (and all the others) a fright in the EURO elections, Cameron has been moving toward them anyway, in the hope of heading off further defections. So why are you surprised?AndyPark wrote:I've read today that Cameron is willing to link up with Farage if he wins the election.
They have so many different issues/ideas on things.
Re: Who will win the General Election?
None of them care, really. All chameleons changing ideas to get in.
Really struggling this time. Nobody deserves my vote!
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Really struggling this time. Nobody deserves my vote!
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
[quote="TDS"]None of them care, really. All chameleons changing ideas to get in.
Really struggling this time. Nobody deserves my vote!
Ditto!
It seems that Labour are kinder to animals though, Badgers and Foxes!
Really struggling this time. Nobody deserves my vote!
Ditto!
It seems that Labour are kinder to animals though, Badgers and Foxes!
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Feethams the Panda. 28 Jan 2012.
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Re: Who will win the General Election?
theoriginalfatcat wrote:TDS wrote:None of them care, really. All chameleons changing ideas to get in.
Really struggling this time. Nobody deserves my vote!
Ditto!
It seems that Labour are kinder to animals though, Badgers and Foxes!
And the Greens are kinder to trees.
Re: Who will win the General Election?
Two postal votes for UKIP have already been sent off from us. It won't change who wins the seat (Tory - which I'm happy with) but it will hopefully send an arrow across the bow of the Tories on the EU/immigration if UKIP get c. 15% of the vote (even though they'll likely only get 2-3% of the seats).
Re: Who will win the General Election?
I don't know how anyone can vote for UKIP and not feel a bit dirty afterwards.