Poll: Who will you vote for next General Election

[semi-pro waster]

I'm not sure, but then I don't support removing the safety nets, but reforming them so they treat everyone equally, which is a different idea entirely.

The point is, though, that many people won't accept freely given charity, but will accept state handouts, which are nothing but enforced charity at the end of the day. I've seen this first hand when I've offered to help people, they respond that they are not a charity case then get on the phone to the local council demanding money or goods... It makes no sense to me.

The question about taxes and their relationship to charity was just curiousity, no agenda behind it except to find out if you knew of a proven link since I know you support lower taxation in general.

It is slightly odd that people choose to differentiate yet at the same time understandable as it is much easier to disassociate from a faceless entity (in this case the state) than it is the individual(s) who give charity directly and therefore potentially less embarrassing. People might well also feel an obligation to an individual who gives charity but the state is less likely to engender such feelings.

 

[Dolph]

You make it sound like the Opposition presenting alternative proposals and/or policies, which are then taken into law by the incumbent Government is a bad thing - is that not exactly what the Opposition should be doing, acting for the good of the public rather than selfishly concentrating on their own election prospects?

Surely come election time, they can point to their proposals being taken into law as evidence of their ability to govern, as opposed to pointing to numerous meaningless objections and statements without a hint of an alternative policy?

If the public was rational and parties honest rather than voteseeking, you'd be absolutely right, but given that all parties induldge in populist vote grabbing, and people are irrational and forget where the ideas come from, I can see exactly why they don't.

Democracy, despite being the best system we have, still has a great many flaws.

 

[Dolph]

The question about taxes and their relationship to charity was just curiousity, no agenda behind it except to find out if you knew of a proven link since I know you support lower taxation in general.

The closest I'm aware of is data relating to average giving, which is represented as a proportion of disposible income. When that goes up (and reducing taxation does just that) so does the total amount given to charity, but I have no evidence that would definitely occur.

It is slightly odd that people choose to differentiate yet at the same time understandable as it is much easier to disassociate from a faceless entity (in this case the state) than it is the individual(s) who give charity directly and therefore potentially less embarrassing. People might well also feel an obligation to an individual who gives charity but the state is less likely to engender such feelings.

Which is a big part of the problem in my view, that disassociation and lack of accepting responsibility (the 'I'm entitled to this' idea) is the biggest flaw of the current welfare state...

 

[Cosimo]

This all sounds like question time, pontificating prats at it again, end of sitting on the fence for me, Conservative.

 

[cheets64]

Labour for me, apart from the recession and the MP expenses its not been that bad.

Just need someone with new ideas.

 

[Hatter The Mad]

Labour for me, apart from the recession and the MP expenses its not been that bad.

Just need someone with new ideas.

Under Labour;

1) We have the biggest national deficit since WWII.
2) We have the least value-for-money from the NHS, than ever before.
3) We have the most bloated, wretched and stale civil service, on a scale never seen before.
4) We have more pensioners under the poverty line now than at any point in the last 30 years.
5) We have more prisoners than ever before, in the last 50 years.
6) We more pregnant teenagers than any other comparable country in Europe.
7) We have the biggest drink and obesity problem than any other comparable country in Europe.
8) We have one of the highest knife and violent crime rates than any other comparable country in Europe.
9) We have the highest number of illegal immigrants than ever before.
10) The average policeman spends six times more time on paperwork and red tape than in the same year Labour were elected.
11) The average nurse spends three times more time on red tape by the same measure as (10)
12) School drop-out rates are at the highest they have been in two decades.
13) We have been landed in the most expensive war since WWII, and for no (yet) direct benefit to this country.
14) We are paying more into the EU money pot than under any Conservative government (especially Thatcher).
15) We are receiving the lowest proportion of investment and return from that EU money pot than at any time since the inception of the EEC.

 

[deuse]

The BNP is doing well

 

[Hatter The Mad]

The BNP is doing well

Didn't expect anything different. Did you see the Newspaper poll? Most people who took part read idiot rags (The Sun, Mirror, Star, Daily Mail etc)

 

[Pneumonic]

I may do the unthinkable and vote tory... although I think they will be just as bad.. but at least Cameron has more charisma than the brick that is Gordon Brown..

 

[aslco]

I said 18 on the front bench.



When did I say he was



Yep, and they are all completely in the wrong too. It wasn't about the expenses, it was about the image that Douglas Hogg sent out of the tory party for having his moat cleaned.



So that makes them what exactly ?

OK but why only comment on the conservatives for one of their guys actions, which i totally agree is totally in the wrong, but you've made a poinnt as a negative point for a reason behind your beliefs / stereotyping of the conservatives only to then say you agree everyone is as bad as each other and that the one person you gave an example of isnt the only one.

Sure, he isnt the only one, but then the whole reason as to why you singled out the conservative party and then used him as a reason to stereotyping them despite the fact that EVERY other main party has done exactly the same.

Other than the millionnaire point which we all agreed including you isnt much of a point, and then this one Douglass Hogg dude who thank god wont be running next election.

What other reason do you have behind the stereotyping that would still apply to this current cameron leadership?

 

[Burnsy2023]

I may do the unthinkable and vote tory... although I think they will be just as bad.. but at least Cameron has more charisma than the brick that is Gordon Brown..

I'm very much undecided, but I'm leaning to agree with you.

 

[Sagalout]

I got a leaflet through from the BNP the other day. Looked like it had been put together by a 5 year old, but anyway, it had a Spitfire on it with the phrase 'the battle for Britain'.

Methinks the idiot that came up with that slogan should do a bit of reading and see that one of this country's greatest hours was actually carried out by a variety of British and immigrant nationalities, including a large proportion of Poles!

 

[aslco]

what do the BNP actually want to achive. Surely by now they have done some decent research over the years and actually realised this country seriously can toperate without immigrants. If their ideas actually went through then the country would nearly collapse. I am totally baffled as to why peopel vote for them and as to why they exist. I certainly wouldnt keep chasing a goal that ultimatley leads to general failure?

 

[Hatter The Mad]

I'm very much undecided, but I'm leaning to agree with you.

Conservatives aren't fantastic, nor are Labour. Nor would Lib Dems be in power. Now would the Green party, and so on. By the very nature of the political system and Whitehall, we'll never have a 'fantastic' party in power.

However, Conservatives are the only real and viable alternative to Labour. It is a two horse race. Waste your vote on a minority party or not vote at all and you risk Labour getting in again AND the likes of the BNP having a higher proportion of representation.

The only way you'll get change is to vote Tory.

Otherwise, we'll be left with a weakened Labour, without a good enough majority. Nothing will get done, it will be deadlock.

 

[Hatter The Mad]

what do the BNP actually want to achive. Surely by now they have done some decent research over the years and actually realised this country seriously can toperate without immigrants. If their ideas actually went through then the country would nearly collapse. I am totally baffled as to why peopel vote for them and as to why they exist. I certainly wouldnt keep chasing a goal that ultimatley leads to general failure?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_National_Party

 

[JBod]

Conservative. How anyone can STILL vote Labour is beyond me.

It's not just beyond me it is utterly mind boggling that people will still vote for Labour after what they have done. The only reason the country lasted this long is because the Conservatives didn't leave such a mess behind that Labour will.

 

[cheets64]

Under Labour;

1) We have the biggest national deficit since WWII.
2) We have the least value-for-money from the NHS, than ever before.
3) We have the most bloated, wretched and stale civil service, on a scale never seen before.
4) We have more pensioners under the poverty line now than at any point in the last 30 years.
5) We have more prisoners than ever before, in the last 50 years.
6) We more pregnant teenagers than any other comparable country in Europe.
7) We have the biggest drink and obesity problem than any other comparable country in Europe.
8) We have one of the highest knife and violent crime rates than any other comparable country in Europe.
9) We have the highest number of illegal immigrants than ever before.
10) The average policeman spends six times more time on paperwork and red tape than in the same year Labour were elected.
11) The average nurse spends three times more time on red tape by the same measure as (10)
12) School drop-out rates are at the highest they have been in two decades.
13) We have been landed in the most expensive war since WWII, and for no (yet) direct benefit to this country.
14) We are paying more into the EU money pot than under any Conservative government (especially Thatcher).
15) We are receiving the lowest proportion of investment and return from that EU money pot than at any time since the inception of the EEC.

Thats a load of crap and do you think the Tories will change any of the above, no they will carry on with them and make things just as bad.

 

[ajgoodfellow]

History repeats itself

Look at the state of the country in the 1970s - it took the Conservatives to make some unpopular decisions to bring the country back on track

Labour then squandered this legacy (as usual) and proceeded to tax and spend leaving the economy in a dreadful state for the Conservatives to fix (again)

 

[Strife212]

I really hope split votes don't mean that Labour will get in again ._.

 

[JBod]

Thats a load of crap and do you think the Tories will change any of the above, no they will carry on with them and make things just as bad.

I think you will find they are facts.