Poll: *** 2010 General Election Result & Discussion ***

[PMKeates]

Really, or did they just work in unsustainable industry?

Indeed. My 'working-class' family practically play the spoons and shine people's shoes, but they never happened to work in the mines or build poor quality cars, so think the Conservative changes of the 80s were great.

oh and wait, these unsustainable industries that provided goods and products that we still buy but now get via india etc (steel for example)...

Do you know how much those people in India get paid, and the conditions they work in? The economy could not move forward under the control of the unions that were destroying our competitiveness in an increasingly global marketplace. If they had been realistic and looked beyond the end of their noses they would have gotten gradual change and it would have been far, far less painful.

 

[Skii]

also surley a brown, darling and vince cable coallition is EXACTLY what we need in this economic climate. not torys who have a record of laissez-faire

As opposed to Brown's policy of laissez-faire with the banks ?

 

[RSR]

also surley a brown, darling and vince cable coallition is EXACTLY what we need in this economic climate. not torys who have a record of laissez-faire

What single party (Person) has caused the problems of this country then?

 

[Mr Jack]

What happens if Clegg just ignores Cameron and Brown?

Brown resigns. Cameron becomes PM, writes a Queen's Speech and basically dares the other parties to vote it down. They don't, because, well, it'd look bad for them.

Since the executive wields most of the power in our system, they get most of their plans through and the more sensible side of the rest of their policies goes through parliament with ad hoc support from the other parties following sensible negotiation.

Which, probably, doesn't actually result in too bad a government, although idiotic things like cutting Sure Start still make it through.

There's no chance of real electoral reform for another twenty years

 

[Rich_L]

Out of interest I wonder if there will be any recriminations for Cameron from this result, from the 15-odd point lead he had a year or so ago he did not 'win' the election - the Tory bakbenchers have been pretty well-behaved through the election but it would be interesting if someone spoke out against the election campaign or, for example, Cameron's choice of Osborne as shadow Chancellor over a 'heavyweight' like Ken Clarke.

 

[RDM]

You can't apply my argument for PR to the current situation, because we haven't got PR that's why this horse trading is going on.

Why not? It is exactly indicative of the horse trading that will happen with every election. This is how coalition governments are formed.

Specifically looking at this election, ignoring PR because it doesn't apply, then whichever coalition is formed is clearly going to annoy some element of society.

And why is that going to be any different from a coalition government formed under a PR system?

 

[PermaBanned]

So what exactly are these people protesting about and what exactly do they want to replace our system with? Nothing irritates me more than people going "I don't like it!" without having any idea at all of what to replace it with.

So you want me to come along and demonstrate against our current electoral system without having any idea of what we want to replace it with? No, that is a stupid idea.

It's more stupid to think that doing nothing is the best answer.

 

[badcompany]

It's more stupid to think that doing nothing is the best answer.

current system favors labour

 

[G1BB0]

haha, yeah the unions destroyed it... no British workers were being exploited, but thats ok, disempower the unions and buy overseas, less hassle I guess and all the fat cat owners make even more money. I sometimes wonder in this 'globalised' world if we are actually better off (apart from financially and the internet) and by financially I compare what we all generally have and take for granted compared to 20 - 25 years ago

 

[Freefaller]

Source?

The Lib dem party will have MASSIVE fallout if he does.

Discussion on the radio - it was speculation by a reporter so not concrete information at all... but when ideas start to float, they sometimes come down to earth...

 

[badcompany]

globalisation is the root of all evil

the only winners are the large corporations

 

[FoxEye]

Why not? It is exactly indicative of the horse trading that will happen with every election. This is how coalition governments are formed.

Is it worse that two parties with a combined majority % vote should govern, than a single party with a minority % share?

If that's what you mean by horse trading, then I don't see why horse trading should be looked upon as a bad thing.

 

[G1BB0]

globalisation is the root of all evil

the only winners are the large corporations

I do concur

 

[RDM]

It's more stupid to think that doing nothing is the best answer.

I am not doing nothing though, I voted for a party that offered some voting reform (as did anyone that voted Con/Lab or Lib Dem). You want me to come and protest against something without offering an alternative. That isn't going to sway me at all.

You think something must be done but cannot say what that something is? So why should I support you? Getting all angry and shouting at people is all too teenage angst for me and I prefer solutions.

 

[RDM]

Is it worse that two parties with a combined majority % vote should govern, than a single party with a minority % share?

If that's what you mean by horse trading, then I don't see why horse trading should be looked upon as a bad thing.

Because it isn't the people that actually make the decisions and they rarely get to make informed decisions as the parties do not give them the information they need. So if I hated Labour but really liked the Lib Dems I would have to vote for the Lib Dems on the hopes they would not help put a Labour goverment in to power. My vote is far from informed in that sort of situation.

I would also say that the party that got the majority % of the vote should play at least some part in government just out of principle if nothing else.

 

[rypt]

haha, yeah the unions destroyed it... no British workers were being exploited, but thats ok, disempower the unions and buy overseas, less hassle I guess and all the fat cat owners make even more money. I sometimes wonder in this 'globalised' world if we are actually better off (apart from financially and the internet) and by financially I compare what we all generally have and take for granted compared to 20 - 25 years ago

How many strikes did the unions go on at BL? What about the useless posties? Or now BA? And they were not being exploited.

 

[FirebarUK]

Last thing we need would be a Labour + Lib Dem co-alition. Erk!

 

[Greebo]

Why has nobody suggested a lab/con coalition? Surely that would have the backing of the greatest number of votes and seats?

 

[Rich_L]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ele...David-Cameron-has-had-this-coming-to-him.html

This is the kind of backlash I was referring to earlier - I actually disagree with the article and think that a continued 'traditional' Tory campaign would have probably led to an even worse result for the Tories but I suspect there is some discontent in the Tory ranks from the 'traditional' backbenchers - of note is the mention of Osborne who was not only shadow Chancellor in the generally inept Tory performance during the financial crisis but also was the co-ordinator of the election campaign.

 

[Viper²]

Last thing we need would be a Labour + Lib Dem co-alition. Erk!

Aye. People who have experience running the country and people throwing fresh ideas into the mix. It'd be terrible wouldn't it.