Poll: The official I voted/election results thread

[Skidder]

This thread, and it's predecessors, show what's wrong in this country, a lack of empathy for others. I don't know what happens to someone on the right and why a lot of them seem to simply not care about their fellow human beings. I don't mean taking tramps in and giving them a bed or even donating to charity, I mean some people hear really seem to not care about those less fortunate than themselves and I don't mean people on the dole who have no interest in getting work.

We are fortunate enough to live in a country where our politics (other than single issue fringe parties like UKip/BNP, Green) are very much around the middle ground, with all three major parties respecting the NHS, the broad idea of a safety net etc. By swinging from the conservatives to labour or vice versa we don't lose those key institutions and principles that make Britain not only a successful but a generally caring society.

I have lived in the US and what the democrats dream of in terms of welfare is a fraction of what the conservatives would protect at any cost. It is childish and outmoded to see labour as the goodies and the conservatives as the baddies. There is a baseline.

For some the conservatives just represent an economic set of policies and approach which I feel (as an economist) is better for the economy as a whole. They are not picking the pockets of street urchins and turning OAPs into soylent green.

 

[Glaucus]

But they will do these jobs, if they are physically capable and forced to. Offer these jobs to people on the dole, if they refuse... stop their benefits. Simple as that really.

That's not going to happen. Apparently people can't get jobs and it's wrong to mess with benefits.

Where I used to work was a good example if why people are on the dole. Most English people gave up within one shift, to hard work for no money. 18k 12 years ago for unskilled labour. Yet a polish girl 1/3rd of our size managed to do physical labour. They got paid the same, they weren't cheaper. And it's not like the company wanted foreign labour due to difficulty in language. It's just English workers by and large sucked. And we would go though one a week in average.

But apparently pointing this out means I have no empathy and want all benefits cut to zero, which couldn't be further from the truth.

 

[robgmun]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say we might end up with a Labour/Con grand coalition. It would probably be the best outcome imo.

It would destroy both parties in a spectacular fashion. Both Lab and Con supporters would feel utterly betrayed. So they would only ever do that to cling onto power for one more term before collapsing.

 

[AGD]

Isn't it currently tied? And the Tories were in front before that, so based on current polls you couldn't reliably say Labour will edge it...

It doesn't matter if the Tories get the most seats. If the polls are correct there is no possible grouping for the Tories which would have a majority (i.e. Tories + Lib Dems + UKIP + DUP would not be enough).

Whereas Lab + Lib Dems (with SNP, Plaid, Green not voting against) would be enough.

 

[robfosters]

Voted Tory. At least I hope i did. Had eye drops to dilate my pupils for an eye exam. Could barely see a thing in there!

 

[robgmun]

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffee...rty-with-the-most-negative-election-campaign/

Labour having the most negative election campaign

 

[Arthur Hucksake]

That's not going to happen. Apparently people can't get jobs and it's wrong to mess with benefits.

Where I used to work was a good example if why people are on the dole. Most English people gave up within one shift, to hard work for no money. 18k 12 years ago for unskilled labour. Yet a polish girl 1/3rd of our size managed to do physical labour. They got paid the same, they weren't cheaper. And it's not like the company wanted foreign labour due to difficulty in language. It's just English workers by and large sucked. And we would go though one a week in average.

But apparently pointing this out means I have no empathy and want all benefits cut to zero, which couldn't be further from the truth.

It's a cultural problem and we need a culture change. Traditionally the British were always grafters. We need to get back to that.

Really, REALLY look after the Disabled. Totally encourage the lazy to work by showing them they are a part of something greater.

 

[Tunney]

But we would have %100 say on how our own country is governed. Ultimately any union cannot survive without consent from the people. Look at Britain, we could well live to see Scotland exit the United Kingdom. This is a country with which we share a language, common law, are landlocked etc..

If this cannot survive, how can a union with people of different languages, cultural values etc ?

Britain has peoples of different languages and values, just like Europe does. The SNP were very much in favour of an independent Scotland joining the EU. In fact, it's typically the smaller countries in Europe that see the value in common European laws, trade and currency.

 

[neoboy]

I would love for us to actually attempt to make EU work for us, rather that just sit and complain about it. Then if that doesn't work consider a referendum, not because some desperate backtracking buffoon who looks like a failed Geography teacher was desperate for votes.

 

[ubersonic]

This thread, and it's predecessors, show what's wrong in this country, a lack of empathy for others.

I do really want to do whats best for the country, I have ticked Tory in every poll so far, but I am almost certain that when I get there tonight I will tick Labour as I care more about myself than others, I'm sorry.

(All parties have terrible things in their manifesto that will damage the country but Labour don't have any that will hurt me).

 

[Krono5]

But since they have no interest in doing those jobs and we seem to incentive sitting on your backside who's going to do them?

There needs to be a big shift in policies of all the major parties. At present the Tories seem to want to demonize anyone on benefits, especially JSA and impose sanctions at any given opportunity, including those who genuinely want a job but just can't get one. While Labour are happy to sit back and give out benefits and like you say, incentivize doing F all.

Instead I somewhat like the new Labour plan of working with employers to give young people a job which if implemented well then it'd subsidize the employers for the first 2 years the amount of benefits that person would be getting anyway so the employer gets to pay less than minimum wage. Also it'd benefit the country with the taxes that person pays (hopefully for the remainder of their life) and the addition of of having an additional person contributing to society in the long term with the added confidence that individual will gain including maybe the desire to earn a living.

If they refuse then and only then should the be sanctioned when there's proper cause.

 

[Glaucus]

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffee...rty-with-the-most-negative-election-campaign/

Labour having the most negative election campaign

so disappointing but expected from the top 3, really is a sad state of affairs,
When such few of the leaflets actually set out what they would actually do.

 

[ubersonic]

Norway is a good example of how to do it.

Norway is a TERRIBLE example, they have to bend over backwards to meet EU rules, don't get any say in making them and don't get the EU benefits we do.

 

[The Dread Pirate]

I would love for us to actually attempt to make EU work for us, rather that just sit and complain about it. Then if that doesn't work consider a referendum, not because some desperate backtracking buffoon who looks like a failed Geography teacher was desperate for votes.

by threatening a referendum we show the rest of the EU that we're serious about renegotiation adding a definite date to it just puts more stress on them to try and make it work for us in a shorter amount of time rather than them prolonging negotiations.

 

[Arthur Hucksake]

Norway is a TERRIBLE example, they have to bend over backwards to meet EU rules, don't get any say in making them and don't get the EU benefits we do.

Norway GDP per capita.... 6th in the World.

They work less hours than their neighbours, and for more moola in return.

We don't get much say in making decisions within the EU, and when we do get a say, they go ahead and enforce whatever they wish regardless.

It's a poisoned chalice which has been involved in bankrupting more countries than Communism has in the past 100 years.

 

[Sliver]

Norway is a TERRIBLE example, they have to bend over backwards to meet EU rules, don't get any say in making them and don't get the EU benefits we do.

Norway has a higher standard of living than we do. It isn't a 'TERRIBLE' example it's actually an 'EXCELLENT' example

 

[koolpc]

Be sick if SNP and Labour get married!

 

[ubersonic]

by threatening a referendum we show the rest of the EU that we're serious about renegotiation

And we devalue the **** out of the pound, delay investment in the UK, etc, etc.

 

[MooMoo444]

so disappointing but expected from the top 3, really is a sad state of affairs,
When such few of the leaflets actually set out what they would actually do.

Seems like the first priority of the main parties is just getting one up on the others.

 

[Glaucus]

GDP per capita.... 6th in the World.

They work less hours than their neighbours, and for more moola in return.

We don't get much say in making decisions within the EU, and when we do get a say, they go ahead and enforce whatever they wish regardless.

It's a poisoned chalice which has been involved in bankrupting more countries than Communism has in the past 100 years.

And not comparable to the UK at all.
Very small population countries with huge natural resources always do well. There's a lot of easy money to divide through very few people.
We don't have the renewable energy of Norway, or huge mineral deposits of Australia, and have a much larger population that either.