O/T The General Election

[Christies Child]

Anybody like me who will be glad when it's all over?

I'm one of those sad people who actually enjoys election night and stays up until around 3pm to see who should have won. Can't get enough of the 'swing thingy' and the predictions of this that and t'other about who will win, what, where and for whom.

However as for the pre-election build up especially with the junk mail that has come through my letterbox i will gladly do without. Interestingly, of all the various parties involved here in Westmorland and Lonsdale, the one party who have not been providing printed leaflets is the Labour crew. Maybe already realised that it's a lost cause in this rural area. Unfortunately both the Torries and Lib Dems have been making up for the loss.

How many trees have been cut down and had to be replaced for all the paper used to convince us of who to vote for?

Glad when we can return to normal...whatever that is

[Posh]

I've just sent this to a national newspaper - bizarely at their request.

As a Labour Party activist it's sad to see the final days of the General Election campaign be dominated by a debate about the likely post-election state of the parties and how we should vote in anticipation. Whatever happened to policy? Nationally Cameron and Brown have both had poor campaigns. Frightened of alienating any section of the centre, focused entirely on a tiny number of swing voters in marginal constituencies and driven by focus groups we've had an election light on policy and big on rhetoric. In this atmosphere and with the Leadership Debates offering a level playing field the Liberal Democrats have been allowed, initially at least, a free and unchallenged ride through the middle.

The likely result is a hung parliament and if so then the biggest winners may be the electorate. A coalition will be more representative of the people than at any election since Atlee in 1945. While parties talk about change a hung parliament would be a mandate for real change. Changes to an electoral system that is failing the people, changes to the nation's finances and tax system and the removal of the many unfair aspects of our society that continually go unchallenged.

As Labour has no chance of an outright majority our only hope is that 'progressives' band together in an anti-Tory consensus to ensure as many Labour and Lib-Dem MPs get elected. Gordon Brown would fall on his sword and then perhaps these two parties can bring together the best of their ideas and talents in a coalition of real and meaningful change.

This election has benefited only from the Leadership Debates enlivening the race to make it a true three party contest - which makes your 'swingy thing' redundant as its only for two party contests.

My personal biggest disappointment is over how Labour have fought the campign. As the parent of a 2 1/2 year old we've seen fantastic children's centres open, free nursery places for three year olds (with plans to extend it to all 2 year-olds), more new primary schools and secondaries being built at any time since the Victorian era, class sizes cut and more investment in education than at any time since the 60s. Have we heard a single mention of it? No. We've been robbed of meaningful debate and particularly on the the deficit.

[Keith]

...more investment in education than at any time since the 60s.

And if those sixties schools had been built under current PFI schemes, they just about be getting paid for now! Wonder what the deficit would be if PFI was included on the books?

I do agree with almost all of your post though.

[Christies Child]

I've just sent this to a national newspaper - bizarely at their request.

As a Labour Party activist it's sad to see the final days of the General Election campaign be dominated by a debate about the likely post-election state of the parties and how we should vote in anticipation. Whatever happened to policy? Nationally Cameron and Brown have both had poor campaigns. Frightened of alienating any section of the centre, focused entirely on a tiny number of swing voters in marginal constituencies and driven by focus groups we've had an election light on policy and big on rhetoric. In this atmosphere and with the Leadership Debates offering a level playing field the Liberal Democrats have been allowed, initially at least, a free and unchallenged ride through the middle.

The likely result is a hung parliament and if so then the biggest winners may be the electorate. A coalition will be more representative of the people than at any election since Atlee in 1945. While parties talk about change a hung parliament would be a mandate for real change. Changes to an electoral system that is failing the people, changes to the nation's finances and tax system and the removal of the many unfair aspects of our society that continually go unchallenged.

As Labour has no chance of an outright majority our only hope is that 'progressives' band together in an anti-Tory consensus to ensure as many Labour and Lib-Dem MPs get elected. Gordon Brown would fall on his sword and then perhaps these two parties can bring together the best of their ideas and talents in a coalition of real and meaningful change.

This election has benefited only from the Leadership Debates enlivening the race to make it a true three party contest - which makes your 'swingy thing' redundant as its only for two party contests.

My personal biggest disappointment is over how Labour have fought the campign. As the parent of a 2 1/2 year old we've seen fantastic children's centres open, free nursery places for three year olds (with plans to extend it to all 2 year-olds), more new primary schools and secondaries being built at any time since the Victorian era, class sizes cut and more investment in education than at any time since the 60s. Have we heard a single mention of it? No. We've been robbed of meaningful debate and particularly on the the deficit.

From ALL the parties, which suggests that predictions of tough times ahead are correct. Maybe if they all told us the truth and not treated us like we are all idiots the election would have been about policy and not personalities. Yesterday for the first time,and too late in the day I might add, Brown came out of his shell and started to fight for his political future (which thankfully was over even before the election).

Other countries seem to do well out of a hung parliament. Maybe it's time we had more of a Government of consent than one of confrontation.

[Plain Peter]

How many trees have been cut down and had to be replaced for all the paper used to convince us of who to vote for?

Quite right CC.
Sick to death of all the crap through the letter-box, and handed-out in the street.
Every single bit of vote-for-me paper should have had a note on it in BLOCK CAPITALS, "PLEASE DISPOSE AS GARBAGE"!
None did!!
Just shows what they all think of the environment!

[Plain Peter]

My personal biggest disappointment is over how Labour have fought the campign. As the parent of a 2 1/2 year old we've seen fantastic children's centres open, free nursery places for three year olds (with plans to extend it to all 2 year-olds), more new primary schools and secondaries being built at any time since the Victorian era, class sizes cut and more investment in education than at any time since the 60s. Have we heard a single mention of it? No. We've been robbed of meaningful debate and particularly on the the deficit.

Nowt to say about Gordon's £Billions raid on the pensions pot?
Never mind all these nurseries funded by the tax payer.
Mothers should be at home being mothers to their young offspring.
If that's not the case then why do they have children?
Half the kids these days can only scribe in text-speak.
Halve the class sizes? Half the kids in half the classes don't speak English as a first language!
All of our public services need interpreters in * knows how many languages, at * knows what cost in order to cope with the demand for benefits.
No I'm not!

[edit] Language Timothy, language...

[Posh]

My personal biggest disappointment is over how Labour have fought the campign. As the parent of a 2 1/2 year old we've seen fantastic children's centres open, free nursery places for three year olds (with plans to extend it to all 2 year-olds), more new primary schools and secondaries being built at any time since the Victorian era, class sizes cut and more investment in education than at any time since the 60s. Have we heard a single mention of it? No. We've been robbed of meaningful debate and particularly on the the deficit.

Nowt to say about Gordon's £Billions raid on the pensions pot?
Never mind all these nurseries funded by the tax payer.
Mothers should be at home being mothers to their young offspring.
If that's not the case then why do they have children?
Half the kids these days can only scribe in text-speak.
Halve the class sizes? Half the kids in half the classes don't speak English as a first language!
All of our public services need interpreters in * knows how many languages, at * knows what cost in order to cope with the demand for benefits.
No I'm not!

[edit] Language Timothy, language...

Yes, yes, you're right. You're absolutely right to raise these issues. There's lots of points there we could dicuss and I don't necessarily agree on. Anyway have a good election.


End of post.










That was a disaster.


Who put them on this messageboard and on this thread? I think it was Keith.



What a bigoted man.

[scar]

fpmsl....

[Keith]

Yes, yes, you're right. You're absolutely right to raise these issues. There's lots of points there we could dicuss and I don't necessarily agree on. Anyway have a good election.


End of post.










That was a disaster.


Who put them on this messageboard and on this thread? I think it was Keith.



What a bigoted man.

You said what???? No!!! I'm shocked, I won't be voting for Posh now!







Awaits cheque for £80,000 from the Daily Mail

[Plain Peter]

[Heysham_Shrimp]

I've just sent this to a national newspaper - bizarely at their request.

As a Labour Party activist it's sad to see the final days of the General Election campaign be dominated by a debate about the likely post-election state of the parties and how we should vote in anticipation. Whatever happened to policy? Nationally Cameron and Brown have both had poor campaigns. Frightened of alienating any section of the centre, focused entirely on a tiny number of swing voters in marginal constituencies and driven by focus groups we've had an election light on policy and big on rhetoric. In this atmosphere and with the Leadership Debates offering a level playing field the Liberal Democrats have been allowed, initially at least, a free and unchallenged ride through the middle.

The likely result is a hung parliament and if so then the biggest winners may be the electorate. A coalition will be more representative of the people than at any election since Atlee in 1945. While parties talk about change a hung parliament would be a mandate for real change. Changes to an electoral system that is failing the people, changes to the nation's finances and tax system and the removal of the many unfair aspects of our society that continually go unchallenged.

As Labour has no chance of an outright majority our only hope is that 'progressives' band together in an anti-Tory consensus to ensure as many Labour and Lib-Dem MPs get elected. Gordon Brown would fall on his sword and then perhaps these two parties can bring together the best of their ideas and talents in a coalition of real and meaningful change.

This election has benefited only from the Leadership Debates enlivening the race to make it a true three party contest - which makes your 'swingy thing' redundant as its only for two party contests.

My personal biggest disappointment is over how Labour have fought the campign. As the parent of a 2 1/2 year old we've seen fantastic children's centres open, free nursery places for three year olds (with plans to extend it to all 2 year-olds), more new primary schools and secondaries being built at any time since the Victorian era, class sizes cut and more investment in education than at any time since the 60s. Have we heard a single mention of it? No. We've been robbed of meaningful debate and particularly on the the deficit.

I think Saint Geraldine has given up the ghost. The only communications I have seen from her contained no policy and were just a nasty personal attack on David Morris. She has a chip on her shoulder about him not being born in Morecambe (which makes him and Saint Geraldine have something in common). And she mentions that he has fought 2 other General Elections in other seats. This is common among up and coming young politicians who cut their teeth in "unwinnable" seats before being given a winnable seat. Tony Blair fought the safest Conservative seat in the country before being given Sedgefield where the voters are so thick they would vote for a pig with a red rosette!
Interesting "Posh" that when Tony Blair was piling up 150 odd seat majorities under the first past the post system that there wasn't any mention of voting reform. Now when the Labour Party is on the verge of being kicked out they dream up electoral reform !
I am hoping that the "did you stay up for" moment this election is Ed Balls. Has any Minister ever had a more appropriate name.

[Lloydie]

I'm more disapointed in the fact there wasn't a 'Bez 4 Bare 2'

[P/T Indie]

I couldn't care less about the 3 main parties can't stand any of them.

I think Bez should have done what the "None of the above" man has done and changed his name and entered I would have voted for him.

Also think the raving looney party policy of inventing a 99p coin is genius!

still think Christie the cat should have entered think of the publicity and all the people like me wanting to waste their vote that would have voted for him he would have probably won and still do a better job than the main 3 parties.

I hope all the independents do well and hopefully it will send a message to westminster that we have had enough of them.

[shrimper]

[
Mothers should be at home being mothers to their young offspring.
If that's not the case then why do they have children?


[edit] Language Timothy, language...

Peter's Modern Family!!

dinosaur.jpg (3.11 KiB) Viewed 1616 times

[MorecambeMickey]

"None of the above"

Isn't that from 'Brewster's Millions'?

[Heysham_Shrimp]

I bet Posh isn't enjoying "you tube" today !

[Mike Blackstone]

I'm afraid I AM very much one of those sad people, a political animal, which I probably inherited from my late father who was a local councillor. Stayed up until just before 4am.

In the days leading up to the election, I have watched every night the 'Campaign Show' on BBC News channel between 9pm and 10pm, then Newsnight (which I usually watch anyway) at 10.30pm on BBC2.

I'll be lost when this is all over! Nothing left to watch.

[Christies Child]

I'm afraid I AM very much one of those sad people, a political animal, which I probably inherited from my late father who was a local councillor. Stayed up until just before 4am.

In the days leading up to the election, I have watched every night the 'Campaign Show' on BBC News channel between 9pm and 10pm, then Newsnight (which I usually watch anyway) at 10.30pm on BBC2.

I'll be lost when this is all over! Nothing left to watch.

You're not alone......

3.00am for me and then back at 7.00am.

Sad...very sad....but hey something to look forward to on Saturday!

[Morecambe Player]

still think Christie the cat should have entered think of the publicity and all the people like me wanting to waste their vote that would have voted for him he would have probably won and still do a better job than the main 3 parties.

Didn't "H'angus the Monkey" get voted in as Mayor of Hartlepool a few years ago?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1965569.stm

Interestingly enough, the guy's real name was Stuart Drummond...

[CASS]

03.10.......07.45...Can't sleep anyway.

[Keith]

I'm afraid I AM very much one of those sad people, a political animal, which I probably inherited from my late father who was a local councillor. Stayed up until just before 4am.

In the days leading up to the election, I have watched every night the 'Campaign Show' on BBC News channel between 9pm and 10pm, then Newsnight (which I usually watch anyway) at 10.30pm on BBC2.

I'll be lost when this is all over! Nothing left to watch.

Oh don't worry, you'll be able to do it all again in a few months time! Do you reckon any of them can hold it together for 12 months? It may be 18 months before the next election, after they've both had a go.

[Christies Child]

I'm afraid I AM very much one of those sad people, a political animal, which I probably inherited from my late father who was a local councillor. Stayed up until just before 4am.

In the days leading up to the election, I have watched every night the 'Campaign Show' on BBC News channel between 9pm and 10pm, then Newsnight (which I usually watch anyway) at 10.30pm on BBC2.

I'll be lost when this is all over! Nothing left to watch.

Oh don't worry, you'll be able to do it all again in a few months time! Do you reckon any of them can hold it together for 12 months? It may be 18 months before the next election, after they've both had a go.

Exactly my thoughts.

Whoever becomes the PM, he and his party have some very difficult decisions to take. Because of the need for savage spending cuts, whichever party has to do it will quickly loose favour with the public, because without doubt everybody will suffer in some way or another. Nobody likes pain and whoever is responsible for inflicting that pain will be severly punished at the next Election.

Personally I can't see Brown surviving whatever happens. And although by no means a lover of the Labour Party I do have a liking for Allan Johnson.

[Heysham_Shrimp]

I'm afraid I AM very much one of those sad people, a political animal, which I probably inherited from my late father who was a local councillor. Stayed up until just before 4am.

In the days leading up to the election, I have watched every night the 'Campaign Show' on BBC News channel between 9pm and 10pm, then Newsnight (which I usually watch anyway) at 10.30pm on BBC2.

I'll be lost when this is all over! Nothing left to watch.

Oh don't worry, you'll be able to do it all again in a few months time! Do you reckon any of them can hold it together for 12 months? It may be 18 months before the next election, after they've both had a go.

Exactly my thoughts.

Whoever becomes the PM, he and his party have some very difficult decisions to take. Because of the need for savage spending cuts, whichever party has to do it will quickly loose favour with the public, because without doubt everybody will suffer in some way or another. Nobody likes pain and whoever is responsible for inflicting that pain will be severly punished at the next Election.

Personally I can't see Brown surviving whatever happens. And although by no means a lover of the Labour Party I do have a liking for Allan Johnson.

I dont fancy the prospect of a postman in charge ! I seem to remember Johnson said some time ago that the top job was beyond him.

[shrimper]

Still waiting for our result, I see (expected about 2pm according to the Beeb).
But, having driven around the town these past few weeks and doing a kind of poll of my own based on posters and signs displayed outside houses, I reckon that Gerry Farrell should get in easily.

[abc123]