UK Politics IV

[Zoë Sumra]

The BBC website swingometer is officially my favourite online election toy so far.

Cameron and Brown, meanwhile, are warning that the LibDems are now "going to face scrutiny" thanks to Clegg's showing, which is as neat a backhanded insult as they could hope to give under the circumstances, I feel.

[paddington]

So after playing with the swingometer. It would appear that for ethier Libdems or Tories to get any sort of majority they need around 40% of the vote. Where as to maintain power Labour require 34%.

Is there a logical reason why theres a 6% advantage to labour?

[polishgenius]

Is there a logical reason why theres a 6% advantage to labour?

This bit:

This assumes that for every seat in the country, each party's vote share changes by the same amount.

Labour have the most secure seats with a large margin of victory.

[Hereward]

Actually no, the Conservatives' seats have bigger electorates and, in general, bigger majorities, so it takes more votes to elect the averahe MP.

[mormont]

It's a cheap shot, I know.

:lol:

"I was in Plymouth recently, and a 40-year-old black man actually made the point to me, he said, I came here when I was six, I've served in the Royal Navy for thirty years..."

And they say the Conservatives' sums don't add up. ;)

I can't decide if that reaction from Brown means he actually noticed the blunder.

[Night Watchman]

I can't decide if that reaction from Brown means he actually noticed the blunder.

He was probably shocked that Cameron met a black man ;)

That was a cheap shot :thumbsdown: A part of me thinks I'm better than that, but I'm not sure I am.

[Alcibiades]

That BBC swingometer really highlights Labour's structural advantages. When I give lib-dems 30 percent of the vote to labour's 28 (as reported by latest yougov poll), labour still has 273 seats to the lib-dems' 99. And here I thought the electoral college was fucked up.

[Maltaran]

The SDP-Liberal Alliance won 25% of the vote in 1983, and got 23 MPS, compared to Labour winning 27% and 209 MPs.

[The Iceman of the North]

That BBC swingometer really highlights Labour's structural advantages. When I give lib-dems 30 percent of the vote to labour's 28 (as reported by latest yougov poll), labour still has 273 seats to the lib-dems' 99. And here I thought the electoral college was fucked up.

But how relevant can a national poll be in this system? Not to mention this "swingometer" where you only say how large the parties are but nothing about where those voters are.

[williamjm]

Just in case you hadn't had enough "I met someone once and they said something and that's why we have this policy" anecdotes you can now generate your own:

For example,

"Last week, I met a lesbian World War Two veteran, who told me that David Milliband had been shouting at buses on the high street."

"Last week, I met a devout Muslim fireman, who told me that Broken Britain should be banned from drinking in England and Wales."

"Last week, I met an Australian police chief, who told me that the Guardian ruined the country for everyone."

"Last week, I met an imaginary former Labour voter, who told me that the recession needed an ASBO."

[The Warlock of Qarth]

"Last week, I met a working-class lady, who told me that union bureaucrats raped the next door's beagle."

"Last week, I met a Pakistani family, who told me that Lady Gaga set fire to a bag of kittens."

"Last week, I met a hard-working cabin boy, who told me that the gays took their jobs."

:shocked:

[Datepalm]

The SDP-Liberal Alliance won 25% of the vote in 1983, and got 23 MPS, compared to Labour winning 27% and 209 MPs.

of the popular vote? But isn't the problem more the first past the post system itself rather than labour in particular? (I initially thought that labour was just fielding more candidates.)

Last week, I met a 40-year-old lady, who told me that you were just getting far too uppity."

[paddington]

"Last week, I met a Somali reformed paedophile, who told me that paedo bikinis were no substitute for proper married relationships."

I'd be intrested to see after the election, what percentage of people actually bother to vote this time around. Also be good to find out how many people are going to vote for minority parties, such as Greens, ukip, bnp.

After looking at the voting stats for where I live, an labour winning by just 3% from the Tories. I may just vote tory to get labour out. Really starting to feel that 18 yrs is just to long for one group to have power.

[Slick Mongoose]

Love this pic.

[BigFatCoward]

Really starting to feel that 18 yrs is just to long for one group to have power.

but the tories did such a great job in their 18 years, it is clearly a good amount of time to screw things up.

[Alcibiades]

Hehe, all the talk of swingometers and voting power reminds me of this bit from Yes Minister.

Appleby: "Bernard, if the right people don't have power, do you know what happens? The wrong people get it! Politicians! Counselors! Ordinary voters!"

Bernard: "Aren't they supposed to in a democracy?"

Appleby: "This is a British democracy!"

[AndyP]

? What are the policies of the Lib Dems?

[Liffguard]

? What are the policies of the Lib Dems?

Off the top of my head:

- No income tax below £10,000

- Civil liberties: reduced anti-terror powers, innocents not put on DNA database, no collusion in torture

- Scrap Trident

- Opposed to building nuclear power stations

- Constitutional reform: elected upper house

- Electoral reform: proportional representation

There's definitely a bit more but like I said, that's what I remember off the top of my head.

[Night Watchman]

There's also the Amnesty for illegal immigrants if you've been living here illegally for a certain amount of time (I think in the Paxo interview he said ten years)

[Maltaran]

You missed out joining the Euro, and giving amnesty to illegal immigrants.