Boat Drinks Virtual Election

[A Place of Light]

Originally Posted by Von Smallhausen

The public sector needs trimming. Would you not agree ?

Trimming? Definitely.
Slashing with a broadsword? No.
Nobody is suggesting that there would be easy times ahead if a different party had won.....what I was actually saying was the Tories will slash and burn and not just "trim".

You can see why the Lib dems have done this deal. For the first time in years they've actually got close to winning a general election, so form a coalition with another party.....don't as long as they don't rock the boat too much they could actually have a fighting chance of winning the next GE outright. A good tactical move, but how they'll reconcile their differences with fundamental Tory party policy will be interesting to see.

[Will]

Originally Posted by Von Smallhausen

I have to ask what were you expecting Mat ?

Barring an election overseen by Robert Mugabe, the Lib Dems were not ever going to get a majority to run the country no matter what voting system was in place.

As for cooperation, I think we are seeing the foundations of that now so let us at least give them a chance.

Nick Clegg as Deputy PM is a good choice. Vince Cable as Business Secretary is excellent and a Lib Dem Scottish Secretary is also a good move.

Nick Clegg and indeed the majority of Lib Dems knew that a pact with Labour would have ended up with them being decimated at the next election and this deal pretty much guarantees Lib Dems a greater share of votes and seats at the next election.

Agreed with that.

[Von Smallhausen]

Originally Posted by A Place of Light

You can see why the Lib dems have done this deal. For the first time in years they've actually got close to winning a general election, so form a coalition with another party.....don't as long as they don't rock the boat too much they could actually have a fighting chance of winning the next GE outright. A good tactical move, but how they'll reconcile their differences with fundamental Tory party policy will be interesting to see.

They got 25% of the popular vote and 57 seats in Parliament which is nowhere near close.

A coalition, supply agreement or to continue as the UK's third party were their only options as winning outright was not going to happen.

[A Place of Light]

Originally Posted by Von Smallhausen

They got 25% of the popular vote and 57 seats in Parliament which is nowhere near close.

It is when you compare their performance in the general elections of the last few decades. Their popularity/share of the vote has shot up, and it's not unreasonable to assume that it might not have peaked at current levels. They haven't been a realistic alternative in my lifetime nor yours, but we may have just seen the tide beinning to turn on that.

[Garp]

Originally Posted by Von Smallhausen

They got 25% of the popular vote and 57 seats in Parliament which is nowhere near close.

A coalition, supply agreement or to continue as the UK's third party were their only options as winning outright was not going to happen.

Looking at the figures, they got 23.0% of the vote. Why, that's a huge gap of just 6% fewer votes than Labour. World of difference, doesn't stand a chance. Definitely not a serious contender at all.

[divine]

Trouble is, with FPTP, those votes don't get them that close as the support is too widespread and thus leaves them second in many many constituencies being beaten in areas with extreme Lab/Con support.

[Glaucus]

Originally Posted by A Place of Light

It is when you compare their performance in the general elections of the last few decades.

Last election was 22.1% so despite all this media attention, they have barely changed. Before that it has been higher and average around 18%ish.
83 they had a bigger share


FPTP and PR neither is really better. It's just a different way.
FPTP just looks at it on a local level, if more people in that area want Lab/Con, that's what they get.

[Garp]

Originally Posted by AcidHell2

FPTP and PR neither is really better. It's just a different way.
FPTP just looks at it on a local level, if more people in that area want Lab/Con, that's what they get.

But the reality is, my vote means diddly squat. I vote in a rock solid Conservative region.

My vote can only ever be for or against the Tories. If I'm against them the only thing I can do is vote Lib Dems. Any other vote is a waste. It doesn't matter who I really want in power other than Tories, I have to vote Lib Dems.

Worse than that, the reality is my region changes so little even in the midst of huge swings away from the Tories, I might as well not bother voting.

FPTP degrades the power of the individual to make a change, to have a voice, and it only effectively works in a two party electoral system. If we live in a democracy one vote should equal one vote. Plain and simple.