Thinking about voting Conservative...

[Dowding]

No, they employ people to do that for them.

[VWE]

Yeah, aparently its too difficult to fly it alone with a silver spoon stuck up your a**!

[NUKE]

I know Charles rides a horse. what's her name again....Camilla?

[Nashwan]

I know this has been discussed before but could you define the political parties in England,

Labour (Tony Blair's party) = left wing, tax and spend. The party is much more left wing than Blair himself.

Conservative = right wing, tax cuts, anti European Union.

Liberal = supposed to be centrist, but socialy more left wing than labour, economically more left wing than current labour government. More libertarian than conservatives or labour.

As you specified England, no need to mention the Scottish and Welsh Nationalist, (both left wing, both seek independence) or the Northern Ireland parties (right wing Ulster Unionists, left wing Democratic Unionists, left wing SDLP and Sinn Fein, political wing of IRA terrorist group)

If the Conservatives win the election today, do you already know who they will put forward as the P.M.?

I mean, is it pretty much automatically Michael Howard? Or do they ever switch up the leadership once they gain a majority?

Definately Michael Howard.

They can switch leadership, but only do so when they are in difficulties. If they win an election under a leader, there's unlikely to be a movement to unseat him.

Saudakar - you haven't lived under Blair or seen the kind of undemocratic, unconstitutional, pointless changes he's made to legislature and parliament. The man is a control freak and nanny state advocate.

Couldn't agree more. ID cards next, and from 2007 when you apply for a passport you also have to have an ID card, and go on a national "identity register". Oh, and pay £85 for the privillege.

[john9001]

Dowding, or anyone, what type of ballots do you use in england?

[Nilsen]

When is the election anyway?

[beet1e]

Dowding

When I read your initial post, I almost fell of my chair! But we'll be glad to have you on board. I joined the party! - £15, and I got a nice membership card.

VWE said

Wow! You can vote for the Bish, Rooks or Knights! Are you sure HTC isn't behind your party system?

Yes, our voting system was designed by HTC and even has an inbuilt ENY limiting feature.

Lazs said

can any of the candidates fly a jet fighter like our prez can?

One former senior cabinet minister in Thatcher's day, Norman Tebbit (another of Dowding's heros - lol) was in the RAF in post war years, and flew a Gloster Meteor.

[beet1e]

Originally posted by Nilsen
When is the election anyway?

Nilsen - our system is (pretty much) unique, in that the PM can call the election at any time in the allotted 5 year term. Blair won in June 2001, so he could in theory keep going till June 2006. But most believe he will seek a dissolution of parliament between Feb and May of next year.

[ygsmilo]

Thanks for the replys, very informative.

[Nilsen]

Originally posted by beet1e
Nilsen - our system is (pretty much) unique, in that the PM can call the election at any time in the allotted 5 year term. Blair won in June 2001, so he could in theory keep going till June 2006. But most believe he will seek a dissolution of parliament between Feb and May of next year.

Ok

[Zippatuh]

My next door neighbor recently moved from England to KC working for GM.  He’s English his wife is from the states.  We’ve ended up being pretty good friends and have had several opportunities to discuss politics and the world view.

The reaction that I get from him about Blair is about the same as here with Bush.  Who else are you going to vote for?  For lack of a better candidate Blair seems to be the only choice.  Of course as stated here though it’s more voting for the party rather than the candidate with an understanding of who would take charge after the election from local areas.

The neighbors state that “Blair is the best conservative the democrats have ever had”.  This statement doesn’t completely follow the party breakdown but I’m sure he was simplifying it for me.

[cpxxx]

The British election system is special in that it  virtually guarantees that the party  most voters DON'T want to be in government wins every time.  As a result every British government is unpopular from the moment it's elected.
 One man one vote - a great system,



Dowding: I think a vote for the Tories right now would be wasted. They are simply not ready. Howard doesn't really impress and there is no obvious Tory waiting in the wings.  Your only hope is that Gordon Brown replaces Blair sooner rather than later.

[-tronski-]

Dowding take heart...

I voted Labour (and Greens in the senate), and the barstard Liberals still won...nothing like a good scare campaign, and selling out to the christian-right to help keep you in power...

Fear will keep the locals systems in line...

 Tronsky

[Chortle]

Originally posted by john9001
Dowding, or anyone, what type of ballots do you use in england?

Paper and pen, and then counted by hand by local govt employees. They're looking at other methods to try and change the generally abysmal turn out.

[beet1e]

Originally posted by cpxxx
Dowding: I think a vote for the Tories right now would be wasted. They are simply not ready. Howard doesn't really impress and there is no obvious Tory waiting in the wings.  Your only hope is that Gordon Brown replaces Blair sooner rather than later.

...and there's a lot of voter apathy just like this. I've talked to former tory voters who have said the alternative to Labour is no better. That's certainly why I didn't vote at all in 1997 and 2001.

[PPB] (short version, not the Beetlesque version)

But there comes a time when you look at Labour's record and realise that they haven't just mucked up one particular thing; they've messed up everything they've touched, and they've lied to the electorate - on Iraq (45 minute threat/Kelly debacle), on asylum/immigration (Beverley Hughes fiasco) and on taxes (66 new ones despite a pledge for no new taxes). Still to come are next year's tax rises to pay for Gordon's 2004 spending. And there are steep council tax rises being planned - the back door tax on wealth. Remember June 10 when the UK elections showed that most of us don't want the EU constitution? And the very next week, Tony hopped on a plane to Brussels to sign up to it?

I look at this and wonder - could the tories really be worse? Hmmm... OK, Howard is no spring chicken, and would probably give way to a younger leader before his term was up.

[/PPB]

But the electorate has really got to shake off this numb feeling of apathy and wake up to what's happening around them.