english politics...cliff notes?

[JB88]

something about blair announcing a date for an election and parliment being dissolved....

hoping to get a bit of a primer here.

[Jackal1]

Originally posted by JB88
something about blair announcing a date for an election and parliment being dissolved....
 

An election or an erection?

[beet1e]

JB88 - I got your email, thanks. I'll reply to that, and include a bit about the election.

I think Jackal1 is Chinese.

[wetrat]

Well, I'm fairly certain that the Canadian government is modeled after that of the English, so I'll try to sum it up.

You don't vote for the leader of the party, you vote for your MP (member of parliament) who will be affiliated with a party (or not, in some cases). The leader of whatever party has the most members of parliament becomes the prime minister. So from that, you can pretty much figure that parliament will be dissolved in the event of an election

[JB88]

Originally posted by beet1e
JB88 - I got your email, thanks. I'll reply to that, and include a bit about the election.

I think Jackal1 is Chinese.

copy that beetle.  looking forward to a game sir.

gotcha wetrat.  thanks.

[Chortle]

wetrat has nailed it. Geographically the country is split into ‘constituencies’ which translates into a ‘seat’ in Parliament. People who live in each constituency vote for whoever they like, or dislike the least and so elect that individual to Parliament. The party that has the majority of seats, there are about 650 in total, is the elected government and whoever is leader of that party is Prime minister.

The Queen dissolves parliament on the say so of the incumbent PM so all the MPs can make the rest of our lives hell for a month running around kissing babies full time and talking crap to whoever will listen.

[Jackal1]

Originally posted by beet1e

I think Jackal1 is Chinese.

Well..no, but my eyes are kinda slanted right now.  

[Momus--]

Background to UK Political Set-up

Background to General Elections

[storch]

and you guys have the gall to criticize the electoral college?

[Schaden]

In explanation....

[storch]

Originally posted by Schaden
In explanation....

ahhhh clears it up marvelously thanks

[Schaden]

Ok... the one on the right is Tony B, riding his chief opponent Gordon Blair to victory, Gordon runs the economy, the basis for the victory by Labour.

The Conservatives, Michael Howard are coming in second flogging a dead horse and the Lib Dems are floating about in the backround.

[wetrat]

lol, good comic