The General Election Thread

[masterwig]

The biggest consequences of this election are the inevitable EU referendum and renewed calls for Scottish independence.

Divisions within the United Kingdom are about to get deeper. And I desperately fear the EU referendum.

The Lib Dems have been wiped out but I wonder if in a couple of years we'll be looking back thankful we had five years of coalition.

I voted in the last Labour leadership election. I didn't believe Ed could win an election so I had him well down my list of preferences. His campaign had me starting to believe but it wasn't enough. He's sure to go now. Disastrous night for him personally and the Labour Party in general. I hope Andy Burnham takes over, he was my first choice four years ago.

Better start campaigning to save our EU status and the hundreds of thousands of jobs which rely on it.

 

[jimharri]

Only Stockholm Syndrome can explain the Tories getting nearly 40% of the national vote

Or maybe the people just don't trust Labour to do what's best for the country?

 

[Lucky13]

Morning punters.
First of all congratulations to the Tories. Ruthless winners.
I think Labour got done over twice by the SNP, in Scotland (obviously) and in England where voters didn't want the SNP influencing the government in any way.
I still think Labour should have got at least around 270 seats and it's a desperately disappointing night for them.
Oh well back to supporting the real blues. I just hope they can be as ruthless at winning as the political blues.
PS I won't be taking any further notice of opinion polls in the future.

Very gracious of you Len , it has been fun , do you think Miliband can survive the week?

He won't survive the day, he'll be seen dragging a huge stone tablet around London in scenes reminiscent of The Last Temptation of Christ

Strong rumours at noon.

 

[Elbow beards]

i will say this the turnout overall looks to be a disappointing 65%, it doesn't bother me who you vote for or why, but vote you should, too much has been given by so many for people not to vote especially when you can do it by post and not have to go out of the door.
but, i don't believe it should be made compulsory as that in itself goes against democracy.

Why should I vote when they're all a bunch of wankers, I exercise my democratic right not to vote! Doesn't make the slightest bit of difference in tameside anyway, always labour.

 

[SWP's back]

@PB

Thought I'd replied but can't see it so I may not have pressed submit.

I've is great thanks mate, been up since 2 watching the results so celebrating with some pink fizz by the pool. :-)

Plenty of jobs account here for finance professionals.

 

[worsleyweb]

Since most politicians are self-serving c*nts in my experience I''m not too concerned either way. If you're middle class you're going to get clobbered whoever gets in.

As a public sector employee we've been asked to predict what would happen to my Department following cuts of 20,30 and 40%. So major public sector cuts are a certainty. That shouldn't concern me because there are huge areas of bureaucracy and waste.

What does concern me is that where the cuts fall is being left to the bureaucrats to decide. Not being turkeys voting for Christmas, they naturally decide that cuts should be in the frontline, not amongst the huge swathes of managers and consultants.

Can you imagine how much waste was in the public sector ten years ago?

 

[Ancient Citizen]

Everyone paying their tax does though.

Yes but before you pay tax you need to work unless we are going to start taxing benefits

mind you 11.5bn...... might just be part of the answer

Then its the job of any government to create meaningful, paid employment is it not?

Not zero hours, minimum wage jobs that still means folk have to rely on the welfare state to top up wages, companies cant be arsed paying.

Again though, it would help this country enormously if everyone paid their tax yes?

Yes it would, but plenty of people fail to understand tax laws whenever Vodaphone, Starbucks and Amazon etc; are constantly quoted.
It would need international agreements worldwide, which is virtually impossible, but progress is being made.
What we don't need is more personal taxation, which Labour propounded, it results in a lower tax take as wealthier folk move their money, or move elsewhere, check out France for proof of this, the socialists are fucking the place up nicely.

 

[worsleyweb]

Everyone paying their tax does though.

Yes but before you pay tax you need to work unless we are going to start taxing benefits

mind you 11.5bn...... might just be part of the answer

Then its the job of any government to create meaningful, paid employment is it not?

Not zero hours, minimum wage jobs that still means folk have to rely on the welfare state to top up wages, companies cant be arsed paying.

Again though, it would help this country enormously if everyone paid their tax yes?

How many jobs have been created in the last 5 years? If you want a decent job in this country and you are prepared to work hard, study or learn a good trade you can get on.

 

[inbetween]

Everyone paying their tax does though.

Yes but before you pay tax you need to work unless we are going to start taxing benefits

mind you 11.5bn...... might just be part of the answer

Then its the job of any government to create meaningful, paid employment is it not?

Not zero hours, minimum wage jobs that still means folk have to rely on the welfare state to top up wages, companies cant be arsed paying.

Again though, it would help this country enormously if everyone paid their tax yes?

The state does not create jobs, the private sector does. To have jobs you need a strong private sector, Labours policies were to hit the private sector, something many businesses warned them against time and time again. The same argument goes for the minimum wage, how many pubs will got out of business or sack people if they have to increase their staff costs by 20%? The bottom would quite simply fall out of this country and once again we would have a Labour government propping people up with everyone elses money.

Zero hours contracts represents 1 in 40/50 of the jobs created and certainly there will be a % of those too who will be happy to be on them. Zero hours actually represents not even 1% of the UK workforce so it is bollocks that there is a massive amount of people unhappy on them.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.theworkfoundation.com/Research/Socio-Economic/Zero-hours-contracts/Key-facts-about-zero-hours-contracts" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.theworkfoundation.com/Resear ... -contracts</a>

People vote with their feet and clearly the sense of injustice is not justified when a majority is pretty much secured for the conservatives.

 

[Lucky13]

Since most politicians are self-serving c*nts in my experience I''m not too concerned either way. If you're middle class you're going to get clobbered whoever gets in.

As a public sector employee we've been asked to predict what would happen to my Department following cuts of 20,30 and 40%. So major public sector cuts are a certainty. That shouldn't concern me because there are huge areas of bureaucracy and waste.

What does concern me is that where the cuts fall is being left to the bureaucrats to decide. Not being turkeys voting for Christmas, they naturally decide that cuts should be in the frontline, not amongst the huge swathes of managers and consultants.

Can you imagine how much waste was in the public sector ten years ago?

Call me Dave has promised £1 in every £10 will be saved every year , time to starve the bloated beast.

 

[union city blue]

No it won't.

Sinn Fein don't vote. The speaker doesn't vote. The DUP won't be going against most things, nor UKIP.

They'll pass most things by a good dozen.

It will keep Cameron honest though.

If you only knew what they have planned for public services in this country I don't think you would be so happy their are cuts on the way the like of which have never been seen before, there will be social breakdown of course they will have row back like they had to last time they tried this, the good news is if they hold good they will lose the next election

Are you Privy to Conservative cabinet meetings then? and I wonder why you only warn us now surely you should have mentioned this before and told everyone to vote labour to protect the Nation you did Vote Labour didn't you?

Your pathetic answer "are you privy to Conservative cabinet meetings then" just shows what an ill-informed fuckwit you really are.

Funding, particularly for local government is projected at least two years in advance and most Councils set their budgets accordingly. I know of one major council in the North West - a Labour council that has been one of the hardest hit in the country - which has forecast that with the planned reduction in funding, by 2017/18 it will not even have sufficient funding for those services it is legally obliged to provide.
It will effectively only be able to deliver some adult social care and refuse collection and nothing else.

But of course you don't give a single fuck about that do you? It's only poor people and overpaid, lazy public sector workers who will suffer and you will be just fine, so fuck everyone else. You selfish ****.

 

[worsleyweb]

If you only knew what they have planned for public services in this country I don't think you would be so happy their are cuts on the way the like of which have never been seen before, there will be social breakdown of course they will have row back like they had to last time they tried this, the good news is if they hold good they will lose the next election

Are you Privy to Conservative cabinet meetings then? and I wonder why you only warn us now surely you should have mentioned this before and told everyone to vote labour to protect the Nation you did Vote Labour didn't you?

Your pathetic answer "are you privy to Conservative cabinet meetings then" just shows what an ill-informed fuckwit you really are.

Funding, particularly for local government is projected at least two years in advance and most Councils set their budgets accordingly. I know of one major council in the North West - a Labour council that has been one of the hardest hit in the country - which has forecast that with the planned reduction in funding, by 2017/18 it will not even have sufficient funding for those services it is legally obliged to provide.
It will effectively only be able to deliver some adult social care and refuse collection and nothing else.

But of course you don't give a single fuck about that do you? It's only poor people and overpaid, lazy public sector workers who will suffer and you will be just fine, so fuck everyone else. You selfish c**t.

Lets see if the mods let that that vile abuse and frankly utter nonsense pass???

 

[M18CTID]

Since most politicians are self-serving c*nts in my experience I''m not too concerned either way. If you're middle class you're going to get clobbered whoever gets in.

As a public sector employee we've been asked to predict what would happen to my Department following cuts of 20,30 and 40%. So major public sector cuts are a certainty. That shouldn't concern me because there are huge areas of bureaucracy and waste.

What does concern me is that where the cuts fall is being left to the bureaucrats to decide. Not being turkeys voting for Christmas, they naturally decide that cuts should be in the frontline, not amongst the huge swathes of managers and consultants.

A good post and one I agree with. Cut all the needless jobs in the public sector and you could probably save enough money to keep all frontline services intact AND give those on the frontline a decent pay rise to boot.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Having just spent over an hour in the car, it gave me time to think about the result and I think there are some interesting things have come out of it.

Firstly Sturgeon should be delighted, not just because of the number of seats won but also because she won't have to risk screwing up as part of a coalition or otherwise supporting a minority Labour government.

Secondly, it could actually make life more difficult for Cameron having a small overall majority than it was in coalition. In reality, the party is a coalition with the left of the party as polar opposites to the right on many key issues. Previously the LibDem MP's shored up the left and gave Cameron a ready made excuse when he didn't have freedom of action. Now, the Tory right will be baying for blood and they have the power to force the agenda. I've never really got Cameron but I suspect he's centre/left of centre at heart. He's going to find it quite uncomfortable over the next few years if so.

Another interesting thing is that the SNP fought on an avowedly left wing platform and triumphed whereas Labour sort of fought on a leftist platform and failed miserably. Was that a purely Scottish factor or should they have been more upfront?

It was also extremely interesting that UKIP took a lot of votes from Labour, which tends to support the view expressed on here my some of us that many Labour supporters are actually quite reactionary and right wing.

Finally, what's the future for the LibDems? In the same way that UKIP have taken right wing votes off the Labour party, should they move firmly to the left and target the left wing voters in the Labour party, effectively becoming the English version of the SNP. After all, it worked in Scotland.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

Milliband to stand down apparently.

 

[Ducado]

Since most politicians are self-serving c*nts in my experience I''m not too concerned either way. If you're middle class you're going to get clobbered whoever gets in.

As a public sector employee we've been asked to predict what would happen to my Department following cuts of 20,30 and 40%. So major public sector cuts are a certainty. That shouldn't concern me because there are huge areas of bureaucracy and waste.

What does concern me is that where the cuts fall is being left to the bureaucrats to decide. Not being turkeys voting for Christmas, they naturally decide that cuts should be in the frontline, not amongst the huge swathes of managers and consultants.

Can you imagine how much waste was in the public sector ten years ago?

Call me Dave has promised £1 in every £10 will be saved every year , time to starve the bloated beast.

Last time they pulled that stunt the country almost collapsed and it ended up costing them more to put it right, and that was a Tory government under Thatcher so there are huge risks for them in doing so

 

[tonea2003]

looking at actual votes cast and for whom

the PR mob are going to be in full swing

i must say the disparity between SNP & UKIP seats won and the actual number of votes cast for each is stark in the extreme

 

[M18CTID]

If you only knew what they have planned for public services in this country I don't think you would be so happy their are cuts on the way the like of which have never been seen before, there will be social breakdown of course they will have row back like they had to last time they tried this, the good news is if they hold good they will lose the next election

Are you Privy to Conservative cabinet meetings then? and I wonder why you only warn us now surely you should have mentioned this before and told everyone to vote labour to protect the Nation you did Vote Labour didn't you?

Your pathetic answer "are you privy to Conservative cabinet meetings then" just shows what an ill-informed fuckwit you really are.

Funding, particularly for local government is projected at least two years in advance and most Councils set their budgets accordingly. I know of one major council in the North West - a Labour council that has been one of the hardest hit in the country - which has forecast that with the planned reduction in funding, by 2017/18 it will not even have sufficient funding for those services it is legally obliged to provide.
It will effectively only be able to deliver some adult social care and refuse collection and nothing else.

But of course you don't give a single fuck about that do you? It's only poor people and overpaid, lazy public sector workers who will suffer and you will be just fine, so fuck everyone else. You selfish c**t.

That's possibly the most hypocritical post I've seen on this whole thread.

 

[Ancient Citizen]

In the 'Best squeeze' competition, foxy Sam Cam wins hands down. Ed's Mrs looks weirder than him, although Nick '8 seats' Clegg's Mrs isn't too shabby.

 

[Ducado]

Having just spent over an hour in the car, it gave me time to think about the result and I think there are some interesting things have come out of it.

Firstly Sturgeon should be delighted, not just because of the number of seats won but also because she won't have to risk screwing up as part of a coalition or otherwise supporting a minority Labour government.

Secondly, it could actually make life more difficult for Cameron having a small overall majority than it was in coalition. In reality, the party is a coalition with the left of the party as polar opposites to the right on many key issues. Previously the LibDem MP's shored up the left and gave Cameron a ready made excuse when he didn't have freedom of action. Now, the Tory right will be baying for blood and they have the power to force the agenda. I've never really got Cameron but I suspect he's centre/left of centre at heart. He's going to find it quite uncomfortable over the next few years if so.

Another interesting thing is that the SNP fought on an avowedly left wing platform and triumphed whereas Labour sort of fought on a leftist platform and failed miserably. Was that a purely Scottish factor or should they have been more upfront?

It was also extremely interesting that UKIP took a lot of votes from Labour, which tends to support the view expressed on here my some of us that many Labour supporters are actually quite reactionary and right wing.

Finally, what's the future for the LibDems? In the same way that UKIP have taken right wing votes off the Labour party, should they move firmly to the left and target the left wing voters in the Labour party, effectively becoming the English version of the SNP. After all, it worked in Scotland.

It seems that many have forgotten how hard it was for Major to govern there are some serious enough fault lines in the Tory party