The General Election Thread

[FamilyWiggs]

I know many of you face this prospect with dread and loathing, but it does seem like it is finally game on.

I thought it might be interesting to have a thread where we could post factual stuff about the various parties' approaches to period buildings and conservation issues, or anecdotes as and when we meet and ask candidates about these issues.

If no one posts anything, at least I know it wouldn't be interesting to have such a thread!

 

[JoceAndChris]

Oh God, is there a General Election? When? What do all the different parties want to do?

anecdotes as and when we meet and ask candidates about these issues.

:shock: How come you're so well connected?

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Oh God, is there a General Election? When? What do all the different parties want to do?

Keep their noses in the trough for as long as possible with the minimal possible interference from us.

http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2010/04/05/politicians-slam-reality-politics-trend/

http://www.labservative.com/

(and yes, I am aware that Labservative is a front for Another Party)

Whoever you vote for, historic buildings / property development / the colour of wallpaper will be so far down the list of priorities that it isn't worth making your choice on that basis. No matter who you vote for, they won't take the things you take seriously nearly as seriously as you do.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Gareth may well be right (again!).

Just spent a while searching through one of the parties' sites for "period", "period property", "listed building", "conservation" and "heritage". I came away with nothing useful!

Whilst I certainly won't be basing my decision on heritage issues, it will be interesting to fox the candidates by asking about such issues.

:shock: How come you're so well connected?

Joce - I've been a number of different things (including candidate and election agent, as well as foot soldier) - I live for the next 4 weeks!!! :roll:

 

[JohnB]

Isn't the campaign over yet? It's been going on for weeks. I can't stand another month of it, so I'll have to stop listening to the radio, and looking for news on the web.

Someone tell me when it's over, but there's no point telling me who won, as they're all as bad as each other :evil:

 

[Schoolmarm]

Ooooh they aren't all the same though.

 

[essexbearhunter]

I'll have to stop listening to the radio, and looking for news on the web.

You could always re-tune to BBC World Service.

 

[biffvernon]

Ooooh they aren't all the same though.

Apart from the Greens, and there isn't one of them in my constituency, they all want economic growth based on the consumption of more stuff. In that way they are all the same.

And it won't make any difference because nobody ever gets elected on a single vote (your vote) majority.

 

[philpjuk100]

ELECTION!

 

[Pford75]

they all want economic growth

That's a little like saying "They are all in favour of maintaining a police force"..therefore they are all the same. You may not agree with the broad policy of economic growth, but the beauty of democracy is that you get to have your say (as does everyone else). The 'problem' with elections in a democracy is that they can provide fairly clear proof on the wants/desires of the electorate.

As FF and others have been pointing out, there isn't much appetite for a deepened recession or reversing the economic growth of the past century. But the Greens haven't come up with a compelling solution (it may be compelling for you...but it clearly isn't for 95% of the population).

Apart from the Greens, and there isn't one of them in my constituency

If you feel so strongly about the Green agenda, why not stand? I may disagree with your views, but you clearly have a deep understanding and passion for the subject - to my mind, exactly what politics needs (more conviction politicians).

And it won't make any difference because nobody ever gets elected on a single vote (your vote) majority

This, I find disappointing. You are usually so in favour of activism and trying to change things...yet here you believe that there's 'no point'. Sounds rather like a toddler in a grump that the rest of the family doesn't agree with them. An overall majority is simply a collection of individual majorities. People who don't cast their vote or participate in the electoral system (eg. stand themselves), sacrifice their right to complain about the outcome.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

And it won't make any difference because nobody ever gets elected on a single vote (your vote) majority.

I presume this is deeply ironic, on the basis that this is precisely the argument many of us on here deploy against reducing our individual carbon footprints?

 

[FamilyWiggs]

People who don't cast their vote or participate in the electoral system (eg. stand themselves), sacrifice their right to complain about the outcome.

Quite - the logical thing for the "a plague on both your houses" voter to do, is to rock up to the polling station and spoil their ballot paper. Otherwise we risk lumping them in with the "can't be arsed" party.

Having attended a few counts in my time, there are some very humuorous comments written on ballot papers. It's also clear that there are a genuine number of people who really do have trouble comprehending an instruction to "place a cross next to one candidate". :roll:

 

[philpjuk100]

"If you feel so strongly about the Green agenda, why not stand? I may disagree with your views, but you clearly have a deep understanding and passion for the subject - to my mind, exactly what politics needs (more conviction politicians)".(quote)
Come on Biff,do you have a duck house?would you like one? you know it makes sense!

 

[Nigel Watts]

Even if you dont feel you can make a difference at a national level why not stand as a candidate in local elections? I am, in London.

 

[biffvernon]

And it won't make any difference because nobody ever gets elected on a single vote (your vote) majority.

I presume this is deeply ironic, on the basis that this is precisely the argument many of us on here deploy against reducing our individual carbon footprints?

Indeed, but Pford74 didn't appear to spot that. And I didn't say that there was no point, just that it won't make any difference. Of course I have voted in every election I've been able to and did stand as an Ecology Party (now called Green) candidate in 1979. Needless to say I didn't win. The same would happen now of course. Maybe in Brighton , Norwich, Cambridge it could be different but I live in a very safe Tory constituency and, frankly, I've other stuff to do.

Perhaps all parties are not the same. Tories want economic growth with fox hunting, Labour want economic growth without fox hunting. The foxes don't get to vote and economic growth is not going to happen so long as our economy is tightly linked to the rate of oil production.

Since spring 2005 oil production has been plateauing around 85 million barrels per day, reaching a peak in July 2008 when the spot price reached $147. Then we had the recession leading to a drop of a couple of million bpd. If we come out of recession the oil demand goes up, productions hits it's ceiling again, prices go through the roof and we get recession part 2. Neither Labour nor Tory Parties will tell you this but that doesn't mean it isn't true.

 

[biffvernon]

The RSPB's view.

 

[Schoolmarm]

I consider fox hunting and it's continued ban a very important part of my decision. I have been made fun of on a Conservative facebook page for this because, "there are far more important things to discuss".

I feel stupid but I want a Conservative government and a BETTER fox hunting/hunting with hounds ban.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Carole,

A dilemma. But I guess that is what politics is about once we pass the teenage idealist stage - it is a compromise of a number of desires, many of which are not complementary. Finding the party that best matches your own broad range of opinions is the key to deciding how to cast your vote; that and giving Brown a massive kick in the ballots!

 

[Gervase]

...or keeping creepy, insincere Dave and his Eton Mess well away from the reins of power!
It's quite amusing to see various Tory PPCs saying, "Oh yeah, we've really changed, OK? I mean, like, we've got Dave, Georgie and BoJo now, and, er..." when they've actually got more OEs, double-barrels, merchant-rhyming-slangers and chinless PR types than in any election since Maggie won the party leadership.

All that ambition, and yet so little real class. Still, they're nothing if not representative, and the inheritance tax will doubtless win them the election. Why, in the streets of Lowestoft and Cardigan the talk is of little else! :wink:

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Shall I put you down as an "undecided" then Gervase? :lol: :lol: :lol: